Orphan Review

There are very few movies that evoke an unsettling feeling. I would argue that this fact is even more valid today than it was in the 1970s and 1980s, because we’ve seen almost every type of scary scenario imaginable in cinema by now. One movie that did make me feel that way is 2009’s Orphan, which has since become somewhat of a cult classic. Something is chilling about an evil child, as referenced in many movies, such as The Omen and Children of the Corn. Orphan takes it to another level with methodical, calculated brutality that I wasn’t expecting.

Story

From Heartache to Happiness

The movie begins with John (Peter Sarsgaard) and Kate (Vera Farmiga) Coleman at the hospital for the delivery of their third child. The oversaturated light puts an ominous spin on things as we discover they have lost their child. It’s a moving scene, and one that’s made that much more meaningful by Kate screaming when she finds out. Kate decides, after some time, to cope with the loss of her child by putting that love for her lost child into someone else who needs it, so they choose to adopt. They find a Russian orphan named Esther, who is painting alone from the other children. She’s an articulate and intelligent 9-year-old girl, and it seems that she won John and Kate over by saying that people should ”take the bad things in their lives and turn them into something good.” This resonates with John and Kate, and they ultimately adopt Esther.

Enter Esther

Esther meets Kate and John’s two biological children, Daniel (Jimmy Bennett) and his younger deaf sister, Max (Aryana Engineer). It doesn’t take long for everyone in the family (except for John) to feel like something isn’t quite right with Esther. Why does she dress like she’s from a different era? What’s with the ribbons around her neck and wrist that she won’t let anyone take off? Daniel is resentful toward Esther, while Max is initially happy to have a new sister to play with. John chalks her weird tendencies to a young girl who has had a difficult upbringing, being shipped from Russian orphanages to American ones. But the fact remains that something isn’t right with Esther.

Kate’s Skepticism

Kate reads between the lines and starts to become skeptical of Esther. She believes that Esther is the cause of some recent unexplained accidents. There was a girl at the playground who slipped off the slide, with Esther looking down at her body as she cried for help. A nun (CCH Pounder) from the orphanage began to pry into Esther’s origins, and she just happened to go missing. There was even a revelation that Esther’s family burned up in a fire that was determined to be arson. Kate is the central character in the movie and appears to be the sanest to the viewer, even though her family doesn’t view her that way. Kate is a recovering alcoholic, and there is still a prior accident that almost cost Max her life on an icy lake behind the house, hanging over her head. John and Kate’s shrink (Margo Martindale) downplays Kate’s suspicions. Esther smiles at the thought of her manipulation of the family as she tears them all apart.

Slow Build

This movie has a slow build in a good way, which makes the twist later in the film that much more shocking. The dynamic between John and Kate, as John starts to think Kate is becoming increasingly delusional, is heartbreaking and makes you want to scream at your TV screen. Vera Farmiga delivers an impressive performance, making you care about her character even more because she is certain of all her allegations. It’s even worse because of how cold Peter Sarsgaard comes across, not believing anything Kate has to say. Of course, Fuhrman ultimately takes over the film with her stoic delivery and good Russian accent. I don’t know if anyone else could have played this complex character quite as well.

The Big Twist

When Kate finally uncovers the truth, it’s a shocking revelation, so be warned if you don’t want a big spoiler. Esther is not a 9-year-old girl. She’s a 33-year-old woman with a glandular disorder that makes her look like a child. That would be a crazy revelation in and of itself, but we also find out she’s an escaped mental patient. Oof. Of course, this puts many things previously mentioned in a much different perspective. Esther knew what the word fuck meant. She was already a very talented piano player who played well beyond the level of talent she should have possessed as a 9-year-old. Esther held a razor to Daniel’s privates to keep him silent. She knew how to bludgeon someone to death and hide the evidence. This wasn’t the work of a child. This was the work of a fully developed adult. It puts things in a much different perspective and makes the movie feel much more sinister. Then, we also discover that Esther’s painting reveals hidden images under UV lights, depicting love-making with John and violence against the rest of the family.

Final Thoughts

If I have one criticism about this movie, the ending falls a bit flat for me. Once the big twist happens, you know exactly how this movie will end, and you’re just waiting for it to happen. It’s not something that tarnishes the film, but I felt like a nice swerve at the end would have been the right move for a well-written and executed story. Instead, we’re left with the happy ending that everyone probably expected. I’m glad there wasn’t room for a sequel, because this film didn’t need one. Getting a prequel to flesh out Esther’s background was a much better call. If you haven’t seen this one, check it out because it’s a wild ride.