Orphan - 7 stars out of 10

Orphan - 7 stars out of 10

For a scary movie, Orphan certainly offers some incredible acting. Vera Farmiga is absolutely wonderful, displaying impressive visual acting skills as the sound reel goes silent when interacting with her deaf daughter. And Isabelle Fuhrman, where did this girl come from? Although her Russian accent disappeared on a few occasions, this 10-year-old brings her character to life by rapidly switching between her sweet side and her evil side (including an amazing "transformation" at the end). Aside from the opening sequence, the first section of this film would lead you to believe that it will be a heartwarming ABC Family story. Things then quickly change as Fuhrman exposes her dark side. That scene with the paintings and the neon light from the fish tank - unbelievably cool. And the roses... so psychologically twisted! Every event from the characters' pasts is craftily revealed at its strategic time and the big twist gives credibility to every happening that seemed far-fetched when it occurred. My only complaint is that the final 5 minutes took it beyond my suspension of disbelief and made me roll my eyes a few times. Even creepier than the story is Fuhrman's own opinion of her character: "I never saw Esther as scary and was never afraid of her either. Esther's dream is to find love and a perfect family that would appreciate her. She wants it so badly that she has to remove all the obstacles on her way to achieving her dream. It's a life-or-death stakes for her." I had expected a horror film but was pleased that Orphan ended up being a non-stop thrill ride that will forever make me second guess whether things are as they appear.