If you like horror, you will probably like this movie. I almost skipped it because the review site I looked at gave it a 4...its definitely better than that. Is it going to win an Oscar? No...But is it entertaining? Yes. The little girl did a great job, she has a bright future in acting. A couple of parts are kind of brutal, but hey, it is a horror movie. If in the mood for something different give it a chance, I was pleasantly surprised.
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pensacolacomputer18 April 2018
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ramonster_uk24 April 2018Being a fan of Anna Torv (Fringe) and not having seen her in anything for a while (also do enjoy a good horror type movie), I decided to give this a go. The acting is great, albeit a very minimal cast. The young girl (Stephanie) carried the film well, with most of the scenes being her on her own. This is a bit of a mix of a movie, with some horror and sci-fi elements, it did kind of remind me of a Fringe event. Not sure why there are some low ratings here, can only assume some people went into this expecting something else. This movie will keep you guessing as to what is going on and doesn't disappoint. So if you like a bit of a break from the norm, give this one a go.
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kevandeb2 December 2018I thought this was a great premise for a movie and it worked well because the acting and pace of the film was good. A good twist with a moral dilemma certainly kept it gripping all the way through. Definitely worth a viewing.
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rsvp32126 April 2018At least two of the negative reviews clearly indicate that they only watched the beginning of the movie, and rate it unfairly imo.
This movie is excellent at involving the viewer's imagination. I put it on meant for background noise while I was multitasking, but dropped everything else to watch it.
Some pretty good scare parts, and that kid is a talent that I'm sure we'll see a lot more of. The plot was also pretty good at keeping me from correctly predicting what happens next. *Watch the beginning of the end credits, too - it delivers closure.
Nice to see Anna Torv again, too - I think I'll watch the first three seasons of Fringe, now lol! -
crsparksrn2 October 2018First off, the little girl is absolutely incredible and believable in this. I was not aware a child could be such a great actor! Holy smokes! Torv (oh, how I miss Fringe) was great and so was Grillo. The movie starts off with some nerve wracking moments when Stephanie is alone and having to fend for herself. The pace picks up when Mom & Dad return home. Yes, I would have loved more backstory, but otherwise it kept my attention and I enjoyed the suspense. I would watch again.
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patriciameirinha25 April 2018This one is a good movie! Of course we are talking about a horror movie...is not a masterpiece . But to be honest, the low ratings are not fair. Good acting, good story, suspense moments, twists and turns. I have seen very bad horror movies but this one is not one of them.
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Draysan-Jennings8 April 2020When she hides in her little fort you can see a shadow walking around through the blankets. You can also hear something growling. I thought there was an actual monster. I wish they would of built on that. Instead it turns out that she's the monster. Maybe I missed something but what the hell was walking around in her room. They should of stuck with that concept. Once her parents came into the movie it starts to get a little strange. At times I couldn't tell the difference between the flashbacks & current scenes. I guess the story worked. I just wish they would of stuck with Stephanie alone against the monster. 5 stars
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jpq-8933230 November 2018Not gonna lie the beginning almost put me to sleep but the ending clears everything up and makes it so that the beginning was almost necessary.
I don't wanna give any details about the movie because it appears that the least you know the better the experience but I'll say to hang in there during the slow burner beginning but pay attention, when it picks up it really does a good job of tying things together while leaving room for a sequel of sorts. -
JoeytheBrit2 July 2020A very ordinary horror-mystery that can't maintain the quality of its intriguing opening act and eventually degenerates into a run-of-the-mill possessed child horror. Anna Torv and Frank Grillo turn up for their pay cheques as the concerned/terrified parents, but young Shree Crooks is very good in a role that requires her to be onscreen for virtually the entire running time.
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Not a lot of reviews for this movie and almost nothing else than bad ones. I thought it wasn't a bad movie. I saw way worse movies in that same genre. I didn't read anything about this movie before watching it so to me it was all a surprise. In the beginning you wonder what is happening and it's a good thing not to read anything about it, it would just spoil the story. It's not major horror but there are some suspense moments, or at least intriguing moments. The little girl Stephanie is played by the young Shree Crooks. She did a good job aspecially considering her age. There are only two other major characters and they were not bad either. Maybe a bit more explanation in the end, that would have been welcome, but rating this movie the lowest possible is just ridiculous. I was searching for entertainment and that was exactly what I got.
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elonhall-156-7188339 July 2018Pretty solid all around until we get to the ending, which sacrifices the rest of the film for some cheap shocks.
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freeist28 September 2018I don't remember if there were any jump scares in "Stephanie," because it had me always ready to jump, and that might be the best thing I could say about a horror movie these days.
This is the sort of horror movie that could only be made with excellence today. It's low budget, but looks great. It takes place primarily in one house, but doesn't become dull. Instead of special effects, It depends on atmosphere and its actors' performances. In the few places where there are special effects, they don't invite doubt.
I commend the actors, especially child actor Shree Crooks, who hits it out of the park. Was it possible before now to get child-actor performance this strong in a low budget horror movie? Crooks is in every scene and never slips.
My only caveat: the first part might not appeal to some viewers, but if they spend the time looking carefully, they'll see that things are even more amiss than they seem. And if they stay with it, they'll be happy anyway.
An excellent largely ignored film. They used to call these sleepers. -
hannahbigham-8859517 August 2018I've seen countless horror films so it can be hard to find one that is still unpredictable and scares. This one didn't disappoint as only a few of my predictions were accurate. I won't say anymore as I don't want to give anything away, other than the acting, especially from Shree Cook (Stephanie), is superb.
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This film failed to deliver as a whole but there are aspects of this movie that showed great promise. The acting was above par along with cinematography and special effects but the storyline and sequences unfold so slow I mean the little girl is basically alone and talking to herself for the first half of the movie. We get a lot of character study but not much character building. It's not a scary film as hard as it tries everything just comes across as imaginary. Way to many scenes that weren't needed. I would have to say this film isn't something worth watching.. I give it a POOR MOVIE RATING.
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claudio_carvalho18 May 2018The little girl Stephanie (Shree Crooks) is living alone in the house of her family apparently left behind by her parents Eric (Frank Grillo) and Jane (Anna Torv). Her older brother Paul (Jonah Beres), who was supposed to take care of her, is dead on his bed. During the night, Stephanie has nightmares and is scared by an invisible monster. One night, her mother and her father return home and explain to Stephanie that they fled afraid of the monster. What is the mysterious monster?
"Stephanie" is a very creepy film with a surprising ending. The great attraction is certainly the excellent Anna "Fringe" Torv, but Shree Crooks steals the film with a top-notch performance. Frank Grillo completes the lead trio with the usual great performance. The screenplay is very well written, keeping the mystery until the very ending. The direction is also precise, disclosing the story in an adequate pace and supported by excellent cinematography and lighting. The special effects are really scary. For a low-budget movie, "Stephanie" is a magnificent surprise. My vote is seven.
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Rickard-606-59271613 June 2018I genuinely enjoyed this movie. It was a bit different than I expected -- the reviews I read described scenes that are no longer in the film. Apparently the movie initially cut back and forth between Stephanie at home alone, and what was happening in the outside world. Limiting the story to the house and to Stephanie is a definite improvement. Heck, just watching little Stephanie preparing her meals in the adult-supervision-definitely-required kitchen was terrifying.
At least one review on here mentions unresolved plot lines that were most definitely covered, so I wonder if even the reviews here are spanning different versions.
Personally, I thought it was an enjoyable movie. Sure, the story has been told before, but it's a good story, told well. I thought things began to drag a bit once Stephanie's parents arrived and tried to bring things back to normal, but not so much that I lost interest in what was happening. I was particularly impressed by the acting of her mother (Anna Torv). Frank Grillo as the father struck me as rather wooden and one-note in his role, especially when it was time for his character to show some genuine pain and sorrow. And Shree Crooks was incredible -- particularly given that a goodly portion of this film is a one-kid show... just her, the stuffed toy turtle Francis and... well... ugh. You'll have to watch it to find out who else (or what else) might be keeping sweet little Stephanie company. -
lowelldavis-9137424 November 2018Similar to Prodigy, but more fully developed. Excellent story progression, I was completly drawn in. Great performances by everybody, especially Shree Crooks. I find it difficult to understand the bad reviews this picture has recieved; I wish that I had done it.
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postofficecb25 June 2020It's hard to believe that the writer of this movie is responsible for penning A Beautiful Mind, Cinderella Man and other notable films. What starts out as an interesting concept for a horror - a child trapped alone in a house with a malevolent entity - soon drifts into monotony midway when the concept is removed. Why? I suspect this is done in order to achieve the "twist ending" that takes up the final act, which, unless you're new to watching movies, is entirely predictable. The twist is also why the apocalypse is so far in the background that the viewer is almost unaware of it. This is all quite sad. Had the writer stuck to the original premise, it may have been a very effective supernatural survival thriller, ably acted by a gifted young actress.
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Right upfront, I just want to say this was an enjoyable movie, but for me there was one major flaw, and this was the lack of background story, which is there, but merely hinted at. This leaves you second guessing the unfolding events for at least half the movie. And even when the story starts to be revealed in the background, it still leaves many questions unanswered. Yes, by the end you come to understand the basic premise, but not satisfyingly complete. There are three distinct moods to this movie. The first is the borderline "Home Alone", scenes, with the girl doing as she pleases around the house. You do wonder where the parents are in all this, but then the second phase kicks in and things start getting a little creepy. The biggest discontinuity for me is the jump between this period and the final section. It is never explained, or referred to. The parents suddenly reappear, with no real explanation as to where they have been, and the father building the fence in the garden makes no sense when you finally learn the real story. I don't know whether something was lost in the editing, or this was done intentionally to force the viewer to think, but a little more information would have gone a long way.
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Clintborari2 February 2021My final words when the film had finished were, 'What the hell did I just watch?
Where do I even start with Stephanie? I've given some pretty moderate reviews in my time, and I always like to see the positives out of most films. However, it was really hard to pick out some worthwhile, or memorable moments in this film.
In the beginning, We have a few nervous and nail-biting moments involving Stephanie herself. Unfortunately, this is as tense and practical as the film gets. As it progresses, it seems to gradually lose its appeal, and it becomes both tedious and confusing.
We get some basic answers to keep us interested in the plot such as, what had happened to Stephanie's parents and brother. We can also see a newspaper clipping talking about an invasion. So we are left to think that something had caused her family to suddenly flee in haste when they decided to abandon their daughter.
We have so many more questions that we hope are answered at some point throughout the film, and this is where you can prepare to be disappointed as we are given absolutely nothing about what is transpiring.
The vague backstory on the situation leaves us a little perplexed, and the acting was pretty ordinary, to say the least. Frank Grillo as the father was cringy, and Anna Torv has the emotion of a potato. Shree Crooks was reasonable enough but she didn't have much to go against.
We do get these elementary twists during the film but it isn't captivating in the least, and they seem kind of dull.
Thankfully, It has a short run time as the story itself is pretty weak. The monster element was decent, but it doesn't have a lot of grounding to it. We are left in the dark for most of the film, and just so very little is answered.
The other problem is the ending. You are about Stephanie however, when a film has an ending that doesn't change the dynamics to give any hope, justice, or change. Then it comes across as very basic, cheap, and sometimes just meaningless.
This was a pretty horrendous film. There is nothing that I could recommend that stands out or has some deeper meaning. The few moments you feel sympathetic are fleeting, and that's as much emotion as you are willing to give to this story. As for me, Francis the turtle was the most likable, and engaging character.
4/10. -
larrys33 May 2018This horror flick is extremely slow to develop but once the mystery of it all falls into place it will lead to a most gruesome and shocking finale that made it all worth while. Shree Crooks' performance as the young girl Stephanie was quite superb, in my opinion, with Frank Grillo and Anna Torv adding well to the mix as her parents.
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denalees13 August 2019If the creators of this movie put more of a backstory in this movie, it would of been better! The film left the viewer with unanswered questions at the end.
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paulmacqueen7027 August 2018I cant believe how much this movie has flown under the radar! Is it going to win awards..no. But it has an originality about it that deserves a lot more credit and attention than it is currently recieving. It didn't feel the need to make every scene feel like a set up to an adrenaline rush,and yet you constantly find yourself on the edge of your seat. In a tiny cast Frank Grillo is his usual dependable self. But the credit in carrying this title has to go to the little girl Shree Crooks! This girl displays some acting prowess that leading ladies twice her age would be proud off. I dont want to say too much so as to give plot twists away,but her understated acting is masterfull! Do yourself a favour and check this out next time youve got a spare hour or two. And without a doubt we will be seeing more of Shree in the years to come.
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dazhaun-1102110 April 2021This is a horror movie.
It explains everything by the end.
It is original and acceptable.
It has tension and suspense, albeit it's weak.
It's still better than 90% of horror movies coming out nowadays, so yeah.
Worth a watch if you're a horror fan and need something to fill the lonely bored void that is your spare time. -
makka-0095523 April 2018Another weird little girl movie...nothing groundbreaking. the movie centers around a small girl, who is seemingly all alone in a large house. It's hard to know what is going on at first, with the odd weird event. The movie is so darn boring it's a wonder I made it until the end. The inference is that something is in the house with her, but we never see what it is. Forty five minutes in and the paint I've been watching is dry, however nothing interesting has happened in the movie. Then the parents turn up, doubling the cast to four (including the turtle). Seemingly they had left her alone and disappeared following a world catastrophe, which is eluded to, briefly, on TV, as being some sort of virus, affecting children. It's been suggested that euthanasia is the only answer. It's revealed to Stephanie that the monster she is so scared of is her. Things go from bad to worse when the parents decide to take matters into their own hands and, well, I'll leave you to guess the rest. The acting is okay, but quite flat and the 'special effects' are pretty poor- most things are shown through a gap under the door, or behind a shower curtain which is usual fare for a low budget movie and is ineffective in providing the necessary horror in a 'horror' move. It's hard-going early on, I felt my eyes closing a few times. It was said in a review that: "Akiva Goldsman has crafted a horror thriller that's going to take audiences to unexpected places," well, if you are in the cinema, it may unexpectedly take you to McDonald's halfway through the movie, or to the cashier, to ask for your money back. The movie will certainly go where the producers of this movie least expected it to - in the bargain video section of your local supermarket.