The Drowning (2017)

Not just anybody ... or maybe anybody is the answer? It's overall a shame, because there are a few nice things/themes in this, but nothing really holds or sticks. Many strands are left open and I guess that ending is supposed to make some sort of sense (?) - though to be honest it is laid out neatly - in a way where you go "yeah let's do it, I know what's coming".But is that enough? Especially when you have those over the top performances contradicting more layered ones. Or attempts of layered and nuanced performances that is. It's also a waste of some of the talent involved or at least it feels like it. I would not recommend this, but then again tastes are different, so either try the trailer or watch the first 20 minutes and you'll know

I would have hoped the therapy would have gone more like Robin Williams and Matt Damon in "Good Will Hunting," especially the more realistic directness Williams displayed, even to the point of saying, "If you disrespect (me) ever again, I will end you." Instead we get a wishy-washy, I-don't-know-how-to-judge this situation liberal who knows not how to judge good from evil and twists their definitions in his mind endlessly. Of course, this leads to the very predictable character flaws and vices at work, away from work, and at home.They never connected, the patient and therapist, yet the viewer is led to think it might take place. With the complete absence of obedience in the patient, why should everything be judged by the patient's non-stop family dysfunction. Either a person really wants help or he doesn't.It's empty therapy. The "help" is ever learning, yet never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.

You have seen this cookie cutter paint by numbers 'mystery/thriller'a million times. Manipulative genius sociopath who has everyone conned, who gaslights everyone because they are too stupid to know any better. A creepy stalker who breaks into people's homes threatens them and gets them to apologize to him and/or gets the people he threatens arrested. This is a tired worn out boring story. It was tired and worn out 50 years ago. Every single stereotypic angle from every single movie remotely like this was thrown in. It is the stupidest most frustrating rich white people doing the dumbest things imaginable movie you will ever watch. It's so aggressively dull it's a new art form.

This movie is all about wannabe and turns out not to be about much of anything. I'm a big fan of both Josh Charles and Julia Stiles, and can't believe what ended up on film is what they signed up,for. Stiles is completely wasted in this part. The plot is as nonsensical as the ending. Do not waste your time.