Customer Reviews

Irresistible

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

IRRESISTIBLE is a little film from Australia with big ideas and a clumsy script. The story itself is good with enough variation from the usual thriller scripts to make it enjoyable, but the writing borders on improvisation and doesn't provide the motivation for the development of the story to flow smoothly enough to maintain the credibility of the characters.

Set in contemporary Melbourne, Australia, the story begins in media res with our heroine Sophie (Susan Sarandon), a successful illustrator, wife of an equally important architect (Sam Neill), and mother to two little girls, hearing noises and finding odd incidents. Recovering from the death of her beloved mother and caring for her grieving father (Charles 'Bud' Tingwell), Sophie's stress factor is further heightened by the fact that she has a block about the illustrations for a book whose deadline is nearing. Her husband is supportive and encourages her to get away from her problems by attending a party given by a new associate of his at the firm - the bright and beautiful Mara (Emily Blunt) - who just happens to be wearing the same new dress Sophie has purchased for the party. The two meet, dance together, drink together, but innuendoes have started: party guests offer condolences for her mothers death but also suggest she join AA for her 'drinking problem'.

Sophie's mind continues to fragment as she imagines she is being stalked by Mara because of events that happen in her house, with her wardrobe, and with paranoia that her husband and Mara are having an affair. She decides to observe Mara closely, discovering facts that feed her paranoia, and is caught in Mara's house - and arrested. From there the story disintegrates into revelation of facts that border on melodrama with ill-defined motivations marring every scene. To reveal the ultimate nidus for the story's plot would rob the viewer of what little surprises there are here.

Ann Turner could have used a script doctor before shooting this film, as the story is fine: it is just clumsy and not finessed. But once again Susan Sarandon proves she is such a fine actress that she can pull off even a spotty script and create a credible character. Sam Neill and Emily Blunt likewise do the best with what they are given with lines and direction. This is not a bad movie at all, just one that needed a bit of surgery before placing it on the screen, and the film is well worth watching for Sarandon fans. She still is one of our finest actresses on the screen today. Grady Harp, April 06

This is a really good movie that deserved to get more publicity and reach a wider audience. And it deserved a better title. "Irresistible" is misleading. The descriptive blurb on the DVD cover is similarly misleading. Contrary to what these summaries imply, it's immediately apparent that this movie isn't simply about the possibility that some crazed ex-boyfriend is stalking a woman. We realize that something more complex is going on here. The tension starts to build almost from the opening scenes as Susan Sarandon begins to get the uneasy feeling that someone is in her house, that someone is in fact invading her house on a regular basis, stealing small items, leaving deadly little twists as tokens of having been there.

Is she imagining this? Have the pressures of her work as book illustrator, with deadlines to meet and repressed memories to dredge up - started to unbalance her?

The viewer is kept guessing. Along the way though, we are taken into the life of a truly decent mother and wife. For once, it is heartening to keep company with a featured mother. She is fun and a true friend to her children and husband, without abdicating her role as responsible adult.

This is a well-written movie, done in the classic tradition of mystery/thrillers. All the loose ends get tied up and whatever twists there are along the way play fair with the audience. And as ever, Susan Sarandon has a compelling screen presence. Anything she's in HAS to be good.

IRRESISTIBLE is a strange little thriller, filmed in Australia with Susan Sarandon and Sam Neill in the leading roles. The sometimes clever, sometimes implausible, script finds Neill's new assistant (Emily Blunt in a seductive performance) trying to take over Sarandon's life--and Neill in the process.
Starting with minor things like taking dresses, pictures, etc., it mushrooms into a more dangerous threat. Credit the writers for coming up with a clever twist as to Blunt's true identity.
Sarandon doesn't give one of her best performances, but she's a pro and makes the most of her role, while Neill plays the suffering husband adequately.
Overall, I found it entertaining.

Most things are wrong in this thriller.
It starts with the title, which must have been selected by a robot. No relation to the story.
The casting is wrong. As much as I am a Susan Sarandon admirer, she just should not play young mothers any more; she is about 20 years too old for the part. Sorry, Susan, make that 10 years.
That said, she does a marvellous job as a woman on a journey into nervous wreckdom.
The script makes hash of a story which might have been saveable, it has good elements. The wasp espisode is underutilized, it has potential. As it is done, it is amateurish and weak.
The solution to the riddle, w/o wanting to give it away, is surprising enough, but not entirely plausible as far as the "bad guy" is concerned. It is not fully in character, which falls back on the casting and the actor.
The closing scene is sort of a minor quote from Psycho, but lacks the creepyness of Anthony Perkins in his cell.

A chopped up suspense flick in which the suspense is "How long can I stand to sit here and watch this thing?" I was heartened at first, as the story starts with a bang and draws you in...and then it drags you on and on until what you really want is to see "The End" only so you can go and do something constructive, like turning the disc into a craft project. Characters (especially Poor Sam Neill's haplessly helpless husband) change with the wind, the plot twists pile up for no other reason than that, if they weren't there you could stop watching and step on the disc, the action careens from scene to scene without a whole lot of connective material. I'm not asking for explanation: we are given explanation enough for three movies. It simply is done in such a herky-jerky manner rather than seamlessly being slipped into the script. And then there are those plot twists.

All I can say is "Sam and Sue must've owed Ann Turner a favor." I'm so glad I rented this from the library and didn't spend actual cash on it.

This film stars Susan Sarandon, Sam Neill, and Emily Blunt. It's a thriller, with some similar themes to The Hand That Rocks The Cradle. SS plays an artist mother, married to SN, who fears that SN's new assistant (EB) is trying to move in entirely on her husband and family. It's an Australian film (also set in Australia), so the pace is a little slower, which actually is a good touch to a thriller. There's a twist at the end, which was entirely unexpected by me.

I can't believe this movie didn't get more hype. Its a psychological thriller in the genre of Bette Davis flicks. And, of course, it doesn't hurt to have Susan Saradan as the leading lady. I would highly recommend this movie.

As you watch(if you can)this ridiculous thriller (and I use that term very loosely) set in the 'burbs, keep in mind Susan Sarandon helped fine-tune the script. Surely one of the greatest actresses of our generation couldn't be so desperate as to wing it down here to Australia to involve herself in this sordid mess?
The only thing this nonsense proves is that Emily Blunt is just getting started...I kept expecting to see Sharon Stone peeping over a hedge and nodding at her with approval.

No wonder Hollywood is having a bad year. It's sad that a film like this goes straight to video with absolutely no advance publicity to speak of. Do not be fooled. This production holds its own and delivers an exceptional thriller with a great cast. No tricks. No bizarre special effects or shaky camera angles. Ms. Sarandon goes for the gut and gets the viewer into it with ease. Sam Neill gives a fine performance along with the rest of the cast including the cat.
Any negativity here can be applied to wardrobe. Ms. Sarandon does not fare well in canvas workpants with a multitude of pockets. It detracts from the grip of the storyline especially when one knows she is more than capable of displaying her sensuallity.
Whether it was intended or not the sex scene with Mr. Neill is hilarious and serves as a campy sort of comic relief.
All in all we have a fine mystery with some nice twists. Don't miss it.

Susan Sarandon must have been on holidays in Melbourne when she agreed to star in this psychological thriller, as it seems a bit unrealistic to think she travelled all the way "down under" to make this rather average film. Irresistible does have some good moments, and a times it's undeniably compelling, but it takes a while to get started and the eventual dramatic payoff comes across as a bit anemic.

Lies, family secrets and obsession lie at the center of Irresistible. Sophie Hartley lives an idyllic life in a picaresque Melbourne suburb. She's a successful book illustrator, she is married to Craig (Sam Neil), a loving and caring architect and they have two lovely children. But lately Sophie has been plagued with nightmares and even the slightest noise causes her to break out in a type of nervous fear.

A book deadline is fast approaching and Sophie is terrified of failure. She's still getting over the death of her beloved mother and she's having problems focusing on her work. To make matters worse, things aren't going well with Craig. Sophie becomes convinced that she's being stalked by one of Craig's co-workers - a beautiful, highly competent assistant, Mara Toufiey (Emily Blunt).

Unfortunately, no one believes her. Yet she's adamant that Mara is watching, following, and coping her. Things go missing in the house - her daughters' toys, family photographs, even her favourite dress. She even attacked by wasps one afternoon, while working in her studio. Gradually Sophie's life begins to spiral out of control, her eldest daughter turns against her and Craig is at a loss to help her.

She becomes increasingly consumed with paranoia convinced Mara is trying to steal her husband, her daughters, and her life. She trespasses in Mara's house in an effort to find some clue as to why Mara may be stalking her, but she's caught and Mara takes out a court order against her. Soon she finds herself in danger of losing custody of her children.

Is Sophie imagining everything? Is Craig having an affair with Mara? Are Craig and Mara both trying to drive Sophie crazy? The final outcome isn't that much of a surprise providing the viewer pays attention and notes a pivotal scene that takes place between Sophie and her father (Charles Tingwell). But you really have to suspend disbelief with this movie - when the dreaded secret is revealed and a certain character's true motivations are exposed, the movie takes a turn for the silly.

It puzzles me why this movie is not getting a theatrical release in the United States, as it's much better than some of the local trash that Hollywood churn out. The performances are pretty good with Ms. Sarandon doing an exceptional job of playing a woman who is gradually unraveling, and Emily Blunt is also a standout as an enigmatic girl with a shady past. And for those who get bored with the story, there are always the views of Melbourne to admire - it really is one of Australia's most beautiful cities. Mike Leonard April 06.