THE SKELETON KEY

Director: Iain Softley
Stars: Kate Hudson, Gena Rowlands, Peter Sarsgaard, John Hurt, Joy Bryant
Year: 2005
Rating: PG-13

After having seen maybe the last hour of this film multiple times on commercial television (and loving it more each time I saw it), I finally sat down to watch the whole thing on DVD. I kind of had an idea of why and how everything that happened, happens - but it was nice to have the back-story in full at last, and this actually made me appreciate this inventive and original suspense thriller even more. To this day, the twist ending remains one of the coolest I've ever seen in a film, not only because it does come as a surprise ... but because it also makes perfect sense within the context of the story, instead of feeling forced or tacked on.

Kate Hudson stars as Caroline, a hospice worker in New Orleans who has a habit of becoming emotionally attached to the dying patients she cares for - especially the older men, who remind her of the father she lost to illness before she had the chance to make amends with him. Disgruntled with what seems the uncaring attitude of the care facility she works for, Caroline begins seeking another job - and finds an ad in the paper for a live-in position caring for an elderly gentleman who's had a stroke.

Her best friend Jill (Joy Bryant) doesn't want her to take the job - it's all the way out in the swampy Louisiana bayous, about an hour outside town - but Caroline goes to interview anyway, really wanting out of her current gig. Driving out to the house, she meets Luke Marshall (Peter Sarsgaard), the attorney for Violet Devereaux and her invalid husband Ben, and together they go to the home to meet the elderly couple.

Ben (John Hurt) is wheelchair-bound, and cannot speak or move due to his recent stroke. Basically, his prognosis is not good and Caroline will basically be helping Violet care for him until he dies. The only problem seems to be, however, that Violet doesn't seem to much care for Caroline - but Ben assures Caroline that that's just Violet's way (typically southern and very old-fashioned), and soon Violet has the job and is installed in the Devereaux home.

On her first day, Violet gives Caroline a skeleton key that will open any door in the house, and a trip to the attic to fetch something for Violet gets Caroline's curiosity going; see, Ben had his stroke in the attic, supposedly when alone, and when Caroline finds a door in the back of the attic that her key won't unlock, she becomes obsessed with what is behind that door ... and about what really may have made Ben have his stroke, as Violet acts pretty odd when questioned about the entire thing. Eventually Caroline does gets that door open, and the odd and creepy things she finds in the little room behind it forces a confession from Violet about the prior owners - and terrible history - of the house.

It all involves Hoodoo - a more spiritual form of voodoo - and a terrible tale of murder that occurred in the house many many years ago, even before Ben and Violet came to live there over forty years ago. The story - and Violet's secretive, odd behavior - only add more to the growing feeling of "something is wrong here" that Caroline already has ... and when Ben starts communicating to Caroline behind his wife's back (as best he can) that he wants her to get him out of that house and away from Violet, Caroline has to dig deeper and deeper to find the truth about what exactly is going on.

That's about as much as can be said without giving anything away, but suffice to say The Skeleton Key is an excellent example of a moody, creepy suspense film that relies on story, characterization and atmosphere (as opposed to blood and gore) to get under your skin. Shot in Louisiana, the setting actually comes off as part of the story, making what you're seeing and hearing that much more believable. Kate Hudson, known much more for her romantic comedies, is truly effective and genuine here, turning in an excellent performance - as do John Hurt, Peter Sarsgaard, and of course the incredibly talented Gena Rowlands, who as Violet Devereaux can turn on a smile that will chill you down to the bones.

I love this film, its originality and well-crafted story and screenplay. You do NOT see the ending coming, yet when it happens it all fits perfectly into the story; very satisfying. Take care when reading reviews of this film, too, if you haven't seen it and want to; it'd be very easy to spoil what happens, and any potential viewer really needs to see the film unspoiled, for the fullest effect. I was never a big Kate Hudson fan until this film turned me around, but she's a real marvel here, garnering 100% of your sympathy and making you root for Caroline 'til the end. ****1/2 - Reel Awesome-Reel Must-See