BBBB.5
(out of 5)
Surprisingly creepy thriller about a young boy (Haley Joel Osment) who is terrorized by his ability to see dead people walking around just as well as he sees the living. With the help of a child psychiatrist (Bruce Willis) who has his own problems with his estranged wife (Olivia Williams), the boy tries to abate his fears by finding out what these spirits might want of him. Turns out they need his help to clear up some unfinished business with their loved ones before they leave the earth for good. Typical humdrum conventions of spiritual thrillers are avoided deftly by M. Night Shyamalan’s smooth direction and confident use of character of spectacle. Toni Collette is absolutely superb as the boy’s troubled mother, who tries but doesn’t know how to help her seemingly detached son.
USA, 1999
Directed by M. Night Shyamalan
Screenplay by M. Night Shyamalan
Cinematography by Tak Fujimoto
Produced by Kathleen Kennedy, Frank Marshall, Barry Mendel
Music by James Newton Howard
Production Design by Larry Fulton
Costume Design by Joanna Johnston
Film Editing by Andrew Mondshein
Cast Tags: Angelica Page,Bruce Norris, Bruce Willis, Candy Aston-Dennis, Carlos Xavier Lopez, Carol Nielson, Donnie Wahlberg, Ellen Sheppard, Firdous Bamji, Gino Inverso, Glenn Fitzgerald, Greg Wood, Haley Joel Osment, Hayden Saunier, Heidi Fischer, Holly Rudkin, Janis Dardaris, Jeffrey Zubernis, Jodi Dawson, Jose L. Rodriguez, KaDee Strickland, Kate Kearney-Patch, Keith Woulard, Lisa Summerour, Marilyn Shanok, Michael J. Lyons, Mischa Barton, Neill Hartley, Nico Woulard, Olivia Williams, Patrick McDade, Peter Anthony Tambakis, Ronnie Lea, Samantha Fitzpatrick,Samia Shoaib, Sarah Ripard, Tom McLaughlin, Toni Collette, Tony Michael Donnelly, Trevor Morgan, Wes Heywood
Academy Award Nominations
Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Haley Joel Osment as “Cole Sear”)
Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Toni Collette as “Lynn Sear”)
Best Directing (M. Night Shyamalan)
Best Film Editing (Andrew Mondshein)
Best Picture (Frank Marshall, Kathleen Kennedy, Barry Mendel, producers)
Best Writing (Screenplay Written Directly For The Screen) (M. Night Shyamalan)
Golden Globe Award Nominations
Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture (Haley Joel Osment)
Best Screenplay (M. Night Shyamalan)
National Society of Film Critics Award Nomination
Best Supporting Actor (Haley Joel Osment)
Screen Actors Guild Award Nomination
Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role (Haley Joel Osment)
Writers Guild Award Nomination
Best Original Screenplay
Directors Guild Award Nomination
Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures (M. Night Shyamalan)
British Academy Award Nominations
Best Film
Best Screenplay – Original
Best Editing
David Lean Award for Direction (M. Night Shyamalan)
Boston Film Critics Award Nomination
Best Supporting Actor (Haley Joel Osment)
Chicago Film Critics Award Nominations
Best Supporting Actor (Haley Joel Osment)
Best Screenplay
Most Promising Actor (Haley Joel Osment)
