Cold Creek Manor ê½ (R for violence, language and some sexuality.)

Reviewed By Vittorio J. Carli

Director: Mike Figgis

"Cold Creek Manor" is a weak, predictable thriller about a family that moves to a rambling mansion in the country. They make the mistake of hiring the resentful ex-owner, who may be trying to force them off the land.

Leah (Sharon Stone) and Cooper (Randy Quaid) Tilson are your typical modern parents. They want to provide a healthy environment for their children, but they are trapped in the rat race. She has a high paying job in the entertainment industry, and is about to get a promotion. Cooper is a struggling documentary director, and he isn't doing nearly as well.

But when their son is almost run over, Cooper convinces her to take time off from her job so the family can relocate and move. They decide to give up city life and buy a house in the country.

The neighbors inhabiting Cold Creek are the types of creepy, small-town people that you usually see in suspense or horror films. They would be right at home in "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" or "Deliverance."

There are also clues (such as photos and writings) that indicate that the family that used to live in the house was dysfunctional and insane.

Most of the family is gone, but the Tilsons encounter the former owner, Dale. He lost the family home to a bank when he missed payments. Dale offers to work for the couple to renovate the place, but he has a secret, covert agenda. The couple feels sorry for him and hires him, even though he seems like a dangerous low life.

After awhile, it's clear that someone wants to drive the Tilsons out. Dale flirts with Leah and Cooper distrusts him. Cooper suspects Dale is trying to sabotage the their relocation. But Leah seems to have partially fallen for his bad guy good looks and defends him. Cooper gets jealous and confronts Dale in a bar. The only person who seems to be on Cooper's side is the county sheriff. But she is the sister of Dale's girlfriend, so even she might be untrustworthy.

The basic set up is somewhat reminiscent of Jean Renoir's "Boudo Saved from Drowning," and "Cape Fear" (both versions), but the antagonist is much less interesting than the ones in those films. Dale is not a charismatic, multidimensional character; he's a flat, run of the mill film psycho.

The film ends in a predictable manner with a violent confrontation. "Cold Creek Manor" is a suspense film with no suspense or surprises. The script is not even up to the level of your average made for TV movie. It's a complete waste of time. I saw it for free and still felt like demanding a refund.

Mike Figgis is a usually a solid, dependable director who is not afraid to take stylistic risks. His previous works include "Internal Affairs," "The Loss of Sexual Innocence," "Time Code," and "Leaving Las Vegas." "Cold Creek Manor" is his least challenging and most formulaic feature. The competent camera work can't elevate the mundane, inconsequential story line.

Sharon Stone gives a bland and unmemorable performance in a thankless role. It's a big step down from her wonderful femme fatale performances (in "Casino," "The Muse," and "Basic Instinct"). Her character here is also much less intriguing than her other heroic roles (in "The Quick and the Dead" and "Gloria").

On the other hand, the under appreciated and underused Julliette Lewis is excellent as Dale's abused, masochistic lover. She is the only character that I wanted to learn more about, but she hardly gets any screen time.

The kindest thing you can say about "Cold Creek Manor" is that it's harmless and fairly gore free. It's hard to know exactly who the film is aimed at. The film is too rough for very young children, and too restrained and unsophisticated for adults or adolescents.

Dennis Quaid
Sharon Stone
Stephen Dorrf
Juliette Lewis