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The Stepfather

Buzz says:   MPAA Rating: PG-13
Current Showtimes: No showtimes available

When I walked into The Stepfather, I knew I was about to experience several actors for the first time. I was excited in hopes that not only would I be exposed to actors I could potentially become a fan of, but I was hoping to be seriously disturbed by a great psychological thriller. 30 seconds in, I realized this is not a thriller – it’s a snoozer. The Stepfather is a dull movie with a repetitive, drawn out script, dreadful acting and only one bright spot – an actor named Penn Badgley.

David Harris (Dylan Walsh) is a bachelor that likes to pick up women in hopes of finding his perfect family – the only problem is that he kills all of them. His latest conquest is Susan Harding (Sela Ward), a divorced mother of three looking for a little love in her life. Six months into their relationship, Susan’s eldest son Michael (Penn Badgley) returns home from military school to find David and his mother engaged. Michael is wary of his soon-to-be-stepfather and his desire for a “real family”. David is a creepy man that is always popping up in private situations and soon, Michael stars wondering why.

From the beginning, The Stepfather's script is disastrous. Not only is the plot slow moving, but we are spoon fed and told the information rather than shown. Susan’s friend Jackie (Paige Turco) tells her at one point, “He’s almost too good to be true!” It is comments like this that persist throughout the movie. The movie treats the audience as though we are incapable of deciphering that there is something wrong with the man who is sneaky about his activities, has no discernible past, and chokes Susan’s youngest child in an attempt to discipline him.

I wish I could blame the failure of The Stepfather solely on the writers and script, but in this case, most of the actors do nothing to increase the believability of the film. Dylan Walsh poorly plays the part of a psychopath; he comes off as creepy and cocky instead of suave and manipulative. This is only a problem because we are expected to believe that Sela Ward’s Susan sees nothing wrong with this picture. Susan is shown as a self-centered mother who is focused on nothing but her own happiness. Michael’s girlfriend, Kelly (Amber Heard), is used as nothing but eye candy, and she is exploited through backyard pool scenes where she is required to wear nothing but a bikini in every scene she appears. If The Stepfather has a saving grace it is Penn Badgley. Badgley takes a horrible role and makes you believe that he is truly fighting for his life and the lives of his family.

I will say it; The Stepfather was a disappointment in terms of plot and character development. However, if you can turn off your brain for an hour and a half, you may find a part of you that can appreciate the scantily clad. Will this movie win any awards? Absolutely not. But, it may make you take a second look at your stepfather.