The Skeptic (film)
Encyclopedia
The Skeptic is a 2009 American horror film
written and directed by Tennyson Bardwell
. Starring Tim Daly, Zoe Saldana
, and Tom Arnold
, and featuring Robert Prosky
and Edward Hermann, it depicts the story of an attorney who inherits a seemingly haunted house, though he does not believe in the supernatural.
Written in the 1980s, the film was shot in upstate New York from late 2005 through 2006. Completed in 2008, it was screened at the Cannes Film Festival
before being purchased by IFC Films
for airing on their video on demand
channel as well as a limited theatrical release. The film received poor reviews and was criticized for its lack of suspense, poor dialogue, and for being reminiscent of 1970s television horror films.
), who believes in the supernatural, tries to warn Becket that something is wrong with the house. As the haunting turns more personal, Beckett is unable to ignore it any longer and begins doubting his own sanity. He seeks help from a scientist (Bruce Altman
), a psychiatrist (Edward Herrmann
), and a priest (Robert Prosky
), unaware that they all know more about him and the house than they are telling him. Eventually, he turns to a psychic named Cassie (Zoe Saldana
), who quickly determines there is a "very bad secret" in the house. Together, they try to learn what this secret is, while dealing with repressed memories from Becket's childhood.
wrote the first draft of the script in the 1980s. His wife, Mary-Beth Taylor, was one of the film producers, along with Bardwell himself, Isen Robbins, and Aimee Schoof.
Shooting began in 2005, with eight weeks spent filming in various locations around the Saratoga Springs, New York
area – where Bardwell lives in Ballston Spa – including the city Court House, the Olde Bryan Inn, the Union Gables Bed and Breakfast as well as Union College
in nearby Schenectady, The Batcheller Mansion Inn was used for the three-story Victorian mansion where much of the film takes place. The production paid for exclusive use of the mansion for five weeks during its off-season. Filming was completed in 2006, and post-production finished in 2008.
In creating the film, in a markedly different genre from his first work, the 2004 comedy Dorian Blues
, Bardwell aimed to create a film that would be "a Rorschach test
for people's beliefs", in which viewers would have different ideas of what happened. Intended to concentrate on the psychological rather than gore, the film has no "blood and guts" and instead requires viewers to be skeptical and open to the different possible interpretations of the ending. The Skeptic marks Bardwell's first time working with Hollywood actors, having used only locals and new theater school graduates in his first film.
, after which the Independent Film Channel
purchased it for distribution. IFC first released it to their video on demand
channel on April 29, 2009. The film premiered theatrically in Saratoga Springs and at the IFC Center in New York City on May 1, 2009, in Albany, New York
on May 8, 2009, and in Beverly Hills on May 15, 2009.
Critics generally gave negative reviews. At the film aggregate site Rotten Tomatoes
, it has given a score of 8% based on 12 critic's reviews, who gave it an average score of 3.2 out of 10. At Metacritic
, it has a score of 31 out of 100 based on four critical reviews. In Variety
, Dennis Harvey considered the film to be an "effectively creepy, modestly scaled piece" and praised its "atmospherics " while also considering the plot unoriginal and, at times, corny. Fernado Croce of Slant Magazine
called it a "tepid horror-comedy", feeling Bardwell was a "gentle director" ill-suited for attempting to create a feeling of shock and horror, resulting in a work that "awkwardly suggests Poltergeist
as a 12-step self-help program." Ed Gonzalez of The Village Voice
called it a "TV grade suspenser" that "channels the spirit of Murder, She Wrote
and 3-2-1 Contact
s Bloodhound Gang" and as vigorous as the typical Scarecrow and Mrs. King
episode. He found the script to be overwritten and a "mechanical compendium of anti-skepticism clichés". Frank Lovece of The Hollywood Reporter
agreed, referring to it as a "rare old-fashioned supernatural suspenser" that lacked suspense, and felt it was reminiscent of unmemorable 1970s made-for-television family friendly horror films. He both praised and criticized Bardwell's writing and direction as being "carefully though without inspiration", and the dialog as "bald and blatant" lacking in subtext and subtlety.
In The New York Times
, Stephen Holden
called the film a "a cut-and-dried Freudian melodrama that gives repressed memory a supernatural dimension" and preferred a regular teen horror flick to Bardwell's attempt at making a "haunted house movie for grownups". Steve Ramos, Boxoffice Magazine
, felt the film was "polished but dull" and that its lack of special effects would result in it being unable to attract mainstream audiences. He also felt Daly overacted in the role and "lack[ed] the emotional depth to support an entire movie, ghost story or otherwise." He praised cinematographer Claudio Rocha for his work in creating a believable haunted house and the film's overall high production values, wishing it had been matched by quality storytelling.
Horror film
Horror films seek to elicit a negative emotional reaction from viewers by playing on the audience's most primal fears. They often feature scenes that startle the viewer through the means of macabre and the supernatural, thus frequently overlapping with the fantasy and science fiction genres...
written and directed by Tennyson Bardwell
Tennyson Bardwell
Tennyson Bardwell is an American film and TV commercial director and screenwriter.-Biography:Tennyson Bardwell received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in acting and writing from Carnegie-Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania...
. Starring Tim Daly, Zoe Saldana
Zoe Saldana
Zoe Saldana , sometimes stylized Zoë Saldaña, is an American actress. She had her breakthrough role in the 2000 film Center Stage and later gained prominence for her roles as Anamaria in Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl and Uhura in the 2009 film Star Trek, and a starring role...
, and Tom Arnold
Tom Arnold (actor)
Thomas Dwaine "Tom" Arnold is an American actor and comedian. He has appeared in many films, perhaps most notably True Lies . He was the host of The Best Damn Sports Show Period for four years.-Early life:...
, and featuring Robert Prosky
Robert Prosky
Robert Prosky was an American stage, film, and television actor.-Life and career:Prosky, a Polish American, was born Robert Joseph Porzuczek in the Manayunk neighborhood of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to Helen and Joseph Porzuczek. His father was a grocer and butcher...
and Edward Hermann, it depicts the story of an attorney who inherits a seemingly haunted house, though he does not believe in the supernatural.
Written in the 1980s, the film was shot in upstate New York from late 2005 through 2006. Completed in 2008, it was screened at the Cannes Film Festival
Cannes Film Festival
The Cannes International Film Festival , is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which previews new films of all genres including documentaries from around the world. Founded in 1946, it is among the world's most prestigious and publicized film festivals...
before being purchased by IFC Films
IFC Films
IFC Films is an American film distribution company based in New York, owned by AMC Networks. It distributes independent films and documentaries under the IFC Films, Sundance Selects and IFC Midnight. It operates the IFC Center....
for airing on their video on demand
Video on demand
Video on Demand or Audio and Video On Demand are systems which allow users to select and watch/listen to video or audio content on demand...
channel as well as a limited theatrical release. The film received poor reviews and was criticized for its lack of suspense, poor dialogue, and for being reminiscent of 1970s television horror films.
Plot
Lawyer Bryan Becket (Tim Daly) moves into his late aunt's reputedly haunted Victorian mansion after her passing. Becket does not believe in supernatural events, and continually ignores signs that the home really is haunted, while trying to explore the connection he feels to the house. His partner in the firm, Sully (Tom ArnoldTom Arnold (actor)
Thomas Dwaine "Tom" Arnold is an American actor and comedian. He has appeared in many films, perhaps most notably True Lies . He was the host of The Best Damn Sports Show Period for four years.-Early life:...
), who believes in the supernatural, tries to warn Becket that something is wrong with the house. As the haunting turns more personal, Beckett is unable to ignore it any longer and begins doubting his own sanity. He seeks help from a scientist (Bruce Altman
Bruce Altman
Bruce Altman is an American film and television actor. He is a graduate of the Yale School of Drama.-Film:*Regarding Henry - Bruce*My New Gun - Irwin Bloom*Glengarry Glen Ross - Larry Spannel...
), a psychiatrist (Edward Herrmann
Edward Herrmann
Edward Kirk Herrmann is a U.S. television and film actor. He is best known for his Emmy-nominated portrayals of Franklin D...
), and a priest (Robert Prosky
Robert Prosky
Robert Prosky was an American stage, film, and television actor.-Life and career:Prosky, a Polish American, was born Robert Joseph Porzuczek in the Manayunk neighborhood of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to Helen and Joseph Porzuczek. His father was a grocer and butcher...
), unaware that they all know more about him and the house than they are telling him. Eventually, he turns to a psychic named Cassie (Zoe Saldana
Zoe Saldana
Zoe Saldana , sometimes stylized Zoë Saldaña, is an American actress. She had her breakthrough role in the 2000 film Center Stage and later gained prominence for her roles as Anamaria in Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl and Uhura in the 2009 film Star Trek, and a starring role...
), who quickly determines there is a "very bad secret" in the house. Together, they try to learn what this secret is, while dealing with repressed memories from Becket's childhood.
Cast
- Tim Daly as Bryan Becket
- Tom ArnoldTom ArnoldTom Arnold may refer to:* Tom Arnold , American actor* Tom Arnold , British politician* Tom Arnold , CEO of Concern Worldwide...
as Sully - Zoe SaldanaZoe SaldanaZoe Saldana , sometimes stylized Zoë Saldaña, is an American actress. She had her breakthrough role in the 2000 film Center Stage and later gained prominence for her roles as Anamaria in Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl and Uhura in the 2009 film Star Trek, and a starring role...
as Cassie - Andrea RothAndrea RothAndrea Roth is a Canadian actress. She is perhaps best known for her role on the FX television series Rescue Me , as Janet Gavin, the wife of main character Tommy Gavin.-Biography:...
as Robin Becket - Edward HerrmannEdward HerrmannEdward Kirk Herrmann is a U.S. television and film actor. He is best known for his Emmy-nominated portrayals of Franklin D...
as Shepard - Robert ProskyRobert ProskyRobert Prosky was an American stage, film, and television actor.-Life and career:Prosky, a Polish American, was born Robert Joseph Porzuczek in the Manayunk neighborhood of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to Helen and Joseph Porzuczek. His father was a grocer and butcher...
as Father Wymond - Bruce AltmanBruce AltmanBruce Altman is an American film and television actor. He is a graduate of the Yale School of Drama.-Film:*Regarding Henry - Bruce*My New Gun - Irwin Bloom*Glengarry Glen Ross - Larry Spannel...
as Koven - Reila Aphrodite as Rui
- Lea Coco as Deputy
- Sara Weaver as Helena Beckett
- L.J. Foley as Young Becket
- Paul Tietjen as Michael
Production
Writer and director Tennyson BardwellTennyson Bardwell
Tennyson Bardwell is an American film and TV commercial director and screenwriter.-Biography:Tennyson Bardwell received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in acting and writing from Carnegie-Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania...
wrote the first draft of the script in the 1980s. His wife, Mary-Beth Taylor, was one of the film producers, along with Bardwell himself, Isen Robbins, and Aimee Schoof.
Shooting began in 2005, with eight weeks spent filming in various locations around the Saratoga Springs, New York
Saratoga Springs, New York
Saratoga Springs, also known as simply Saratoga, is a city in Saratoga County, New York, United States. The population was 26,586 at the 2010 census. The name reflects the presence of mineral springs in the area. While the word "Saratoga" is known to be a corruption of a Native American name, ...
area – where Bardwell lives in Ballston Spa – including the city Court House, the Olde Bryan Inn, the Union Gables Bed and Breakfast as well as Union College
Union College
Union College is a private, non-denominational liberal arts college located in Schenectady, New York, United States. Founded in 1795, it was the first institution of higher learning chartered by the New York State Board of Regents. In the 19th century, it became the "Mother of Fraternities", as...
in nearby Schenectady, The Batcheller Mansion Inn was used for the three-story Victorian mansion where much of the film takes place. The production paid for exclusive use of the mansion for five weeks during its off-season. Filming was completed in 2006, and post-production finished in 2008.
In creating the film, in a markedly different genre from his first work, the 2004 comedy Dorian Blues
Dorian Blues
Dorian Blues is a 2004 comedy film about a gay teenager coming to terms with his identity in upstate New York. The film was written and directed by Tennyson Bardwell and is loosely based on Bardwell's college roommate.-Synopsis:...
, Bardwell aimed to create a film that would be "a Rorschach test
Rorschach test
The Rorschach test is a psychological test in which subjects' perceptions of inkblots are recorded and then analyzed using psychological interpretation, complex algorithms, or both. Some psychologists use this test to examine a person's personality characteristics and emotional functioning...
for people's beliefs", in which viewers would have different ideas of what happened. Intended to concentrate on the psychological rather than gore, the film has no "blood and guts" and instead requires viewers to be skeptical and open to the different possible interpretations of the ending. The Skeptic marks Bardwell's first time working with Hollywood actors, having used only locals and new theater school graduates in his first film.
Distribution
The Skeptic was presented at the 2008 Cannes Film FestivalCannes Film Festival
The Cannes International Film Festival , is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which previews new films of all genres including documentaries from around the world. Founded in 1946, it is among the world's most prestigious and publicized film festivals...
, after which the Independent Film Channel
Independent Film Channel
The Independent Film Channel is an American cable TV network that airs independent film and related programming. IFC programming includes commercially interrupted feature-length films, original documentaries, shorts, animated series, original series, acquired series, and content exclusively for...
purchased it for distribution. IFC first released it to their video on demand
Video on demand
Video on Demand or Audio and Video On Demand are systems which allow users to select and watch/listen to video or audio content on demand...
channel on April 29, 2009. The film premiered theatrically in Saratoga Springs and at the IFC Center in New York City on May 1, 2009, in Albany, New York
Albany, New York
Albany is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Albany County, and the central city of New York's Capital District. Roughly north of New York City, Albany sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River...
on May 8, 2009, and in Beverly Hills on May 15, 2009.
Reception
In its opening weekend in a single theater, The Skeptic earned $1,553. During its three week run, it earned a total of $6,671 in box office receipts.Critics generally gave negative reviews. At the film aggregate site Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...
, it has given a score of 8% based on 12 critic's reviews, who gave it an average score of 3.2 out of 10. At Metacritic
Metacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
, it has a score of 31 out of 100 based on four critical reviews. In Variety
Variety (magazine)
Variety is an American weekly entertainment-trade magazine founded in New York City, New York, in 1905 by Sime Silverman. With the rise of the importance of the motion-picture industry, Daily Variety, a daily edition based in Los Angeles, California, was founded by Silverman in 1933. In 1998, the...
, Dennis Harvey considered the film to be an "effectively creepy, modestly scaled piece" and praised its "atmospherics " while also considering the plot unoriginal and, at times, corny. Fernado Croce of Slant Magazine
Slant Magazine
Slant Magazine is an online publication that features reviews of movies, music, TV, DVDs, theater, and video games, as well as interviews with actors, directors, and musicians. The site covers various film festivals like the New York Film Festival.- History :...
called it a "tepid horror-comedy", feeling Bardwell was a "gentle director" ill-suited for attempting to create a feeling of shock and horror, resulting in a work that "awkwardly suggests Poltergeist
Poltergeist
A poltergeist is a paranormal phenomenon which consists of events alluding to the manifestation of an imperceptible entity. Such manifestation typically includes inanimate objects moving or being thrown about, sentient noises and, on some occasions, physical attacks on those witnessing the...
as a 12-step self-help program." Ed Gonzalez of The Village Voice
The Village Voice
The Village Voice is a free weekly newspaper and news and features website in New York City that features investigative articles, analysis of current affairs and culture, arts and music coverage, and events listings for New York City...
called it a "TV grade suspenser" that "channels the spirit of Murder, She Wrote
Murder, She Wrote
Murder, She Wrote is an American television mystery series starring Angela Lansbury as mystery writer and amateur detective Jessica Fletcher. The series aired for 12 seasons from 1984 to 1996 on the CBS network, with 264 episodes transmitted. It was followed by four TV films and a spin-off series,...
and 3-2-1 Contact
3-2-1 Contact
3-2-1 Contact is an American science educational television show that aired on PBS from 1980 to 1988, and an adjoining children's magazine. The show, a production of the Children's Television Workshop, teaches scientific principles and their applications. Dr. Edward G...
s Bloodhound Gang" and as vigorous as the typical Scarecrow and Mrs. King
Scarecrow and Mrs. King
Scarecrow and Mrs. King is an American television series that aired from October 3, 1983, to May 28, 1987 on CBS. The show starred Kate Jackson and Bruce Boxleitner as divorced housewife Amanda King and top-level "Agency" operative Lee Stetson who begin a strange association, and eventual romance,...
episode. He found the script to be overwritten and a "mechanical compendium of anti-skepticism clichés". Frank Lovece of The Hollywood Reporter
The Hollywood Reporter
Formerly a daily trade magazine, The Hollywood Reporter re-launched in late 2010 as a unique hybrid publication serving the entertainment industry and a consumer audience...
agreed, referring to it as a "rare old-fashioned supernatural suspenser" that lacked suspense, and felt it was reminiscent of unmemorable 1970s made-for-television family friendly horror films. He both praised and criticized Bardwell's writing and direction as being "carefully though without inspiration", and the dialog as "bald and blatant" lacking in subtext and subtlety.
In The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
, Stephen Holden
Stephen Holden
Stephen Holden is an American writer, music critic, film critic, and poet.Holden earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Yale University in 1963...
called the film a "a cut-and-dried Freudian melodrama that gives repressed memory a supernatural dimension" and preferred a regular teen horror flick to Bardwell's attempt at making a "haunted house movie for grownups". Steve Ramos, Boxoffice Magazine
Boxoffice (magazine)
Boxoffice is a film industry magazine dedicated to the movie theatre business published by Boxoffice Media LP. It started in 1920 as The Reel Journal, taking its current name in 1931 and still publishes today, with an intended audience of theatre owners and film professionals.Boxoffice is the...
, felt the film was "polished but dull" and that its lack of special effects would result in it being unable to attract mainstream audiences. He also felt Daly overacted in the role and "lack[ed] the emotional depth to support an entire movie, ghost story or otherwise." He praised cinematographer Claudio Rocha for his work in creating a believable haunted house and the film's overall high production values, wishing it had been matched by quality storytelling.