When Billy Johnson proposed marriage to Elizabeth ("Elle") Margaret Whitland, a beautiful ring was placed on her breakfast tray. While Elle enjoyed breakfast in bed, she wasn't thrilled about the marriage offer, which sounded to her like "an ultimatum." So, she told Billy "no." Then, Elle was kidnapped. Or, was she?
Despite the over-reliance on flashbacks that tell the story from the perspectives of different characters, the filmmakers built good tension in the recent traumatic experience of Elle. It becomes clear that she is not imagining her abduction, and the two veteran police detectives, Flores and Wells, struggle in piecing the puzzle together.
There is a good list of potential suspects, including Billy Johnson himself. An oily psychiatrist, Dr. Kilmeade, who dispenses prescriptions like candy, is another highly suspicious figure. There is also Ryan from the newspaper office where Billy works, who seems a little too eager to recommend Lake Como in Italy as a honeymoon spot to Billy and Elle at a time when he knows she is reluctant to commit to marriage. Then, there is the overly solicitous pharmacist, who take an interest in Elle that is a little too friendly.
Slowly, Elle's memory of the abduction returns, and the key detail that she recovers is the intersection of Carillon Street and Marier Avenue. It was in that neighborhood that she was taken and tortured, prior to being released. The only question is when the pervert will strike again.
The film did a good job in depicting the effects of PTSD, as Elle had suffered a traumatic experience in her youth when she witnessed an actual kidnapping. The theme of "perception versus reality" is explored as the protagonist wrestles with the question of "was I really kidnapped?"
Despite the over-reliance on flashbacks that tell the story from the perspectives of different characters, the filmmakers built good tension in the recent traumatic experience of Elle. It becomes clear that she is not imagining her abduction, and the two veteran police detectives, Flores and Wells, struggle in piecing the puzzle together.
There is a good list of potential suspects, including Billy Johnson himself. An oily psychiatrist, Dr. Kilmeade, who dispenses prescriptions like candy, is another highly suspicious figure. There is also Ryan from the newspaper office where Billy works, who seems a little too eager to recommend Lake Como in Italy as a honeymoon spot to Billy and Elle at a time when he knows she is reluctant to commit to marriage. Then, there is the overly solicitous pharmacist, who take an interest in Elle that is a little too friendly.
Slowly, Elle's memory of the abduction returns, and the key detail that she recovers is the intersection of Carillon Street and Marier Avenue. It was in that neighborhood that she was taken and tortured, prior to being released. The only question is when the pervert will strike again.
The film did a good job in depicting the effects of PTSD, as Elle had suffered a traumatic experience in her youth when she witnessed an actual kidnapping. The theme of "perception versus reality" is explored as the protagonist wrestles with the question of "was I really kidnapped?"