Kate (Vera Farmiga) and John Coleman (Peter Sarsgaard) are trying to adopt. She's a recovering alcoholic and they're trying to salvage their family after the death of their baby Jessica. They adopt Russian girl Esther (Isabelle Fuhrman) at the St. Marina Orphanage. At first, the son Daniel (Jimmy Bennett) didn't get along while the deaf daughter Max (Aryana Engineer) loves her. Then Esther's manipulations and threats causes concerns from Kate. John dismisses all of it. The psychologist Dr. Browning (Margo Martindale) keeps questioning her. Then Kate finds out troubling information about Esther.
This starts very slowly. The psycho family dysfunction is well done although John's denial is very annoying. It is extremely frustrating and I wish the movie dials it down a bit. I do love the twist. It fits the movie very well, and it's done smoothly. Isabelle Fuhrman does the role beautifully, and Vera Farmiga is great as the frazzled mother.
This starts very slowly. The psycho family dysfunction is well done although John's denial is very annoying. It is extremely frustrating and I wish the movie dials it down a bit. I do love the twist. It fits the movie very well, and it's done smoothly. Isabelle Fuhrman does the role beautifully, and Vera Farmiga is great as the frazzled mother.