"The Inherited" (a.k.a., "Stranger in the House") was a real stinker. Despite the winsome performance of Jenn Liu in the role of Eve, the actress was not served at all by her own screenplay.
Eve grew up without parents, who died in a tragic auto accident. But now, Eve has married Tom Stewart and is thrilled to be moving into his large colonial house in the idyllic town of Isling-on-Hudson. The problem is that the house is haunted, a fact that everyone seems to recognize except Eve.
A shortcoming of the screenplay was in the character of Tom, who was simply not very likable. He was not honest with his new wife about his former life, including his deeply troubled marriage to his first wife Margo Blake. Margo stipulated in her will that Tom would be forced to reside in the Blake house; otherwise, he would lose his inheritance. The fact that Tom never informed Eve about this background should have been a deal-breaker in the marriage.
The narrative is thoroughly confused by the supernatural element of the ghost of Margo Blake, whose presence remains in the house and becomes Eve's tormentor, apparently even drugging her. It made no sense at the end that, after learning about Margo, Eve would bond with her and live seemingly in perpetuity with her baby and the ghost of Margo as companions.
It was impossible to make sense of such creepy characters as Sanders, Mrs. Menabar, Wendy, Alice, Susan Gunnerby, and the long-lost ghost of Margo Blake (who resembles Mrs. Menager too closely). This batch of characters belonged in an Agatha Christie murder mystery. The film might have worked as a satirical version of the haunted house genre. But it took itself far too seriously and turned into an extremely unpleasant film viewing experience.
Eve grew up without parents, who died in a tragic auto accident. But now, Eve has married Tom Stewart and is thrilled to be moving into his large colonial house in the idyllic town of Isling-on-Hudson. The problem is that the house is haunted, a fact that everyone seems to recognize except Eve.
A shortcoming of the screenplay was in the character of Tom, who was simply not very likable. He was not honest with his new wife about his former life, including his deeply troubled marriage to his first wife Margo Blake. Margo stipulated in her will that Tom would be forced to reside in the Blake house; otherwise, he would lose his inheritance. The fact that Tom never informed Eve about this background should have been a deal-breaker in the marriage.
The narrative is thoroughly confused by the supernatural element of the ghost of Margo Blake, whose presence remains in the house and becomes Eve's tormentor, apparently even drugging her. It made no sense at the end that, after learning about Margo, Eve would bond with her and live seemingly in perpetuity with her baby and the ghost of Margo as companions.
It was impossible to make sense of such creepy characters as Sanders, Mrs. Menabar, Wendy, Alice, Susan Gunnerby, and the long-lost ghost of Margo Blake (who resembles Mrs. Menager too closely). This batch of characters belonged in an Agatha Christie murder mystery. The film might have worked as a satirical version of the haunted house genre. But it took itself far too seriously and turned into an extremely unpleasant film viewing experience.