Review: Playdate

Marguerite Moreau and hubby Richard Ruccolo notice new neighbours moving in, and decide to be sociable and introduce themselves to Abby Brammell and her two sons. Brammell, however, is awfully secretive and skittish, though the couple’s daughter Olive (Natalie Lind) befriends Brammell’s youngest. He’s a little ‘off’, though, playing a bit rough with young Olive. And then there’s Brammell’s eldest son, who is also rather skittish, sullen, and incredibly moody. Then Moreau notices some bruises on the youngest boy, and it becomes clear that something just isn’t right about this family. And it only gets more and more disturbing.

Directed Andrew C. Erin (who scripted “Metal Tornado” and “Ice Twisters”) and scripted by Kraig Wenman, this 2012 TV movie isn’t anything earth shattering, but there’s so many loopy people here that the film keeps you guessing for a lot of its length as to exactly which path it is going to go down. I liked that, and Marguerite Moreau is a lovely and underrated presence on screen in particular. After seeing her in the “Firestarter” remake, I thought she’d turn out to be an A-list star. Unfortunately, even moreso than Annabeth Gish, Emmy Rossum (both of whom have had a frequent presence on TV at least), and several other lovely and talented actresses I can name, it hasn’t panned out that way for God knows what reason. She’s also a total MILF in this, by the way. Just sayin’. I’m normally used to seeing her in darker or edgier parts, but I enjoyed the change here nonetheless. She did do something completely ridiculous at one point, however. What kind of idiot types ‘child abuse bruise patterns’ into Google? Those first two words alone could get you into deep shit, and I doubt anyone would type such a thing unless they worked in child welfare of some kind.

Richard Ruccolo, meanwhile has an easygoing TV sitcom dad or at least TV drama dad vibe about him, but oddly enough, it works. You might remember him as the guy from that pizza show who didn’t imitate Jim Carrey and didn’t turn out to be “The Green Lantern”. Having said that, am I the only one more suspicious of nosey and overly friendly neighbours than those who are somewhat reclusive and secretive? Maybe it’s because I’m reclusive myself, to an extent.

The material, whilst somewhat clichéd, is also a little more disturbing and twisted than I was expecting from a TV movie, so that was refreshing too. It’s a quietly disturbing film. Dopey title, though, because it doesn’t really play out in any way for that title to make sense. It’s a red herring at best.

It’s somewhat disturbing, well-acted, and never boring, but whilst it keeps you guessing up to a point, there are still plenty of clichés here. Still, it was a lot better than I had anticipated.  

Rating: C+