Breathe In

Writer-director Drake Doremus's Breathe In tells the tale of a suburban family whose internal troubles flare up when an outsider enters their midst. The story is bookended by scenes of the Reynolds family—Keith (Guy Pearce), Megan (Amy Ryan), and teen daughter Lauren (Mackenzie Davis)—posing for photos to accompany their annual letters to friends. Between the two shoots, they are rocked by the arrival of Sophie (Felicity Jones), a British exchange student who challenges the Reynolds' marriage and Lauren's apparently charmed existence—although not from any maliciousness on her part. Keith, a frustrated musician teaching high school music, grows infatuated with Sophie, much to Megan's distress, while star swimmer Lauren is devastated when Sophie attracts the attention of Lauren's ex-boyfriend. All of this happens against the backdrop of a suburban society where everybody seems to be either divorced or filing for divorce. While the cast is excellent, Breathe In—comprised of quietly unsettling scenes that are punctuated by occasional melodramatic outbursts—simmers at such a low temperature that it becomes tedious, while the big moments are almost absurdly overstated. Optional. [Note: DVD/Blu-ray extras include a “making-of” featurette (10 min.), an interview with director Drake Doremus (4 min.), and trailers. Bottom line: a decent extras package for a disappointing film.] (F. Swietek)