Shut In

This wannabe thriller begins in rural Maine as Mary Portman (Naomi Watts) bids farewell to her incorrigible teenage stepson, Stephen (Charlie Heaton), who is being banished to a boarding school. En route, as Stephen scuffles with his father, a horrific car crash ensues, leaving the father dead and Stephen totally paralyzed and catatonic. Newly widowed Mary, who works out of her home as a child psychologist, becomes Stephen's sole caregiver. By nature, she's a nurturer, so it is not surprising that she becomes attached to Tom (Jacob Tremblay), a deaf youngster who has become violent with his playmates. “I can help him,” Mary insists. “These things take time.” But Tom's social worker thinks he belongs in a more restrictive care facility. And then, on one dark and stormy night, troubled Tom appears on Mary's doorstep, only to disappear again into the deep snow. As people search for Tom, tormented Mary begins to hear strange noises in the creaky old house. Via Skype, she confides her increasing concern to her therapist (Oliver Platt), who suspects she's suffering from parasomnia because her normal sleep patterns have been disrupted and he orders a blood test before prescribing an antidepressant. In the meantime, lonely Mary is drawn to a suitor (David Cubitt), the father of another of her patients. Telling an illogical story that laughably strains credibility, British TV director Farren Blackburn's tedious Shut In offers little suspense beyond occasional jump scares. Not recommended. [Note: DVD/Blu-ray extras include behind-the-scenes featurettes “Nightmare v. Reality: Imagining” (8 min.) and “The House on Delphi Lane: A Classic” (4 min.), and trailers. Exclusive to the Blu-ray release are bonus DVD and digital copies of the film. Bottom line: a small extras package for a forgettable thriller.] (S. Granger)