The Disappointments Room

Trying to recover after the traumatic death of their infant daughter, grieving Dana (Kate Beckinsale) and David (Mel Raido) decide to move from Brooklyn to rural North Carolina with their young son, Lucas (Duncan Joiner). Dana is an architect, so she is ready to remodel the cavernous, dilapidated country estate they bought. But when she discovers the long-lost key to a hidden attic room, she opens herself to nightmarish evil. Ms. Judith (Marcia de Rousse), a local historian, explains that this mysterious chamber, whose only entrance was hidden behind a cabinet, was where wealthy families used to incarcerate their disabled/disfigured children, effectively keeping them out of sight. Apparently, their troubled ghosts still prowl the premises. Along with losing all track of time, distraught Dana's eerie explorations lead to nightmarish visions of the former owner, satanic Judge Blacker (Gerald McRaney), and his demonic black dog. Plus, there's a local handyman, Ben (Lucas Till), who flirts with Dana while repairing a hole in the leaky roof. Filmmaker D.J. Caruso's aptly-named The Disappointments Room is a witless endeavor in which a solid cast struggles to do the best they can with underwritten roles. Not recommended. [Note: DVD extras include an “Unwanted” behind-the-scenes featurette (5 min.), and trailers. Bottom line: a small extras package for a forgettable film.] (S. Granger)