Infamousta brilliant actors, brilliant editing

Freaktana A Major Disappointment

Livestonth I am only giving this movie a 1 for the great cast, though I can't imagine what any of them were thinking. This movie was horrible

AnhartLinkin This story has more twists and turns than a second-rate soap opera.

calm I tried not to get interested in this movie but the dialog and music sucked me in. As the film progressed, I realized that the sisters were not the only ones disturbed. While the movie was well acted and the plot reasonable, the story became unbelievable. No normal person would stay in a situation like that, for any reason.I suspect love, shock and intrigue kept Jean-Hugues Anglade involved. In reality, he would have never made it -- the cops would have never reacted the way they did and the story would not have ended the way it did. I'm trying to say this was a movie worth seeing without giving away anything. My value of 7 is because I think it's okay for a comedy to be unbelievable but not a drama.

bebop1234 This is a smart film. When I watched this film I found myself thoroughly engaged by it on many levels. But it's a very complex film, insofar as it not really about things that happen, so much as it is about what causes people to do the things they do.The two girls, Megan and Dominique, do terrible things in this story, but what is lovely about this film is that it creates an opportunity for us to feel ambiguous about their actions. Are they justified in their actions or should we judge them harshly for their deeds? Society would judge them, the law would judge them - but how do we judge them as human beings, trying to survive the chaos and emotional turmoil of life? Is it rational to judge them? These are all good questions - and in the end, The Innocents becomes more than a simple story. The Innocents is a Greek Tragedy by any other name. Its classic issues are at the core of the fabric of humanity. It's tough material and strong and bold.The protagonist, Gerard, who travels with the girls on this so-called "innocent" journey, is caught in a web from which he cannot extricate himself. Should he try, the girls will pin their deeds on him. It's the perfect platform for a crime. The more the innocent man objects and tries to pull away, the more guilty he will look. In the sense, there is a "Hitchcock" homage at play here, for those who know the genre.On the surface these are very nice girls, but underneath, they are damaged, angry and in fact, given the wrong set of circumstances, very dangerous. This film leads you on an emotional roller-coaster and no matter what anyone may say, this is extremely well-written and most unpredictable. In an era of Hollywood film-making where plots are derivative and endings are known by an audience twenty minutes into the film, The Innocents (called Dark Summer in Europe)breaks the mold. There is nothing predictable about "The Innocents". Not at all.The actors are extraordinary, including Jean-Hugues Anglade, Connie Neilson, Mia Kirshner, Anne Archer, Frank Langella, Keith David and Robert Culp. You don't see cinema like this very often in America (because this may be too intellectually and emotionally demanding)and to that extent I am positive that certain reviewers may not get this film, it's their loss.I saw the European DVD of this movie, as well, and there are many more scenes than are in the U.S. version. It's quite interesting to see the additional scenes and definitely more satisfying.The Innocents is a very smart, cunning, emotionally well-crafted piece of film-making and high regards to those who had the vision to back it. I hope to see many more films from this filmmaker.

rberley2000-1 Every once in a while a strange movie will come along and knock your socks off. I have always been a video store junkie looking for that odd gem that you can freak out your buddies with and I have found just such a movie. A new director named Gregory Marquette served up a tasty dish with his movie `Dark Summer'(aka `Innocents') When I first took this home I was like `What the hell is going on..' and that feeling kept going on because this film never succumbed to the ordinary, only the extraordinary.Jean Hughes Anglade, which any fan of `la Femme Nakita' will alwaysrecognize, stars in this bizarre tale of lies and deception and was absolutely divine as the main protagonist Huxley. The man is a statement inunderstatement. But I digress.The film opens with an interrogation by one of the finest, solid character actor's, Keith David, interrogating Anglade's character about a series of murders andfrom that point on I was hooked. Now don't get me wrong, this film is verytwisted and very very unconventional, but that is what so attracted me to the piece.`Dark Summer', to me, is about the conflict of perception and innocence. The two antagonists, Mia Kirshner (Yummmm) and Connie Nielson, as the creepysisters, keep the dementia going by defying all definition. My point is the film kept fooling me (which is rare). Nothing is as it seems with this effort.Power cameos by Frank Langella, Robert Culp, and the always excellent KeithDavid, feed the twisted plot with a texture that is beyond the reach of theHollywood schlock machine. Anne Archer gives a bravura performance welloutside of the reach of any of the roles she has been saddled with in the past. (`Clear And Present Danger' Yuccchhhh!)I think what really impressed me about this movie is you never know where this son of a gun is going. I do not want to give away the plot but I have rarely been fooled by plots and scripting, but this movie is the most different journey of any movie I have seen in recent history.All in all the morality tale here is that no matter how decent you may be, the world conspires against you. Innocence is vulnerability, integrity is a liability.Get a six pack, a good girl or friend and curl up with this movie, I guarantee that you will have a long, long talk afterward.I hope I am not too vague but I am loath to give away the real joy of a film not being predictable and contrived. Who cares if it's not commercial, this movie made me sit on the edge of my seat and think. To the film makers, thank you. To it's critics, go ahead, make your own movie---I dare you!

peaton_163 Since my first kid I am the video store junkie from hell and I look for films I have never seen all the time. The film I found called "Dark Summer" I have no idea why this movie was not in the theaters. (Hollywood BS I'll bet, good films never get seen-GO INDIES!!!!) I saw from the cover Connie Nielsen and Mia Kirschner (Exotica-another great film) so I took a chance. The lead character played by this Jean Hughes Anglade was absolutely yummy for a French guy and the film was filled with all these cool actors like Keith David, Frank Langella and Anne Archer playing the most amazing character i have ever seen and probably the best of career. I won't give away any of the plot but this film has it all, great acting, gorgeous photography, murder, mayhem, perverts, drug addicts/alcoholics and a really kick ass cast. Support independent films and if you want to see a great movie, "Dark Summer" is one of the great ones that no one knows about out there!