Dark Places

tags: murder mystery, thriller

From Wiki

Set in a farming town in Kansas, Dark Places follows Libby Day, the only surviving witness of a horrific massacre that took the lives of her mother and sisters. Believing the slaughter to be the work of a Satanic cult, Libby testifies in court against her own brother. Almost thirty years after the murder, she remains haunted by the gruesome violence of her past when she meets a group of amateur investigators who call themselves "The Kill Club." Looking to satisfy their morbid curiosity, the group begins its own inquiry about the case, believing that Libby's brother is innocent. To help them, Libby must unearth painful memories of the event and learn that her past may not be what it seems.

Dark Places is based on Gillian Flynn's novel with the same title. I read the book and rated it 4 stars in August 2012. Gillian Flynn, author of Gone Girl, is a very skilled storyteller and I like her books regardless of the main characters having a potty mouth.

I appreciate that the movie didn't stray much from the book's story line. I had to give it just 3 stars though because large portions of the movie are very very dark visually. A little bit more lighting would have been better. In one scene, Charlize Theron was reading some old records/papers. The lights were turned off and she was reading using a torch. She does have electricity in her house and she is not doing it stealthily or something. The director has taken "dark places" quite literally.

I also didn't like Charlize Theron as Libby Day. The Libby I had in my mind is shorter than Charlize, more delicate looking, and with long hair, not the short masculine hair style that Charlize has. *But it's just me, I've never liked very short hair on women.* The younger actors are very good, specially Chloe Moretz as the wicked girlfriend of Libby's brother, Ben, played by Tye Sheridan.

Recommended for Gillian Flynn, murder mystery, and thriller fans.
Currently streaming on Amazon, Blu-Ray DVD from Netflix.