Case 39

Horror has never been my favorite genre. But as a reviewer, I strive to be open to all types of films.

Believe it or not, there is such a thing as a good and bad horror flick. Bad horror contains wanton scenes of violence but annoys more than it scares. Good horror contains wanton scenes of violence that scares more than it annoys. Case 39 is outstanding as the creepy, weird, bloody, often stupid genre known as horror goes.

See Renee in the picture? She's proven her mettle in Chicago, Bridget Jones's Diary, and many, many films. I consider her top-notch as an actress. But as an actress in a horror film? Even better! Do my esteemed readers recall that Renee got her start as the terrified victim in the 1994 classic Chainsaw Massacre flick? By the way, the dashing Matthew McConaughey was the saw-wielding maniac in that same work.

Okay, back to Case 39. What's it about? Did you ever see the truly scary film of 1956 called The Bad Seed? In that black and white spooker, a little girl turns out to be, well, not everything a sweet little girl should be! Is there anything scarier than thinking a kid could do evil? You get the gist of Case 39. It's sort of a remake of The Bad Seed.

No more on the plot, lest I give too much away. Suffice it to say that Renee Z, the kind-hearted, optimistic, caring, generous, loving social worker, might have made a slight mistake bringing home one of her young clients!

Ha ha! Just wait and see how big that mistake is!

Case 39 reminds us that horror films can have substance. Every once and a while, when you read about a young kid who has done something terrible, you will no doubt recall Renee Zellweger's performance and one nasty, devilish, little girl!