Hindsight (2008)

Touches You

Don't listen to the negative reviews

Good films always raise compelling questions, whether the format is fiction or documentary fact.

All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

I'm not sure why "Hindsight" didn't get more stars on IMDb than it did. Maybe because not many like to see Horror Movies / Psychological Thrillers that involve gore as well as the whole cast (minus one) kicking the bucket. Through the film, I found the criminals to be very well hateable. Just as the supposed 'good' couple were. The premise is that the criminals are selling these people their unborn baby. And, of course, things don't go all according to plan. Please note, any film that has me disliking the characters to the point where I'm actually *looking forward* to and anticipating their deaths, is an automatic win for me. So this review may be a bit...um, biased. I don't know, maybe I'm weird in the sense of satisfaction I get when the climax hits and blood starts spilling? But maybe not. I mean, that's why these movies are made--there's a fan base for it.To give you an idea, I especially enjoyed seeing that goody two-shoes rich woman when she gave up on morals, basically said screw it, and just carved the baby she so badly wanted out of the trailer park girl's belly. This film is *not* for the easily offended, or the faint of heart.The film -- while a little silly, and predictable what with the running background commentary -- rang in at a solid 10 out of 10 for me. :) I had no complaints and was very content by the time credits rolled.Basically, I'd recommended the movie "Hindsight" to be watched by those Horror fans who are like me. Able to take things with a grain of salt and sense of humor, without getting moralistic, opinionated or their panties in a bunch. And let's not forget, you might also want to have a good sense of being able to enjoy the watching of a dislikable cast of characters bite the dust when watching the film. ...because bite the dust, they do.If these attributes and elements sound like your kinda thing, then the movie will go over all right and you'll have a good hour and some minutes killed dead.If not you are sensitive however, don't even bother -- you'll only end up feeling bored, sickened or scarred, probably by the chop shop C- section scene at the end. So you might choose to find your time better spent (and your sanity saved) by popping in the latest Twilight flick, or something of the like.

This movie was a big surprise! The premise is very original and the script, the direction and the overall acting is actually very good.It's about two couples. There's this vagabond and petty-criminal couple that all of a sudden is confronted with an unwanted pregnancy and come up with the plan to make some money out of it by offering to sell the baby to as much high bidders as possible, with the obvious intention to cheat them all by running off with the down payments. And then there's this counterpart couple, very well to do yuppies that are desperately in need of a baby and are ready to do anything to get it. Both couples meet, and what starts off as a friendly and business-like confrontation eventually deteriorates into a psychological and physical battle to the death. The story is hung up on an afterwards "confession" that the woman of the first couple does to a stranger (Peter) who picks her up at the start of the movie as she is seen hitch-hiking along a deserted road in the middle of nowhere. She tells him her side of the gruesome story (which we see illustrated in flashbacks) and he comments on it in a more or less moralistic and stern, but on the other hand open-minded way, by which she is forced to reflect on her own deeds. Hence of course the title "Hindsight". After the movie I was a bit puzzled by this chosen form. What did they mean by it? A sort of catharsis for this woman? A moral judgment? Problem was, that the woman could hardly have survived the deadly attack on her that we witnessed in the last flashback. So how come we see her walking safe and sound along the road? Well, I like to see myself as an intelligent and experienced movie-watcher, but I had to read some of the comments here on IMDb to see the light: the woman was already dead and while she was on her desolate way to afterlife she was picked-up by Peter (!) who gave her the opportunity to relief herself of the burden of her bad deeds and choices. Wow, I felt so dumb and instantly I liked this movie even better for this very subtle twist! The movie is made with an obvious low budget, with only four actors (five, if you count the Peter character in), and most of the action takes place within the confinement of the second couple's house in the period of one and the same evening, so it's more or less like you're witnessing a theatre play. This feeling is enhanced by the sparkling and very clever dialogues between both couples. I was impressed by all actors. Leonor Varela is stunningly beautiful but at the same time a solid actress with perfect timing and a great feeling for subtle comedy. Jeffrey Donovan was very convincing as the young yuppie: self-assured and condescending, protective of his wife and wealth and ruthless when things got out of hand. Waylon Payne was equally convincing as the slightly psychopathic con-man, charming and full of bravado but also dangerously impulsive and rough. About Miranda Bailey much has been said in the comments here, and I can understand the reservations: she is not a beauty and her role is the least sympathetic of all, so as an audience it's almost impossible to relate to her and her motives. But in my opinion she played her character very well: in her "hindsight"-dialogues she's the unappealing, street-wise and cocky white-trash bimbo who doesn't give a damn, yet her self-reflections on the comments of Peter impress as genuinely sincere. And when, at the start of their meeting with the other couple, she tries to win them over with a performance of a sweet mother-to-be, she's equally convincing; and likewise when she later on in the movie is under heavy attack and has to fear for her life, so to me it proves that she's a great actress too. My only little and rather practical piece of criticism as to the script is: how come that the yuppie-couple didn't have or use a cell-phone?!? They are so well-to-do and modern, that it's totally unbelievable that at least the guy wouldn't have walked around with a cell in his pocket, so that they could have sent for help. Anyway, this movie gives a very convincing and in many ways disconcerting image of four intelligent people who try to act as if they care for each other, but in the end let themselves only be guided by greed, suspicion and selfishness. And don't bother too much with the moralistic setting, if that's not your cup of thee, just see it as an interesting extra, that at least is equally clever done as the rest of the movie. I rank it 9 out of 10.

This movie is about an irresponsible young couple that live in their car with no means of support. When they find out they are expecting, they see their unborn baby as a way to make money. They research many couples on the internet (how do you have internet with no place to live?) and visit a prospective couple. A couple they have seemingly chosen as the adoptive parents. The couples come together and things go well as long as the baby's biological father can keep his true nature under control. He gets angry and slaps his pregnant girlfriend which makes the adoptive father question whether or not they are making the right choice with this adoption. It is from this point that things start beginning to take twists and turns. You may be able to predict how the movie is going to end, but the trip to the end is an enjoyable one.

Pretty good actually!Pluses: Smokingly hot Lenor Varela as Maria, Charismatic Jeffery Donovn as Paul, Handsome Waylon Payne as Ron, Long time character favorite Richard Riehle as Peter. Minuses: Miranda Bailey as Dina.In nut shell: Dina and Ronnie are vagabond shysters who live out of a stolen truck. Dina gets pregnant from her "seemingly sweet" but shady boyfriend played by the remarkable somewhat new comer Waylon Payne (Jerry Lee Lewis in "Walk the Line"). Thru the internet they find a couple that can't have children. This couple has money. Lots of money. Here the drama unfolds. They plan to sell the baby to the rich couple but have "ulterior motives".The film is actually very clever. Lots of plot twists. Lots of thrills. Everyone in this film does a great job. My only problem was Miranda Bailey. She is JUST NOT a LEADING LADY. Unless you just happen to run the production company Ambush Entertainment that made this film. (Ahh, now it makes sense). She is a fine actor. No problems in that department but in comparison to the top notch performances of those performing next to her she makes this look more like a student film rather than the low budget film festival circuit independent that it is. She is not a leading lady. Sorry no offense. It got pretty creepy at the end!! But I don't know how Dina would have survived what Maria did to her so I was a bit confused? But "A for effort". It's certainly better than any film I've ever made.