The Harvest

The concept of the movie is really good and not a cliché. It keeps us guessing whats happening. However, the movie is really slow and fails to create a grip expected from a mystery thriller movie. No significant events happen till two third of the movie. A couple is keeping a kid to harvest his organs for their son. In end, there are few twists and turns. The acting is good but the movie lacks pace. I had to watch it with an increased speed to finish it.

The Harvest is a horror/thriller about a sickly boy named Andy who wants to hangout with his new neighbor Maryann, but the boy's mother forbids this and is afraid that her dark secret will come to light. This movie is currently streaming on Netflix and stars Charlie Tahan as Andy, Samantha Morton as Andy's mother, Michael Shannon as Andy's father, and Natasha Calis as Maryann. I picked this movie after seeing that Michael Shannon was in it, because he's one of my favorite actors working today. Michael Shannon, nor anyone else, could save this movie from the horrendous dialogue, numerous plot holes, and the other laughably bad performances in The Harvest. The Harvest actually opens up somewhat promising. Andy, played by Charlie Tahan, gives the best performance in the entire film. You really feel bad for this kid who's stuck in his bed all day and just wants to be go to school, and play baseball like a normal kid. Now before I say too much more, I have to talk about Samantha Morton's performance as Andy's mother. I'm sure she's a great actress in other films (she's been nominated for multiple Oscars),­­ but she shows none of that talent here. The entire film revolves around the mother as she progressively escalates in her attempts to keep her secrets from her son and the new neighbor, Maryann. However, Morton overacts in every scene and made me laugh when she was supposed to be giving this serious, and horrifying performance. Since The Harvest hinges on Morton's performance, the movie begins to fall apart very quickly. None of the exchanges between characters feel real. Their interactions are forced and very heavy handed with exposition. There are a few interesting twists and turns the film takes, or so that's what it tricks you into believing. For every revelation, there is an accompanying plot hole or plot inconsistency that comes with it. The biggest twist in the film is actually a good idea, but its execution leaves a lot to be desired. I don't normally talk about sound in my reviews, but I have to mention it for this film. During all the "suspenseful" scenes, there are these sound effects used that were probably taken off some free website. They are supposed to be dramatic and add to suspense of the film but ultimately make the movie that much cornier. Michael Shannon does not get a pass here either. Shannon phones in his performance, and while he isn't bad, he is very one note. Oh, and the ending of this movie is so hilariously bad that I was belly laughing for a solid 30 seconds. Even after all the terrible things I have said about his movie, that does not take away from how good of a time I had watching it. The Harvest feels like a slightly higher budget Lifetime movie. Get some friends together to watch this movie, and just don't think about it too much. My head still hurts doing so. If you liked this review, check out my other movie reviews over at www.watsonmoviereviews.com

The Harvest came out of nowhere for me. It's a film about power and deception, which makes for a truly fantastic film. This film gets well under your skin, making it a very effective psychological thriller, NOT a horror. The one thing I truly love about this film is that it gets straight to the point. It starts off fast, there is no filler, every scene has a point and the finally is epic and perfectly paced. The Harvest really did surprise me. With such low user ratings, I was expecting something overly pretentious or just plain bad; both of these it was not. If there could be one criticism it would be the lack of suspense leading up to the unveiling, but other than that, nothing is at fault.

Great movie. Great story. Great twists and turns. Michael Shannon was good as usual you. If you haven't seen him in take shelter go see it he is excellent in it and its a great movie. But Samantha Morton's performance was excellent. very chilling and so many of her scenes you were like wow. there were shades of her performance in Elizabeth the golden age in the harvest. supporting cast was also good. I don't want to give much away about this movie because you just need to watch it. But I recommend you do if you want to watch something that will keep you interested because let's face it half of the movies out there you want to turn off halfway through this is not one of them. two thumbs up!

Adventurous girl befriends a dying boy and uncovers a dark secret. This is carefully put together and well acted by the girl and boy. The obsessive mother looked like she was heading for Kathy Bates intensity, but I think the punches were pulled in the end. Problem I had with this was it starts as a conventional family drama and only ups the stakes halfway through, and even then it never develops a sense of menace. It's as if they thought the plot reveal alone would elevate the story beyond the Nancy Drew level. Also the pace is pedestrian. The director gets the technicals spot on, but I guess the screenplay didn't give enough to allow the tension to mount.

John McNaughton, Master of Horror. The mastermind who brought Clive Barker's twisted words to life in Haeckel's Tale. The man who introduced the world to The Borrower. He reminded us what real-life horror looks like with HENRY, now brings you a all new psychological horror film entitled: The Harvest. The film stars fan favorites Peter Fonda, Michael Shannon, Samantha Morton, Charlie Tahan (From TV Series GOTHAM) and Natasha Calis. The movie starts off with a incident that thankfully ends up with a blessed outcome. That incident, introduces us to Katherine (played by Samantha Morton) who is caring for her sick invalid son, Andy (played by Charlie Tahan) alongside her husband (played by Michael Shannon). The atmosphere in the film from the get go already has a precursor of things to come. Like most psychological horror films, there is the slow burn. That being said, the film seems to intertwine between two families and the maelstrom of chaos that unravels. The unraveling begins with Maryann (played by Natasha Calis), Andy's new neighbor and ONLY friend. She moves into the neighborhood with her grandparents (played by Leslie Lyles and the ever so cool Peter Fonda), after the death of her parents. The two then, form an unlikely friendship. So much in fact that, the caring demeanor of his mother suddenly takes a turn from sweet yet tired to a more domineering almost "Annie Wilkes like persona". The two friends continue to see each other even at the warnings of both families. As, their friendship grows so does the tension between Mother and Son. Samantha Morton's acting ability truly shows in this film, it's my favorite performance of hers next to "CONTROL". This woman really begs to be hated. Michael Shannon's acting in this film also shows range from his usual bad guy roles. He truly plays the role of a grieving father quite masterfully, so much to where you begin to feel his sadness and pain, it's simply brilliant. As the tensions rise between both Maryann and Katherine, so does the viewing of this film. It really grabs you by the throat and doesn't let go once you reach the 50 minute mark. John's directing style really adds to the intensity once the film picks up. There is a twist ending that appears, I did NOT see coming! The Harvest is another example that psychological horror films are not dead. If you are a fan of the genre and enjoy good slow burn with a brilliant payoff ending, then give this film a watch!

A truly gripping film, but difficult to watch. Samantha Morton and Michael Shannon are absolutely perfect in their roles, the casting could not have been better. That's not to make light of Charlie Tahan or Natasha Calis, who fit their roles perfectly as well. But to watch this film unfold, it's going to be a rough ride. No horror or gore here, but something much worse . . . a fanatical, deranged mother, who also happens to be a doctor, determined to have her way with her ill, handicapped child, to the point of excruciating cruelty to serve her own warped agendas. Joan Crawford's "Mommy Dearest" meets Kathy Bate's "Misery" doesn't even come close to this lunatic witch mother, and the weird lunacy that becomes apparent as the story unfolds. The film starts off a bit slowly at first, but quite appropriately fills in the various characters and their life situations before the darker sides begin to appear . . . and appear they do. No spoilers here, and other reviewers here have already recited most of the relevant major plot points. What is relevant to note here, though, is that this is a rare example of a film that does not need any gratuitous horror props and simplistic formulae to deliver a compelling story. The quality of the acting, and what actually transpires is more than enough, perhaps because this is a story that really could happen in the real world, and the characters portrayed are spot on in depicting just what such a scenario might be like. Be warned, though, this is not for the faint hearted. Trust me on this one . . . Maybe not quite a ten, but a very solid 8 stars.

This film features child abduction which due to recent events of Madeleine McCann resurfacing in the news its very difficult and disturbing to watch.

THE HARVEST (2014) *** Samantha Morton, Michael Shannon, Natasha Calis, Charlie Tahan, Peter Fonda, Leslie Lyles, Meadow Williams. "Hansel & Gretel" meets "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" is how director John McNaughton describes this well-tuned dramatic thriller about a couple (a barely recognizable Morton and a low-key empathetic Shannon; both delivering top notch performances) whose sickly son (Tahan a gifted young actor to watch) is befriended by a new neighbor (Calis - ditto) much to the chagrin of Morton and for justifiable reasons. More than meets the eye in this well calibrated by novice screenwriter Stephen Lancellotti making a fine big screen debut in balancing coming-of-age with genuine creepy moments of dread (not a taken for granted gift as a scribe of the genre). Worth seeking out.

Giving this movie a seven may be pushing it, but the movie is actually pretty good. I saw the trailer and was interested, despite the poor reviews, and was pleasantly surprised. The acting was good, and the boy in this movies acting was excellent. This movie follows a young girl who moved to a small town with her grandparents and meets a handicap boy. His parents mysteriously do not want him around but he still meets him. She discovers secrets, but no one believes her. The movie wasn't all good, there were plenty of flaws. The genre is a horror/thriller. Yet the movie drags at times, and is in no way scary. But if you have a week night alone, and have nothing to do, this is just the movie for you.