I assume David Schwimmer didn't read the script beforehand and figured, "Hey, this is Stephen King. Better look the part of a typical serial killer and/or child abductor just in case."
Funny how this falls smack dab in the middle of Bryan Singer's ascent to Hollywood A-list status. It's his follow-up to The Usual Suspects and right before X-Men, where he'd reunite with both Ian McKellen and Bruce Davison, whom I correctly clocked would be the oblivious father to the late Brad Renfro. Singer, whose personal life can't help but put a couple choice scenes into a different light, directs with a cold, calculating matter-of-fact style which perfectly compliments the material that it's a shame the need to broaden the scope of this psychological thriller ends up stymying the core strength of the piece.
For most of the superior first act, this is practically a two-hander, with both McKellan and Renfro engaging in crafty, borderline sadistic mind games with one another. The writing is crisp and the tit-for-tat is mesmerizing. Renfro's morbid curiosity feels genuine and had the film managed to just stay with the two of them, it likely would've maintained its intriguing tone. Alas, as the story unfolds, the action and events turn shallow and unconvincing, there are multiple plot holes and character turns which don't add up. Singer loses control of his material and aside from a few fun twists, it doesn't add up to a fully cohesive dramatic thriller about the nature and allure of evil. It's good enough, but not as great as it could've been.
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