TIFF - Review of The Awakening

Review 4 out of 5 - I am on a role with these movies. The last few ones I have thoroughly enjoyed. I would recommend renting this one. I don't think you need to see it at the theatres.

This movie is set in the 20's. It focuses on an educated woman, Florence Cathcart, who earns money by proving there are no ghosts. She is hired by a boarding school to investigate a siting of a ghost. A small boy that supposedly died years before when it was a private residence haunts the school. The children are afraid and Ms. Cathcart is hired to prove it is just a hoax. The director summarizes the movies by saying "we see ghosts because we need to".

Rebecca Hall who stars is the movie does an amazing job. The director made a note that she is wonderful to work with which is something important in the industry. I have summarized some of the comments the director made in the Q&A today:

He composed a small song that was part of the opening of the movie. 
The boarding school will be recognized by some as Pemberley in Pride and Prejudice. The location is really called Lion Park
The director drained the colour from the film to give it that feeling of being sick
All interiors were shot in three empty homes in Scotland
He chose not to film in high def because he didn't feel it was appropriate for a period film.
The writer is an incredibly nice guy. Original story set in a different time period. The director decided to set it in the 20's right after World War I.
Director has never seen a ghost.
Director had Rebecca in mind when doing his section of the writing. She liked it on the first read. 
Uk film counsel was shut down but it is evolving into another name. They play a major part in making up gap financing. It is soft money meaning that they don't get a say in the film. It is a charity funded my lottery money. Another huge player is bbc film. 
The director's future project is called Blood about the moral decline of a police family. Paul Bettany will be associated with it. 

Spoiler alert - Director wanted the only general threat to come from the living. It was important to him that he show that only a living person be the real threat.
 
Spoiler alert - The leg thing was survivor guilt and self hate. Self abuse and self harm was not unusual in this time period. Mallory's self harm comes from if "I feel pain I am making up for what I gained."
Spoiler alert - he did not want Ms. Cathcart to be rescued by a man since she is a strong determined woman.
Spoiler alert - Paintings in the film were chosen specifically. He wanted the lion attack to be part of a memory. The other painting was to detract the viewer. He felt if there was only one painting it would take on too much meaning early on in the film.