Premonition (2007/I)

User Rating:

5.6/10   

Director:

Mennan Yapo

Writer (WGA):

Bill Kelly (written by)

Release Date:

16 March 2007 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Fantasy | Horror | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

Reality is only a nightmare away

Plot:

Depressed housewife learns her husband was killed in a car accident the day previously, awakens the next morning to find him alive and well at home, and then awakens the next day after to a world in which he is still dead.

Plot Keywords:

Car Accident | Car | Sheriff | Housewife | School

Awards:

2 nominations

US TV Schedule:

Mon. July 6	12:00 PM	TMC
Mon. July 6	9:30 PM	TMC

Cast

Sandra Bullock	...	Linda Hanson
Julian McMahon	...	Jim Hanson
Shyann McClure	...	Megan Hanson
Courtney Taylor Burness	...	Bridgette Hanson
Nia Long	...	Annie
Marc Macaulay	...	Sheriff Reilly
Kate Nelligan	...	Joanne
Irene Ziegler	...	Mrs. Quinn
Phillip DeVona	...	Funeral Attendant
Ritchie Montgomery	...	Funeral Attendant
Matt Moore	...	Young Priest
Amber Valletta	...	Claire
Peter Stormare	...	Dr. Roth
Laurel Whitsett	...	School Aide
Kristin Ketterer	...	Receptionist

Also Known As:

Ond aning (Finland: Swedish title) (Sweden) [sv]
Prémonitions (Belgium: French title) (France) [fr]
Premonición (Argentina) (Mexico) [es]
Предчувствие (Russia) [ru]
Die Vorahnung (Germany) [de]
Emmoni (Greece) [el]
Forvarsel (Denmark) [da]
Forvarsel (Norway) [no]
Halb eelaimus (Estonia) (TV title) [et]
Megérzés (Hungary) [hu]
Paha aavistus (Finland) [fi]
Prémonition (Canada: French title) [fr]
Predtucha (Czech Republic) [cs]
Premonições (Brazil) [pt]
Premonition - 7 días (Spain) [es]
Przeczucie (Poland) [pl]
Shuffle (Japan: English title) [en]
Siradisi (Turkey: Turkish title) [tr]
Slutnja (Croatia) [hr]

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for some violent content, disturbing images, thematic material and brief language.

Runtime:

96 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

SDDS | Dolby Digital | DTS

Certification:

Ireland:15A | UK:12A | Netherlands:12 | Hong Kong:IIA | Philippines:PG-13 | Portugal:M/12 | Brazil:12 | Finland:K-11 | Norway:11 | Switzerland:14 (canton of Vaud) | Switzerland:14 (canton of Geneva) | Singapore:PG | Argentina:13 | Germany:12 (cut) | Sweden:11 | Malaysia:U | Czech Republic:12 | Canada:14A (Manitoba) | Denmark:15 | Canada:G (Quebec) | Canada:PG (Alberta/British Columbia/Nova Scotia/Ontario) | USA:PG-13 (certificate #42764) | France:U | Australia:M

Filming Locations:

Minden, Louisiana, USA

Company:

TriStar Pictures

Trivia:

Shot in 45 days.

Goofs:

Factual errors: The daughter runs through a door made of standard glass. This is not likely since by building code, glass doors must be made from tempered glass which shatters in many small pieces preventing deep cuts caused by large pieces of glass.

Quotes:

Linda Hanson: If I let Jim die, is that the same thing as killing him?
Joanne: Honey, Jim's already dead.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Stiletto (2008/I)

Piecing the Puzzle Together

Relative newcomers, writer Bill Kelly and director Mennan Yapo, have concocted a testy little conundrum of a movie titled PREMONITION: whether the audience decides to step into their little nightmare or reject the premise that powerful emotions can drive the brain to peculiar directions of functioning will be the divisive break in acceptance of the film's premise. It is a fairly well done, thought provoking experience and is carried by some better than average performances by a strong cast.

The Hanson family is introduced as the husband Jim (Julian McMahon) and wife Linda (Sandra Bullock) buy their new home. Jump forward after the credits to a family that now includes two young schoolgirls (Shyann McClure and Courtney Taylor Burness), a seemingly mildly depressed Linda and a workaholic Jim. Abruptly, Linda is informed by a police officer that Jim has died in an auto accident and her close friend (Nia Long) and mother (Irene Ziegler) help Linda through the early moments of the tragedy. Yet Linda continues to 'relive' moments: one day Jim is dead the next he is alive, and all of the pieces of the puzzle that erode Linda's mind become clues to investigate information she doesn't want to know. She encounters a warped psychiatrist (Peter Stormare) and a possible 'other woman' in Jim's life (Amber Valletta), and as she attempts to mold the puzzle pieces to make sense, she learns about the possible 'why' of the mental state in which she is trapped.

The film has problems holding credibility, but then the premise is a novel enough to allow such missteps. Sandra Bullock takes over this role completely, gains our empathy, and in the end the film works because of her. She is becoming an actress who is learning the value of understatement and that aspect of her craft serves her well. No, this is not a great movie, but it is a well-produced little mystery that asks the audience to engage both mind and imagination, and that is a good thing! Grady Harp