Hide and Seek (2005): Dir: John Polson / Cast: Robert De Niro, Dakota Fanning, Elisabeth Shue, Famke Janssen, Amy Irving: Standard thriller about personality defects. Little Dakota Fanning witnesses her mother's death so her father moves them into a big country house but soon she begins relating to an imaginary friend named Charlie, which disturbs her father when incidents occur. Typical premise is pure formula until reaching the standard violent climax. Director John Polson does well with the plot twists but fails to entertain a screenplay worth them. He is backed with a cast worthy of better material than this. Robert De Niro struggles in helping his daughter dealing with mental and emotional issues. Fanning fares mutual with her blank flat emotion. We understand her trauma plus she is responsible for the few interesting twists. Elisabeth Shue appears as potential romance only. Famke Janssen plays a therapist concern for Fanning. The joke here is that Janssen will eventually have to take on the role of Wonder Woman. Amy Irving is refreshing to see in a key role but more of her would have been nice. She is responsible for a plot turn of sorts whether it matters. The theme of personality defects is hardly the point here. It is a typical dull thriller with good actors set against material that earns them little or no recognition. The screenwriter should hide and seek a better screenplay. Score: 2 ½ / 10

This is one of my all time favorite movies. I enjoyed this movie from beginning to end. I really don't understand how this movie gets such a low scores.Some people really don't like the end, I on the other hand think the end is really deep and psychological. What can't be said for a lot of other thrillers (and especially not for horror movies. I don't really like movies where you can guess what will happen next. In hide and seek the end is unexpected, what makes it even better.Every time I see this movie I am astonished how good Dakota Fanning her acting is, and that on such a young age.I really love this movie! I can only recommend it to everybody.

In a normal family of New York City, David Callaway (Robert De Niro) is a psychologist who has to face the mysterious suicide of his wife. Unfortunately this tragic incident is causing a big trauma to his little daughter Emily (Dakota Fanning). David decides to move to the countryside to to give all the support and make her to forget what happened, but things became even worse and very weird. In the new house Emily's imaginary friend named 'Charlie' takes control over her behavior. Somebody wants to play hide and seek but neither David nor little Emily seems to enjoy this apparently innocent but dangerous game. The most scary movies are the ones where a child plays a significant role, Dakota Fanning is quiet scary. An unusual performance of Robert De Niro not the best of his famous career.

There are no words sufficient enough to describe how truly terrifying this movie is. It really is terrifying, but not in a good way. I would have maybe given this film a pass, that is until the ending arrived. One of the hands down worst endings in the history of the movies. I am not kidding. If you have an IQ over the line of mental retardation, you will want to kill yourself after seeing John Polson's excuse for a climax. Surprise ending? You bet your sweet bippy it's surprising. As surprising as a last minute root canal. What has happened to Robert De Niro? Showtime? Analyze That? And worst of all this slap in the face. Dakota Fanning, I can understand. She will bounce back. But De Niro? He has jumped the shark so far that there's no turning back now. He might as well star in Mean Streets 2 and call it a day. Someone is controlling his mind, I know it. Please, for the love of all that is holy, do not see this movie if you truly value your free time. I have sacrificed myself so that you may not suffer as I did. You have been warned.