Have to say that the acting in general was good. Unfortunately, even for a drama, it was too long winded. Some dialogs were ridiculously unreal. Even someone with a twisted mind wouldn't act like that. Too much attention seeking from someone with basically a burden. Too much drama will kill a film. Again, I have to say its a British film. Like most British films they are produced for a market. The British market. Story's where the viewer is expected to go deep is actually a Spanish or South American specialty. Or even better, Asian country's.The story itself is good. It doesn't matter if it is a "I see Dead People" film. There are thousands of films in all genres that have something from another film, or even the first in that genre. Its just not my thing. As far as I am concerned you should leave these kind of films to Hollywood, or other specialists in drama.How ever, if you like British drama's, just have a look at this one. For every genre there is a market.I just happen to be on the wrong market with The Messenger.

I have been a fan of Robert Sheehan ever since I first saw him on Misfits almost 6 years ago, so when I saw that he was in another movie more recently, of course I went out of my way to find it online as it had not been promoted anywhere in the United States. Upon reading the summary, I did not know what to expect as it seemed to be just another "I can talk to ghosts but no one else can see them" type of movie. But the more you get into it, you begin to realize that it is not just that.I will admit that there were parts that I did not fully understand at first. As a whole this movie is a lot to take in and even having watched it in full with no distractions I felt as if I missed something, or maybe that there was something in the plot that was missing. I find myself having so many questions, but no proper way to word them. The plot is very scattered, which may lead to confusion, and I thought that it was going to tie together in the end but come to find out that the ending just left me with even more confusion. It is shown earlier in the movie that Emma's son has this "sight" as well, but with her finding the article about the swimming pool at the very end and then cutting to a shot of Ben standing with the drowned boy, it left me wondering what exactly it meant. She had no knowledge of her son seeing the dead boy, and Jack had never mentioned it either, so how did this ending tie into the movie plot whatsoever?This was not the only time where I was left confused at why certain things were written into the script. As a whole it was difficult to understand what exactly point that the writer was trying to make and why this story was being told. Nothing was resolved in the end, and no one (except maybe Emma) believed the Jack was telling the truth. He was left in the hospital despite having proved (by saving Sarah's life) that he had some type of ability, whether they understood it to be him speaking to the dead or not.I would not say that this is a awful movie as it did have its strong points; great acting, well put together scenes, beautiful shots and camera work for the most part, but as I stated above it left something to be desired and a feeling that something was missed.

The Messenger is a slow burn, psycho supernatural mystery. Jack, played by Robert Sheehan, is a medium, of a scruffy, unkempt, variety. Jack's abilities have not made him rich or famous. Instead, Jack is marginalized by society and in an real sense, condemned by his talent. Jack leads a life of dispossession and isolation. This film, in large part, takes place inside Jacks head. The plot builds ever so subtly and there are segues that make you question what exactly is taking place. The question of who and what Jack is, is as much a mystery as the unfolding story of a murdered journalist. Is Jack in fact in possession of supernatural abilities that let him talk to the murdered reporter or is he, more plausibly, mentally ill? The story is explained, in part, by references to Jacks past. The movement between the past and present can be somewhat disorientating. For me this was one of the few annoyances in this film but a necessary one when the films conclusion is finally reached. The acting, especially Sheehans performance, is remarkable. Sheehan makes you empathize with and in an odd way, appreciate and understand Jack, especially when his past is brought to bear on his current predicament. All in all this is really worthwhile, very human story. Its not for the impatient so if you like you rewards early on this film may not be for you. If, however, you are willing to take the time, you may come to see what an excellent, if understated work, The Messenger is. Nine out of ten from me.

The Messenger is a strange one, it may disappoint audience who want horror or thriller flick since this is exclusively a psychological drama. The entirety of the movie revolves around Jack, a psychic, as he tries to live his daily life being haunted by spirits of the dead. While the concept is not novel and the ride can be exhausting, it does present a few good perspectives on the mental agony he must go through.There's a lot of wandering involved as Jack (Robert Sheehan) either runs away from his plague or searching for odd ways to find peace, both of which usually end up poorly. The cinematography works well to set the mood, often using dark palette almost like a cloud hovering around the main character. It gives plenty of fine landscape or urban shots, although these might get old towards latter half.Robert Sheehan is good on the lead character, he may not warm up quickly since his depression can be discouraging. Often misunderstood, his good will doesn't always reward him with accolade, after all people hearing voices and talking randomly is utterly bizarre. His character can be sympathetic yet it's the nagging feeling that he's not all there which gives depth to his performance.The movie cleverly portrays him as a man with supernatural gift or simply a mental trouble. Other characters such as his sister or the psychiatrist enhance the relationship even more by showcasing Jack's gradually deteriorating life. This is certainly not a movie that relies on scare or shock, it's a long psychological trudge, The problem with this set-up is the arduous atmosphere surrounding Jack. There's barely any five minutes where he's not yelling or nearly breaking down. This can get tiresome, the constant conflict can produce drama, and it does for a couple of instances, but it's also very heavy and might just deter some audience.While the drama aspect can be peculiarly engaging at times, The Messenger's overly solemn tone might not relate well to viewer expecting more thrill or excitement.