"Cold Creek Manor" tells of a family of four who move from NYC to a run down rural estate with a tell-tale history. With no spooks or paranormal nonsense, no screaming nightmares, no black cats screeching as they leap from the shadows, this film avoids horror and sticks to the suspense/thriller drama genre as it follows Mom (Stone), Dad (Quaid), and the kids from edgy to creepy to scary to thrilling, gathering momentum as it works through a less than inspired story. With a good cast and solid production value, "Cold Creek Manor" plays well as a B-thriller but peaks and ends predictably. Burned at the stake by the critics and stoned by the public, this flick is by all rights a real turkey. So, for what it's worth (and it ain't much), I enjoyed it as some mild no-brainer escapism. Recommended for drama junkies into thrillers but keep expectations low. (C+)
Review of Cold Creek Manor
