Beautiful is a slow, calculated thriller which stars Sebastian Gregory as Danny, the quiet boy next door. The people in his neighborhood are a peculiar bunch, with secrets kept behind the window curtains. And one of the most mysterious one lives in Number 46.
Danny is coaxed by Suzy (Tahyna Tozzi) to spy on the people in their neighborhood. She has a special interest in the lady of Number 46, Jennifer (Asher Keddie). She wants to know why Jennifer is constantly looking through the curtains of her front window.
The cinematography is beautiful. The cast did an impressive job to make Beautiful enjoyable. It is interesting to see Asher Keddie and Tahyna Tozzi together again after last year’s X-men Origins: Wolverine, although they filmed Beautiful first. Maybe they share the same agent. Peta Wilson as Danny’s step-mother also meted out a noteworthy performance in this one.
Beautiful is predictable and yet it has an open ending. After Danny and Suzy found out that Jennifer is waiting for her ex-con lover, Suzy faked her own kidnapping and made Danny rush towards Number 46 because he thought that she’s there. Danny didn’t find Suzy there but he accidentally killed the both Jennifer and her lover. Danny’s dad, who is a cop, first arrives at the scene and told Danny to go home. After Danny is gone, his father shot himself in the head.
Beautiful’s ending is not pretty but it was fine. There were loose ends left for the audience to interpret for themselves. Some compare the movie to American Beauty and Donnie Darko, saying that Beautiful is a cheap imitation but I don’t think it deserves the bad press it’s getting. The pace is slow, which built the right atmosphere for the thriller to thrive on. If you’re looking for a fast-faced thriller then this is not for you.
