CheerupSilver Very Cool!!!

ChanBot i must have seen a different film!!

Kaelan Mccaffrey Like the great film, it's made with a great deal of visible affection both in front of and behind the camera.

Freeman This film is so real. It treats its characters with so much care and sensitivity.

Raul Faust Well, "The Life Before Her Eyes" is a psychological thriller that really surprised me. At first, it has a original plot that involves the past and the future of a girl who-- supposedly-- survived in a slaughter. The story keeps going back to the past and to the future; in most movies, it tends to turn the story boring, but in here it doesn't happen. In fact, the game of going back and on causes one thing in the spectator: a feeling of mystery. Well, isn't that what we all expect from a suspenseful thriller? Also, the good directing utilizes a weird soundtrack in order to provoke some tension, and it never fails; in some scenes, there were plenty of possibilities of what was happening. The acting is great for the most of the time, and some characterizations made the film feel nostalgic and human. However, what I really enjoyed about it was the ending. It was somehow possible to be seen coming, but it surely surprised the spectator that isn't used with this kind of mystery. All in all, "The Life Before Her Eyes" is a film that satisfies, entertains and gives a surprising outcome, and I'm thinking about reading the book to know the original story-- and that's something I rarely feel like doing, so you may understand why I consider it so special.

harperlizzie Earnest, manipulative, dull, horrible, cheap, lazy, trite, exploitative, shameful, feeble. This kind of toxic nonsense is the equivalent of narrative granola laced with Prozac and arsenic. The last time I felt this aggrieved by the egregious nonsense being peddled by writers and filmmakers was after a viewing of "Sliding Doors" when I encountered two teenage girls in tears at the death of so many real and imagined babies in that movie. Needless to say those girls thought "Sliding Doors" as wonderful a movie as most reviewers here seem to imagine "The Life Before Her Eyes" to be. I can't imagine what Uma Thurman imagined she was doing getting involved in this nonsense. Next time she wants to elicit an equivalent response from an audience all she needs to do is have some kittens die on her. She doesn't even have to throw in the rain sequences or the crushed flower trope. The worst thing about this movie - viewed belatedly on TV - is to have my new year so soiled by the experience that I've felt compelled to come on here and vent in the manner of some bitter teen. Come to think of it, maybe the Michael character had to sit through an equivalent movie before he was compelled to act. Truly awful.

DICK STEEL One of the main reasons for picking this up is the star pairing of Uma Thurman and Evan Rachel Wood playing the same character Diana in a tale that explores how lives get changed and affected in a post Columbine styled school shooting. Directed by Vadim Perelman who also helmed The House of Sand and Fog, The Life Before Her Eyes is adapted from the novel by Laura Kasischke, and the first scene sets up the hook beautifully - what if you're caught in a dead end with your best friend, and a gunman?The narrative unfolds in non-linear fashion, which splits the story into two separate threads, one with the younger teenage Diana (Rachel Evan Wood) and her BFF Maureen (Eva Amurri) discussing the usual problems, issues and dreams a teenager would have, and their aspirations in life, and the other putting its focus on the adult Diana (Uma Thurman) now married to a professor and having to raise her child Emma (Gabrielle Brennan) who's quite a handful to handle, providing some mean reminiscence into her own past that she hopes she's able to steer her kid out from that doomed past.In character pieces like this, both lead actresses shine in their respective spheres, with Evan Rachel Wood playing yet again an impetuous youth living life her own way, never hesitating to dabble in sex and drugs, and basically the making all the mistakes that one can make as a teen. The chemistry shared with Eva Amurri was excellently convincing so much so that with the pivotal scene in the bathroom, you're put on the edge of your seat as to the choices that both will make. Which you can partake in if you put yourself in similar shoes, with a gun pointed at you and a chance to live, or die, per your wishes.Uma Thurman tackles her mom role with aplomb, juggling raising a kid with trying to avoid her past which is slowly coming back through flashbacks no thanks to the 15th anniversary of the fateful day in school. It may seem that she's living that perfect life, but the cracks soon show up and little things become opportunities for reminiscence. I suppose as a parent you will try that utmost best to avoid your kid repeating the same mistakes you have made, and will be on the lookout for warning signs. Thurman brings to the table that level of maturity, as well as a sense of paranoia as she tries hard to forget her past.Vadim Perelman created a film that's basically very dreamlike in quality as it deals with themes such as conscience and self-preservation, and crafted the key bathroom scene with ingenuity that keeps you constantly guessing how it will all play out, and pulling his punches at the right time to keep up that level of suspense right up to the end. Production values are purposefully split down the middle to differentiate the landscapes between the two time periods to reflect the lifestyle and mood of Diana and of course to throw clues in addition to what's being done by the narrative, with a haunting soundtrack throughout courtesy of James Horner.Some may not like the how the finale played out but I thought it was refreshingly different from the usual narrative twist attempts. Some may deem it not plausible, but I tend to consider it not as being performed during a single moment, but more of being worked on over a period of time. After all, an idea isn't just conceived and worked on overnight - we tend to think about it at some lengths not necessarily always during the same sitting. Even if you have an inkling of how it will play out, it's the delivery of key scenes and the wonderful dramatic performances that make this way above average. Recommended!

dijitalnomad Boring, less interesting version (or just a similar film or concept) of the 2005 film "Stay". I really dislike these kinds of overly-ambiguous mysteries that captivate you by keeping you in the dark... to feel as though something -- something -- is just beyond your reach -- while really all the viewer is missing -- is withheld-- is the dumb hook at the end. I think this was a book and I'm sorry if you're a fan but this film is like a bad mix of ... the adaptation of Perfume (in that I can't imagine it translated well), and Sixth Sense. I'll leave Wikipedia to explain the plot if you're seeking more than a vague critique.I will say the three leading women were gorgeous, and basically what kept me watching.