The Box

"The Box"
Starring: James Marsden, Cameron Diaz, Frank Langella
Grade: B-

Richard Kelly has had a rocky career thus far. His first film Donnie Darko, was a surprise hit amongst critics, and an even bigger hit amongst fans, the film now ranks as a huge cult classic. His 2nd film, Southland Tales, was a disaster, and ranks as one of the worst films from 2007. Now, Kelly has written and directed The Box. A small scaled Twilight Zone esque thriller which features interesting concepts, and a few good performances.

The film stars James Marsden and Cameron Diaz as Arthur and Norma, a young Virginia couple in the 1970's. They have a son who is old enough to be embarrassed as his mom hugs and kisses him just seconds before the school bus arrives. Norma is a school teacher and Arthur is an up and coming pilot for NASA. One night a package is dropped off on their doorstep. The couple open it and find a wooden box with a red button inside. They don't know what it is, only that a man named Arlington Steward left it for them.

Steward is played by the great Frank Langella, a graceful actor whom appears as a hideous old man in this film. He is dressed in a suit at all times, but bears a hideous burn on his left cheek. The man appears the next day with a proposition, press the button, and the couple will receive $1 million dollars from Steward; the catch, someone, somewhere, will instantly die.

The concept of the box may seem like a cheap plot device stolen from other movies. But, Kelly is too smart and lets the film unfold gradually until the 2nd half where all hell breaks loose in the family's perfect little world. The film carries a bleak and mysterious tone which consistently works throughout. Kelly isn't concerned with building mood, but his score and first half pacing are on point.

The film blends human morality with sci-fi, NASA, bloody noses, prosthetic feet, creepy banquet waiters, Christmas, awful 70's wallpaper, and whatever else Kelly has thrown at the audience. While the film wasn't made for the performances, Marsden contributes a credible role to his filmography, with Langella playing a sinister mystery man. Diaz is serviceable, but feels slightly miscast. The film may stumble at times, exposing the jumbled narrative, but Kelly's vision is held intact until the final minutes. The Box is a mildly entertaining head-scratcher, which stands as the year's biggest guilty pleasure.