I’m a big fan of Robert De Niro, and I think it all started because of the movie MIDNIGHT RUN (1988). I was only 14 years old when it came out, but it was everything I wanted in a movie, which was primarily great action, with a dash of fun comedy. I was soon seeking out all of his great work, whether it be with Coppola, Scorsese, De Palma, or even Roger Corman.  Well, just this evening, as I was browsing through Amazon Prime’s selection of horror films, I came across HIDE AND SEEK. Since I’d never seen it before, and it looked kind of creepy, I thought I’d give it a chance.

De Niro plays David Callaway, a psychologist who is struggling to cope with the death of his wife. He moves with his young daughter, Emily (Dakota Fanning), to a house out in the country in upstate New York, hoping that a change of scenery will help them both recover from their loss. Unfortunately, Emily begins acting strangely, talking about an imaginary friend named Charlie. Before long, David finds himself dealing with a series of increasingly disturbing events that seem to have something to do with this mysterious friend.

I’ve always enjoyed a good psychological thriller, especially one that keeps you guessing about what’s going on. HIDE AND SEEK is one of those movies that wants to freak you out and make you question whether or not you can trust what you’re seeing, or any of the people involved. Of course this being a psychological thriller, you can’t really trust anyone, especially the people who pretend to care the most.

Dakota Fanning is excellent as Emily. I’ve always held her performance in the great Denzel Washington film, MAN ON FIRE (2004), in high regard as an example of how great a child actress can be. Here, I think she does a good job of making Emily seem both vulnerable and a little scary at times. De Niro is also effective, particularly as the story gradually reveals more about the relationship between him and his daughter. The supporting cast, which includes Famke Janssen, Amy Irving, and especially Elisabeth Shue, adds to the mystery surrounding the film. I just like seeing Elisabeth Shue in any film, because I’ve had a crush on her since the fifth grade.

HIDE AND SEEK is the kind of thriller that depends on its twists and turns, and whether or not we’re willing to go along. I will say that I enjoyed the watching the story unfold, even when the ending doesn’t come off quite as clever as the filmmakers had hoped. My final verdict is that it’s an entertaining film with strong central performances from De Niro and Fanning. I enjoy movies that give me something to think about while I’m watching them, and this one kept me interested in finding out what was really going on. It was a fun watch on dark night in October.