DVD Release
Now, I mean absolutely no disrespect when I say this but…I thought Anne Archer was dead. Not that she’s THAT old or she was like born in the mid-twenties or something…I just kind of lost track of her. Perhaps she was buried under the assloads of TV movies and one-time guest appearances in mediocre TV shows, who knows! I must admit though I was kind of shocked to see her in The Iris Effect…sporting such a nice rack!
Before you card carrying whiners start yer blubbering over this film’s similarity with an Ashton Kutcher film we all know and love, pull the panties from your butt, the similarity is in name only. The Iris Effect is an interesting, tense, beautifully lensed thriller set in the city of St. Petersburg (Russia, not Florida you goremongers!) revolving around a Mother’s desperate attempts to locate her long lost son.
Admittedly, this sounds like a Lifetime Channel original film just waiting to happen but there were times when it was far more interesting than that. I suppose the “no nudity or cursing” may have been some slight indication that this film’s original destination may very well have been television but who knows.
Sarah Hathaway (Anne Archer) is a woman desperate to find her son after having a falling out with him 10 years prior. Thomas (Yuri Kolokolnikov), her son, wanted to be an artist but Sarah just couldn’t sit by and idly watch as her son set himself up to be a “starving artist”. Her “wake up call” ends up chasing him from her home and her life.
Now Sarah spends most of her time tracking down possible leads and hoping to one day find her son and make amends for her harsh words. Sarah is running head long into a nervous breakdown though and at the rates she’s going, she’ll also be broke. Her professional life is suffering just as much as her personal life.
One day, the private investigation firm she’s hired to find her son arrive her at home to collect payment, quit and drop off some interesting items they believe may have belonged to her son. It’s artwork…not just any kind of artwork though…these are paintings of irises, Thomas’ favorite flower! These paintings are being sold in a gallery in St. Petersburg, Russia so Sarah quickly books a flight and she’s off.
Upon arriving she scurries off to the gallery where she meets Rebecca (Mia Kirshner), the gallery owner and personal friend of the artist…his name is Paul Bergamo (Kip Pardue) and according to Rebecca his mother died years ago. Could Paul really be Sarah’s son?
Sarah decides to leave after being refused Paul’s information by Rebecca. She’s a determined woman though and she continues searching throughout the city. During her investigations she’s lead her into a dangerous situation and she has an accident that lands her in the hospital…a mental hospital. The attending doctor, Ivan (Gregory Hlady), is sympathetic to Sarah’s plight and offers to help her in any way he can including introducing her to his friend…Paul Bergamo the artist!
That night, Ivan and Sarah attend a gallery party and Paul and his wife Katya (Agnes Bruckner) are introduced to Sarah. Unfortunately, Paul is definitely not Sarah’s son. How can that be? How can this man paint in exactly the same style as Thomas? Why has he chosen to focus on irises, just as Thomas had all those years ago? Does Katya know more than she’s letting on?
Despite this setback, Sarah knows Thomas is in St. Petersburg somewhere and she refuses to leave Russia until she unravels the truth. With the help of a small, raggedy orphan (Devon Alan), Sarah is lead on a wild goose chase through St. Petersburg and right into a dark, dangerous truth. This little boy has seen Thomas, he knows Paul Bergamo, Katya and the gallery owner Rebecca have something to do with him, but what? Could they be hiding a secret? Is Thomas still alive, still living in Russia? Is Paul just a front?
There are forces at work conspiring to withhold the truth from Sarah and soon she’ll trust no one. This quest will be Sarah’s last…her son will be found…but will she receive forgiveness?
Initially I found The Iris Effect to be a bit…well…boring. I just wasn’t focused. After re-watching it though I do believe it was an interesting thriller that generated a fair amount of tension. Fact is it was quite good. The cinematography was breathtaking, the acting was above par and the ending, while not altogether happy, was satisfying in a strange way.
Honestly, I wouldn’t purchase this film for myself but I would watch it again so that’s gotta count for something. I would definitely recommend this to thriller fans, Lifetime movie fans, Anne Archer fans and people that like their supernatural thrillers light on supernatural and heavy on the running and chasing. This isn’t a gore film…there’s no cursing…no nudity and absolutely no ghosts…so to speak. The supernatural overtones are very subtle so don’t expect to be bashed over the head by the conclusion.
If movies were alcohol, The Iris Effect would be boxed wine. Sure, it’s for randy, middle-aged suburban housewives seeking the physical attention of young men but it still knows how to work it. When yer Bass Ale is all gone and there’s nothing left but you and that box…it’s on.
