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Recently I've had quite an interest in "psychological thriller" movies. One particular film in this genre that I've become obsessed with is an often-overlooked movie by the name of Session 9.
Shot on-location in an actual abandoned mental health facility, and recorded using a high-definition camera, Session 9 goes where your average psychological thriller is too scared to go. Aged and faded pictures line the walls of the patients' long-untouched rooms, and the building's decayed features add to the movie's authenticity. Director Brad Anderson definitely succeeds in setting the atmosphere for this movie.
The movie's cast is nothing to sneeze at either. A couple of key actors have gone on to bigger (and some would say better) things. The first character the viewer is introduced to is Gordon Fleming (Peter Mullan, "Criminal"), a Scottish-born immigrant. He is the owner of HEC, a company specializing in ridding structures of hazardous materials. He and crewman Phil Cronenburg (David Caruso, now of "CSI" fame) are led into Danvers State Mental Hospital, an abandoned asylum with a twisted past. The building has been condemned, and in order for it to be destroyed the asbestos within it has to be eliminated. After being given a tour of the facility and informed that a $10,000 bonus is linked with the job, Gordon estimates that it is a two-week task, much to the chagrin of Phil. As the crew returns to the truck, Gordon changes his mind, declaring that HEC will have the building clear in one week by hiring extra crew members.
Soon the viewer is introduced to these new recruits: Hank Romero (Josh Lucas, star of the upcoming film "Stealth"), for whom Phil's wife left him; Mike King (Stephen Gevedon, TV's "Oz"), a law-school dropout; and Jeff Fleming (Brendan Sexton III, "Black Hawk Down"), Gordon's nephew. As the movie wears on, the viewer is taken deeper into the crewmembers' minds to learn their darkest secrets and deepest fears. In a brief scene, Hank and Jeff take a break. Hank reveals to Jeff that he should have an "exit plan" in life. Mike, meanwhile, stumbles across audio reels of a patient by the name of Mary Hobbes. He listens to these recordings and becomes obsessed with them.
Slowly, be it due to mental fatigue from the job or sinister forces lingering in the facility as a reminder of its twisted history, the crew begins to break down. From here the focus of the movie shifts completely, as the asbestos removal takes a backseat to the crew's struggles with their own fears. I cannot stress how important the setting is at this point in the movie. An artificial facility would have killed this movie from the beginning. This, combined with the seemingly endless plot twists, was a pure stroke of genius by Anderson.
Session 9 is relatively unknown due to the lack of press it received when it was released in 2001, but I strongly urge any fan of psych thrillers to check it out. Feel free to hit me up with any similar films, too.
Shot on-location in an actual abandoned mental health facility, and recorded using a high-definition camera, Session 9 goes where your average psychological thriller is too scared to go. Aged and faded pictures line the walls of the patients' long-untouched rooms, and the building's decayed features add to the movie's authenticity. Director Brad Anderson definitely succeeds in setting the atmosphere for this movie.
The movie's cast is nothing to sneeze at either. A couple of key actors have gone on to bigger (and some would say better) things. The first character the viewer is introduced to is Gordon Fleming (Peter Mullan, "Criminal"), a Scottish-born immigrant. He is the owner of HEC, a company specializing in ridding structures of hazardous materials. He and crewman Phil Cronenburg (David Caruso, now of "CSI" fame) are led into Danvers State Mental Hospital, an abandoned asylum with a twisted past. The building has been condemned, and in order for it to be destroyed the asbestos within it has to be eliminated. After being given a tour of the facility and informed that a $10,000 bonus is linked with the job, Gordon estimates that it is a two-week task, much to the chagrin of Phil. As the crew returns to the truck, Gordon changes his mind, declaring that HEC will have the building clear in one week by hiring extra crew members.
Soon the viewer is introduced to these new recruits: Hank Romero (Josh Lucas, star of the upcoming film "Stealth"), for whom Phil's wife left him; Mike King (Stephen Gevedon, TV's "Oz"), a law-school dropout; and Jeff Fleming (Brendan Sexton III, "Black Hawk Down"), Gordon's nephew. As the movie wears on, the viewer is taken deeper into the crewmembers' minds to learn their darkest secrets and deepest fears. In a brief scene, Hank and Jeff take a break. Hank reveals to Jeff that he should have an "exit plan" in life. Mike, meanwhile, stumbles across audio reels of a patient by the name of Mary Hobbes. He listens to these recordings and becomes obsessed with them.
Slowly, be it due to mental fatigue from the job or sinister forces lingering in the facility as a reminder of its twisted history, the crew begins to break down. From here the focus of the movie shifts completely, as the asbestos removal takes a backseat to the crew's struggles with their own fears. I cannot stress how important the setting is at this point in the movie. An artificial facility would have killed this movie from the beginning. This, combined with the seemingly endless plot twists, was a pure stroke of genius by Anderson.
Session 9 is relatively unknown due to the lack of press it received when it was released in 2001, but I strongly urge any fan of psych thrillers to check it out. Feel free to hit me up with any similar films, too.
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