Valerie’s Movie Review: “Innocence”

Although I mainly watch romantic comedies, sometimes they simply can’t satisfy one’s movie addiction. In those cases, it’s best to turn to movies like Innocence. After all, Innocence seems to have it all: romance, surfing, skateboarding, cool dresses, and vampire-like women who drink the blood of virgins. Although Innocence failed to live up to my expectations, it’s still an interesting film that’s great for the weekend at two in the morning.

Sometimes starting over doesn’t work. After the death of her mother in a surfing accident, Beckett and her father, author Miles Warner, move to attempt to begin again. Beckett’s new school, the uppity Hamilton preparatory school, is far from one’s average prep school. Not only are there uniforms and snobby girls, but the school also happens to be run by women who drink the blood of virgins. Oops, I just gave away the entire plot, but every other synopsis does that as well.

If you wish to watch a movie with characters that make you think, don’t watch Innocence. Other than Beckett, the other characters seem to come and go. Even important characters, such as Tobey and Pamela, seem to be in the film only to provide plot twists. Pamela, one of the aforementioned creepy women, is perhaps the most notable of the blood drinkers. In addition to being the school nurse, she also manages to wrangle her way into Beckett’s personal life by seducing Beckett’s dad. Too close for comfort, I know. However, even though she seems to have such a significant role in the film, Innocence reduces her role to “that person who hangs around Beckett.” As for Tobey, he’s only the guy who happens to be Beckett’s love interest, not the character who plays a huge role, especially towards the end of the movie. Simply put, the characters of Innocence don’t have a lasting impact on the viewer.

I initially hated Beckett. I thought she was boring, whiny, and cowardly. However, by the middle of the movie, she developed into a stronger and bolder heroine. If you plan on watching Innocence, just know that the quality of the movie is directly proportional to Beckett’s character at the moment. In other words, don’t give up on Innocence thirty minutes in. This being said, though, I was pretty irked with Beckett’s lack of a response when it came to Pamela. If your school nurse goes to your house two days in a row, chances are she’s trouble. Beckett didn’t make that connection.

As for the acting, I thought Sophie Curtis did a fine job playing Beckett. Although I didn’t exactly appreciate Beckett as a character, my dislike had nothing to do with Sophie Curtis’ acting. Then again, I’m not the best judge when it comes to acting, but here goes nothing. I thought Kelly Reilly also did a phenomenal job, but what else could I have expected from Kelly Reilly? The other characters were portrayed pretty well, but there was nothing that blew my mind.

While Innocence is far from my favorite movie, I do believe that it’s worth watching. The few scenes that are well done truly do make up for the issues one might have with the movie. The ending is a perfect example of such a scene. Honestly, the ending is pure gold, and it’s definitely worth waiting over ninety minutes for.

5/10