Ariel Gade Lights Up Dark Water
Film: Dark Water (2005). Young Actress: Ariel Gade, age 7.
It's no surprise that this film is from the same writer as The Ring, since the two movies have some similar plot elements and an almost identical visual style. All the outdoor scenes are overcast and rainy, all the indoor scenes are dimly-lit, and all the colors are dull and muted. Fortunately, the film is also smart and well-executed, and its dark look actually plays to the advantage of little Ariel Gade, whose bright eyes and smile are the only relief from all the gloom.
The film opens as the recently-divorced Dahlia (former young actress Jennifer Connelly) and her daughter Ceci (Ariel) move into a slummy apartment building, only to discover that it's haunted by water. Dahlia and her ex-husband are fighting a nasty battle over Ceci, and the stress mounts, Dahlia questions whether she's making too much of the strange drips, leaks, and floodings, or whether she's going crazy. The ghost story plot is a bit cliched (like most children in horror movies, Ceci makes an imaginary friend) but film makes up for it with a strong atmosphere, realistic characters, solid acting all-around, and a creative use of water. Even the setting - on Roosevelt Island, a narrow strip of land in New York City's East River - hints at Dahlia's feelings of being trapped and isolated. The dim visuals, however, are overdone. Some scenes were so dark that I actually had to strain to see what was happening, which got old fast.
Ceci riding the tramcar to Roosevelt Island.
Ariel's role is mostly limited to being cute, especially in the beginning, but Ceci is written and acted naturally enough that her cuteness never feels forced or manipulative (something that happens all too often with child actresses). Again, the movie is so gloomy to look at that her cuteness is welcome. Towards the end, the role does open up and allow for some real acting, which Ariel handles fine. The film does rely heavily on Jennifer Connelly's lead performance, but she is a strong enough actress to carry it, and on the whole, Dark Water is worth seeing twice.
For screenshots and a second opinion, here's the review from Young Actress Reviews.
It's no surprise that this film is from the same writer as The Ring, since the two movies have some similar plot elements and an almost identical visual style. All the outdoor scenes are overcast and rainy, all the indoor scenes are dimly-lit, and all the colors are dull and muted. Fortunately, the film is also smart and well-executed, and its dark look actually plays to the advantage of little Ariel Gade, whose bright eyes and smile are the only relief from all the gloom.
The film opens as the recently-divorced Dahlia (former young actress Jennifer Connelly) and her daughter Ceci (Ariel) move into a slummy apartment building, only to discover that it's haunted by water. Dahlia and her ex-husband are fighting a nasty battle over Ceci, and the stress mounts, Dahlia questions whether she's making too much of the strange drips, leaks, and floodings, or whether she's going crazy. The ghost story plot is a bit cliched (like most children in horror movies, Ceci makes an imaginary friend) but film makes up for it with a strong atmosphere, realistic characters, solid acting all-around, and a creative use of water. Even the setting - on Roosevelt Island, a narrow strip of land in New York City's East River - hints at Dahlia's feelings of being trapped and isolated. The dim visuals, however, are overdone. Some scenes were so dark that I actually had to strain to see what was happening, which got old fast.
Ceci riding the tramcar to Roosevelt Island.
Ariel's role is mostly limited to being cute, especially in the beginning, but Ceci is written and acted naturally enough that her cuteness never feels forced or manipulative (something that happens all too often with child actresses). Again, the movie is so gloomy to look at that her cuteness is welcome. Towards the end, the role does open up and allow for some real acting, which Ariel handles fine. The film does rely heavily on Jennifer Connelly's lead performance, but she is a strong enough actress to carry it, and on the whole, Dark Water is worth seeing twice.
For screenshots and a second opinion, here's the review from Young Actress Reviews.