A mysterious box shows up on the doorstep of a 1970s couple (Cameron
Diaz and James Marsden), followed by the appearance of a strange man
(Frank Langella) who gives them an interesting proposition. If they
press the button, somebody in the world will die, and they’ll get
a million dollars. This near-miss from director Richard Kelly has a
decent amount of suspense, but it comes apart in the end, leaving too
many questions unanswered. It doesn’t help that Diaz’s
performance is a little on the somber side, and she and Marsden fail to
engage as a couple. Langella is creepy as the mystery man, aided by
some interesting CGI that puts a significant hole in his face. Kelly
still hasn’t managed a decent follow up to his brilliant
Donnie Darko, but this film isn’t a total loss, and I
still think Kelly has some good films in him.
The Box
