Angela (Gina Gershon) and Brian (Nicholas Cage) are a couple who seem to have it all. A big house, a beautiful daughter and a loving relationship. However when a mysterious woman (Nicky Whelan) moves into town with her young daughter, things start to take an unexpected turn. After offering her a place to stay, what starts as a blossoming friendship soon turns into a web of lies, deceit and manipulation.
Directed by Jonathan Baker in his first feature film, Inconceivable is a predictably dull affair with nothing new to offer. Containing weak performances by Gina Gershon, who tries to unsuccessfully pout her way through the 106 minute running time and Faye Dunaway, who is given some of the most cringe inducing pieces of dialogue imaginable. There’s not a whole lot to keep viewers entertained in this subpar thriller, with characters who are about as flimsy as the paper they’re printed on, Inconceivable fails at the basic task of making us care about the events that are unfolding on screen..
Nicky Whelan however is able to make the most of a bad script, portraying the mysterious Katie with devilish delight. With murder and mischief going hand in hand, she looks to be enjoying herself in the stereotypically silly, femme fatale role. Nicholas Cage is also solid in what is surprisingly an understated performance. Popping in and out whilst occasionally spouting lines of dialogue, it’s strange to see Cage portray a character that would usually be reserved for an ageing actress. Admittedly one does have to applaud Inconceivable for its female driven cast, however it’s a shame that they’re let down on almost every level.
With a weak script by Chloe King, Inconceivable ends up being an inferior version of other movies from the past, with Single White Female and The Hand That Rocks the Cradle being two prime examples from within the genre. Jonathan Baker’s directing also leaves a lot to be desired with the majority of interactions between the cast looking painfully stilted and contrived.
Overall, Inconceivable is a mundane, televisual-looking, failure. Boasting two Academy Award winners, it’s sad to see them both in a film which is devoid of both competence and creativity. Although it’s promising to see a female driven cast, they’re severely let down by a generic script and poor direction. With twist and turns you’ll be able to see coming from a mile off, Inconceivable is nowhere near as clever as it believes itself to be. So do yourself a favour and avoid this at all costs.
INCONCEIVABLE / CERT: 15 / DIRECTOR: JONATHAN BAKER / SCREENPLAY: CHLOE KING / STARRING: GINA GERSHON, NICHOLAS CAGE, NICKY WHELAN, FAYE DUNAWAY / RELEASE DATE: 28TH AUGUST
