Olivier, Olivier

This intriguing French thriller investigates the disappearance of a young boy and his sudden reappearance six years later and how it affects his already nerve ridden family.

The film revolves around the emotional breakdown of the family when six-year-old Olivier vanishes on the way to visit his sick grandmother. His older sister begins to burn herself with cigarettes. His father takes a job in Africa and his mother has a very severe depression.

The family’s reaction to Olivier's sudden return is also examined, most specifically through his sister's strange psychic skills.

Co-writer/director Agnieszka Holland has crafted a disturbing Hitchcockian mystery, which features good performances from the cast. However, the film loses a mark for its poor ending, which seems deliberately to alienate the viewer.