This is another older entry that I’ve seen multiple times. Like
the Assassination of Jesse James, I see another layer each time I watch this
movie, things I’ve missed or see a different way after a year or two. Like
Jesse James, the movie is dreamlike, with a fog of disorientation followed by a
revelation that seems final yet incomplete. It’s unfortunate that this movie
came out at the same time as the Sixth Sense, a far inferior movie in terms of
pacing and emotional impact. Where the Sixth Sense became popular based on low-key
performances from Bruce Willis and Haley Joel Osment and an ending that was as
ridiculous as it was shocking (what a twist!), Stir of Echoes was much more
affecting, positioning regular people trying to find some meaning in their lives.
As a ghost movie, it’s also a pretty haunting one, with a song that reverberates
throughout the final scene, providing a quiet, melancholy twist.
The story centers around Tom Witzky (Kevin Bacon), a blue-collar
father whose begins to have visions after being hypnotized at a party by his
sister-in-law. At the same time, his son, Jake (Zachary David Cope), is
communicating with a ghost in the house, who may or may not be a girl that went
missing months earlier. After briefly encountering the ghost, he become obsessed
with the visions, berating his wife, Maggie (Kathryn Erbe), and Jake as he
tries to parse what they mean and becoming more and more frustrated when he
realizes that he can’t control what he’s seeing or when he sees it. Maggie tries
to figure things out for herself, with the hopes that she can restore her husband’s
sanity and figure out what’s going on with Jake
Stir of Echoes’ plot sounds like something that would be
perfect for Nicholas Cage: guy who sees a ghost and becomes deranged, becoming
abusive to everyone around him until he somehow saves the day. But the movie is
so much subtler than that, with motivations behind each member of the family
that hit close to home. Tom, a little weary of a normal life, wants to do
something important with his life and to find a greater purpose, which
contrasts with Maggie, who loves their down-to-earth routine and doesn’t mind
that their lives are simple and uncomplicated. The thing that holds it all
together is their love for each other and their son, even as Tom desperately
tries to find something meaningful in his and Jake’s visions, and Maggie
becomes frustrated. Because she doesn’t see the visions either, she becomes increasingly
alienated from both of them and sets out on a quest to figure out what’s going
on and why. It’s the bond that she and Tom share that ultimately brings them
together, putting themselves in danger for one another as they finally realize
the horrible truth behind Tom and Jake’s ghost.
The movie represents a realization of what life means for
most of us and the rage against it to find something important to hold on to.
It’s also a genuine, heartfelt ode to family and its importance in helping each
other when things start to go off the rails, no matter how much frustration and
anger spills over. I haven’t watched this movie since I’ve had kids, which is a
total shame, because nothing for a parent is easier to connect with than a
family trying to keep it all together every now and then. One of the scenes that I overlooked initially
but eventually resonated most with was where the sister of the missing girl kidnaps Jake
because he was talking to her ghost. She’s visibly upset and desperately wants
to find out what happened to her sister. But it what it really does is foreshadow
the thing that’s truly important to everyone who lives in their small town: family.
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