Reviews

The Life before Her Eyes

Exploiting high school shootings

By PETER KEOUGH | April 23, 2008

1.0 Stars

Uma Thurman

That Vadim Perelman’s adaptation of’ Laura Kasischke’s overripe novel rips off (spoiler alert!) Ambrose Bierce’s “Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge” (and Robert Enrico’s splendid 1962 adaptation) doesn’t bug me as much as its exploitation of the Columbine High School and Virginia Tech massacres for its “pro-life” agenda. Bad girl Diana (Evan Rachel Wood) and her BFF, Born Again Maureen (Eva Amurri), are gabbing away in the girls’ room when that weird student pops in with an Uzi. Flash-forward to the 15th anniversary of this tragedy, where Diana has blossomed into Uma Thurman and has the perfect life with her perfect prof hubby and her perfect child. Or does she? Strange things are happening — she sees someone who looks like the biology teacher who got killed that day, and the Zombies’ “She’s Not There” keeps popping up. Maybe Diana shouldn’t have had that abortion just before the confrontation in the lavatory . . . Shame on all involved. 90 minutes | Kendall Square

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