A crime reveals the terrible flaws in a "perfect" American family.
That's the idea behind The Clearing, an odd and seemingly unfinished film that's carried by a stellar cast. The crime itself -- a kidnapping -- and the resultant emotional turmoil for the victim's family are the parallel stories being told here, but neither tale ever quite comes to life. Despite a particularly brilliant performance from Helen Mirren and a handful of great scenes, The Clearing is disappointing. It's one of those movies that seems to have started out as one thing and ended up as quite another. Power play in the editing room? We'll never know.
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