Written by Kevin Scott More Horror.com
I try to be unbiased, and for the most part, I’m pretty successful. I’m only human though, and occasionally I’m swayed by who might be in the film. Some actors bring a disdain with them that the only hope of me getting past my biases is an undeniably good film. At the opposite end of the spectrum, I can give a pass to a pretty mediocre film if it features someone I like. This one has my kryptonite for being objective, Ms. Rose McGowan. I’ve always dug her in just about anything she’s done. Even films that were not so great for the above stated reasons. She definitely has a presence. I’ve seen her evolve from an evil ingenue in “Jawbreaker”, to being a part of the mainstream lexicon in “Charmed”, and now transitioning from younger to the slightly more mature woman roles. She’s still beautiful and has just as much of the uniqueness that made her unforgettable in the first place.
Here’s where I shall try overcome my shortcomings, and break through my Rose McGowan induced haze. Bear with me. “Rosewood Lane” tells the story of Sonny Blake (McGowan) a therapist with an esteemed career that has a high profile gig in the city as a radio host. She’s from the small town of Stillwater that’s just across the bridge. She’s done pretty well considering her father was a raging alcoholic when she was growing up. When her father is found dead at the bottom of the cellar steps in the house where she grew up in, she has to go back. Flash forward a year later,and she decides to move back to the same house for some closure. She is greeted by the genteel neighbor Fred Crumb (Ron and Clint Howard’s dad Rance Howard) who cryptically warns her that the paperboy (Daniel Ross Owens) is bad news (pun intended), and to stay away from him. That option quickly disappears when he comes to her door and offers her a newspaper subscription in the most psychotic way possible.
She’s a tough and resilient chick, and she can roll with the punches. One weirdo in the neighbor hood is better than average, and things could be worse. The situation takes a more serious and darker turn when she suspects that he has broken into her house, and he calls into her radio show. She contacts the local police, one of which is played by one of my favorite character actors Ray Wise, but receives little help and has the believability of her story questioned over and over again. She then gets some exposition from old Mr. Crumb that he’s seen the paperboy do things that aren’t humanly possible. This is where the supernatural gauntlet gets thrown down, but unfortunately never gets picked up.
This is not a bad film, but I’m blow away at the angles that seem to be so intelligently layed out, but never really go anywhere. Out of frustration from lack of help from the police, she goes to visit the paperboy’s parents, and finds a completely different kid.
This should’ve been way creepier than what it was. There is also very little special effects or any kind of imagery that backs up that this kid is no kid at all. Since this is from the makers of “Jeepers Creepers”, I might have felt like I needed some mythology or exposition that maybe he only gets to deliver papers and hellish intimidation for a few months out of the year. He’s disposed of with little fanfare as well, and the final scene leaves yet another burning question. Yeah, yeah I know that what you imagine is way scarier than what the filmmaker can come up with. I agree with that in some cases, but it also gets overused to rationalize away some plot holes that should have been filled. This film also boasts a pretty impressive supporting cast with Bill Fagerbakke, Lin Shaye, and Lesley-Anne Down, and what is put to film is done very well. Maybe it’s the Rose McGowan thing, but it’s not terrible. Rosewood Lane’s biggest fault is not being as great as it could have been.