Movie Tip #44 - Shutter Island

Director: Martin Scorsese

Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark Ruffalo, Ben Kingsley, Michelle Williams, Patricia Clarkson, Emily Mortimer, Max von Sydow, Jackie Earle Haley

Description: 1954. U.S. Marshal Teddy Daniels (Leonardo DiCaprio) is investigating the disappearance of a murderess who escaped from a hospital for the criminally insane and is presumed to be hiding on the remote Shutter Island.

Review: We all know that all the films Scorcese made with DiCaprio kinda turn into gold. So does this one. "Shutter Island" is one of those thrillers that literally messes with your head. It seems like a standard story, a crazy escapee that they have to track down. But nothing is as it seems. You don't know who to trust and what actually is going on on that creepy island. DiCaprio delivers a nice, strong performance and so does Ben Kingsley. His character surprised me the most, because he turned out to be someone completely different than I thought he would be. Emily Mortimer, Michelle Williams and Mark Ruffalo also know how to draw the attention of the audience. I think this is one of the best ensemble casts of the year. All in all this is a very intriguing psychological thriller, that actually gets you to think and I realize that there aren't a lot of movies like this anymore. A truly unique and well written story (a novel by Dennis Lehane) directed by a true genius and performed by a strong cast. Two thumbs up!