Film Review – The Girl in the River

“The Girl in the River” often plays like a pilot episode of a television series focused on the weekly investigative achievements of Amelia Pembrock, a forensic psychology expert beginning her career in the field. The picture opens and closes in such a manner suggesting this endeavor is merely a chapter in the character’s development, launching her future as a detective on the hunt for criminals using her intelligence and training. However, the offering isn’t anything more than a crime story from writer/director Brando Benetton, who makes his feature-length helming debut with the effort. He has a crime and a collection of professionals out to crack the case, but suspense is largely missing from the movie. “The Girl in the River” doesn’t have surprises and is oddly restrained when it comes to physical encounters, but for those who love TV procedurals, there’s probably something here to embrace as Benetton goes slow and subdued with the film. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com