MovieChat Forums > The Flock (2007) Discussion > Mistakes, plus just a poor film

Mistakes, plus just a poor film

posted 15 years ago by TonyAtRest
7 replies | jump to latest

I saw in the IMDB section dealing with errors they did mention how the radio report about the missing girl said she was 17, while the newspaper article they showed mentioned she was 19, (when in fact she was about 24, according to her DOB on IMDB) but I saw no mention of the other error, which I find hard to believe no one could have noticed. They misspelled Scotland in the blurb above the article in question, spelling it with two "t"s.

Apart from that, I only watched this because Gere and Danes were in it, and they usually play interesting characters. But, as others have stated, Danes was totally miscast, and Gere's character apparently is supposed to be sympathetic, but it is hard to find sympathy for a character who knowingly breaks the law at least ten times in the movie, almost all of them having no effect on actually saving the girl's life.

And are we REALLY supposed to believe that he thought that, after he left his job for the last time, that if he broke into Danes' house and held a gun to her head, that would make her change her mind and continue to help him. Of course, mysteriously, it does, after they use a really cheesy trick to make us think he's killed himself, when he really only (for what reason I can't imagine) shot out his car window. THIS makes her change her mind? What!?

And then, at the end, he is shown celebrating with his former colleagues, whom he hated, and who made fun of him? That would have never happened.

[–] head_banger106 15 years ago

Going to have to disagree with your assessment of the film. Firstly, that little age mistake didn't take anything away from the film. It's a stupid mistake, one that should have been easily caught, but really didn't have any sort of impact over my viewing. Was Clair Danes miscast? Maybe. Though I felt she turned in a good performance, there might have been someone better for the role, but again, it had zero impact over the quality of the film. Personally, I though Gere gave a great performance. I know a lot of people have trouble finding some sympathy for the character, but seriously, wouldn't you be a little hard nosed working around a bunch of people who could *possibly* commit the same horrendous crime they went away for in the first place? Let's not forget that this man was not a cop, therefor it would only be natural that he would make mistakes in his journey to find the girl. As for him breaking into Danes' house, it's not suppossed to give us a reason for her to help him, it's suppossed to show his character slipping deeper and deeper into an unhealthy obsession to find the girl. And because of this obsession, perhaps combined with a sense of pity, Danes' then decides that it would be better to help him than let him slip off the deep end. I actually really liked him celebratting with his former colleagues, it helped bring a somewhat happy end to his career as well as a little retribution. Plus, he never says that he hated them, nor did they hate him. Overall I thought it was pretty good film, maybe a little low on the character development, but other than that it was a good, solid film.

[–] ncmike1 15 years ago

They filmed the entire film in Bernalillo County, NM, yet in the credits they spell it Bernalilloi. Thanks for the respect, guys.

[–] seven071977 15 years ago

Some things I didn't like about the film were that I find it hard to believe that (obv spoilers to follow) this woman worked in a hair salon, and actually had customers. The girl who was kidnapped was 17, and I can't think of a parent who would allow their child to go to a hairdresser who was involved with raping, dismembering and killing women. In the event Harriet chose her own hairdresser and her parents didn't know, would she really pick a person who was accused of such heinous crimes?

Also, this woman was in a book about killers, and I am sure it was publicized in the town they lived in that she had a history (sex offender database, news, papers, etc.). When Harriet goes missing, why didn't anyone immediately suspect the hairdresser since she knew her? If the parents didn't know she was her hairdresser, surely a friend must have? Wouldn't anyone report that they knew each other once she was kidnapped? Would she really go in a car with her?

I also find it hard to believe Claire Danes character, would she literally put her own life in jeopordy and go into that house/trailer? Why not call the police? Did she really feel qualified to go along with Errol, and think she could take on psychotic killers?

I understand and sympathize with the Gere character, but don't relate to Danes at all (although I like her).

[–] slon45 15 years ago

I agree that it's hard to sympathize with Gere's character. He routinely ambushes and brutally beats people who have served their time. He apparently got off on beating them so much, that I half expected him to ride off with Viola when he got into the car with her and laugh about what a great heist they pulled, killing, beating and misleading people along the way. He also tortured one of the "flock" meeting members. The thing is, if the cops knew about it, Gere's character would probably be in more trouble than many of the sex offenders were.

[–] galoipo 15 years ago

I thought it was a pretty good movie.

[–] Miyagis_Sweaty_wifebeater 15 years ago

Check out the original version. I like the way it was structured and some of these flaws are not in it. A lot of the scenes were jumbled around.

[–] refeerf 15 years ago

The foreign version is a mess. The story makes no sense. Scenes don't build, there's a wolf attack that adds up to nothing, there's no dramatic tension at the end. The American version is a gem compared to that version.