Parents' Guide to Browse

In a perfect world, this thriller, with its onslaught of stomach-churning "oh no!" moments, would've had a point, something that connected it all together (or at least a conclusion), but it doesn't. There have been many "paranoid thriller" movies about someone's life going horribly wrong on all fronts, but there's usually either a villain engineering and manipulating the whole thing or some kind of commentary about the nature of society. Browse has neither. There are at least two or three supporting characters who could have been responsible for Richard's downfall, but the movie never reveals which one, or, indeed, if anyone at all was to blame. Moreover, the movie's bizarre ending -- which goes right to the edge but doesn't take the final leap -- will leave you asking, "What was that all about?"

Browse is certainly an intriguing movie, with its fascinating cast of characters, its odd touches (like the plastic-covered furniture), and its dark way of generating dread-filled suspense. Each new bad thing that happens to Richard is like a sickening drop of the other shoe. The otherworldly-looking Haas is perfect for the lead role, shabby and shambling perhaps a half-step behind everyone else. Meanwhile, the supporting cast seems to operate at a slightly escalated speed, knocking things off-kilter. But ultimately all of it simply doesn't add up to anything, and it leaves off as unsatisfying as a stood-up date.