There is so much potential in this Naomi Watts film, but it’s incomprehensible…

There’s a campy attempt to create unnatural sexual frisson. None of the supporting actors, including the normally dependable Oliver Platt (playing a fellow therapist), brings any complexity to their roles.
Watch Shut In at your own peril.

The only success that this film may claim to have is that all ghosts are nothing but the brain playing tricks due to parasomnia.

You walk into this film, hoping to feel claustrophobic but walk out trying to shake off boredom.

Screenplay writer Christina Hodson obviously did not have a clue as to how to connect the big idea with a credible story. So every attempt at generating thrills and scares appears fake. It’s also obvious that the mechanics have been ripped-off from much more assured material . There’s no compelling story here and neither is there any involvement. But for the heightened atmospherics, and the presence of Naomi Watt and Jacob Tremblay, this would have been an imminently forgettable experience.

With moderate production values, the film is technically polished with Paul Denham Austerbeery’s vivid production designs that are realistically captured by Yves Belanger’s efficient cinematography. Nathaniel Mechaly’s score desperately tries to elevate the viewing experience. The edits by Baxter and Maryline Monthieux, flawlessly camouflage the fault lines in the narrative. Overall, Shut In is mediocre fare.