The Box

A mysterious box shows up on the doorstep of a 1970s couple (Cameron Diaz and James Marsden), followed by the appearance of a strange man (Frank Langella) who gives them an interesting proposition. If they press the button, somebody in the world will die, and they’ll get a million dollars. This near-miss from director Richard Kelly has a decent amount of suspense, but it comes apart in the end, leaving too many questions unanswered. It doesn’t help that Diaz’s performance is a little on the somber side, and she and Marsden fail to engage as a couple. Langella is creepy as the mystery man, aided by some interesting CGI that puts a significant hole in his face. Kelly still hasn’t managed a decent follow up to his brilliant Donnie Darko, but this film isn’t a total loss, and I still think Kelly has some good films in him.