Flowers In The Attic Movie Review (2014)
An adaptation of V.C. Andrews’ novel about four siblings hidden away in their grandparents’ attic after their father’s death, Flowers in the Attic rushes through the story’s most important emotional and psychological moments, resulting in a hollow adaptation of a richly layered classic.
There is a joke among Gen Xers that our parents never knew what we were doing as long as we were home when the streetlights came on. They didn’t know what mischief we were getting into, and there were no phones around to capture it. And while it’s not entirely true, there is a good dose of reality that comes from the joke. I read this book repeatedly (and all of the sequels), and my parents never knew what was in it.
Flowers In The Attic is about the Dollanganger family – mother Corrine, father Christopher, teenage son Chris, preteen daughter Cathy, and young twins Carrie and Cory. They are beautiful, blonde, and very happy. When Christopher dies in an accident, Corinne, whose only gift is being pretty and charming people, tells the kids that they are actually part of the rich Foxworth family, and they will be moving back to her parents’ house so that she can enchant her father and be written back into his will. When they arrive at the house, Corrine’s mother, a stern, bible-toting woman, ushers the kids into the attic, where Corrine explains that they have to stay since her father doesn’t know about them. There they live as secrets are revealed, and a darkness hovers over the house.
This is a book that I have a strong connection to, so I knew that a movie could never touch it. Unfortunately, this film misses quite a bit of what makes the story special.
Flowers In The Attic is essentially a coming-of-age story, as it is narrated by Cathy, and taps into all of the feelings that young, growing teens have. She is jealous and feisty, having to play mother to her twin siblings and partner to Chris as they try to survive and thrive in the attic. She learns how to manipulate from her mother, and, as she realizes how beautiful she is, Cathy also learns to use her looks to her advantage. She doesn’t always know what she is doing, but she sees the results of her actions and learns from them.
The movie presents the narrative by jumping from one major event to the next. It lacks the tension of the book, and the darker parts are heavily glossed over and quickly concluded. It is far too tame in its presentation. If you are going to make Flowers In The Attic into a movie, it should be rated R. This film is only PG-13 because it touches on darker subject matter. I’m hesitant to say what the “subject matter” is because I don’t want to ruin it for anyone who doesn’t know, but let’s just say that dark family secrets repeat from generation to generation, and in the midst of all of it, there are four children locked in an attic while their mother and grandmother live freely in the same home.
Additionally, the acting is wooden, and you never emotionally invest in any character or what is happening to them. Which is a shame because there is so much meat in this book. I remember desperately wanting to read the next one because I was so captivated by the children – Cathy in particular. But here, even with actors like Kiernan Shipka, Heather Graham, Ellen Burstyn, and Mason Dye, you feel nothing.
Flowers In The Attic is a flat film that plays like a condensed version of the book. If you’ve never read the book and want an introduction to the world of the Dollangangers, this could be a good way to accomplish that. But if you are a fan of the book or want a richer experience, just pick up the novel instead. You won’t be sorry.
Runtime: 86 minutes
Motion Picture Rating: PG-13
Languages Spoken In The Film: English
Should You Watch It? No
Did I Cry? Nope
My Rating: 2/5 Stars
Available: Free on Tubi and Netflix, to rent on Prime Video, or may be available for free on other streaming platforms
