Maternal Instinct

A policewoman takes in a teenage witness and bonds with her during the investigation.

Being a fan of relationships like this, I was pretty excited for the film, but I couldn't enjoy it as much as I wanted to. The problem is that, for the most part, the kid lacks likable qualities and the relationship feels rushed, as the girl is an extreme crybaby who clings to the heroine from the very start. Perhaps this can be called realistic, but the creators forget to make it engaging. In other words, I need more reason to sympathize with a character than the mere fact that they've endured trauma, and I usually prefer to see a relationship develop in phases. A good example of what I'm describing can be found in the film adaptation of Iris Johansen's 'The Killing Game,' a somewhat similar tale which handled its characters and their bond in much better fashion.

The action and the conflict driving it are decent. High points include nice performances by Laura Mennell as the dedicated detective and Marcus Rosner as her teammate.