THE LEGEND OF LUCY KEYES (2006)

Directed by John Stimpson. Starring: Julia Delpy, Justin Theroux, Brooke Adams, Cassidy Hinkle, Kathleen Regan, Anna Friedman, Michele Green. Horror/Drama.  Synopsis: A couple, and their two young daughters, still reeling from the accidental death of another child, use a business opportunity to move to a rural location where the locals say the legend of a lost child from the 18th century still haunts the woods adjacent to their new home.

The Legend of Lucy Keyes is based on an actual event: the disappearance of a young child in western Massachusetts in the 1700s. Even as a former resident of Massachusetts, I had not heard of this story.

The legend is that the child-Lucy Keyes of course-went out one day to pick berries or something and never came back. No trace of her was ever found. The legend comes in that her mother wandered the neighboring woods for the rest of her life looking for her daughter and, even after death, she can be heard and/or seen searching through the woods looking for Lucy until the present day.

The movie tells the story through the eyes of a young couple (Delp and Theroux) who take an opportunity to move to the wilderness-so to speak- to take advantage of a business venture and also to have a fresh beginning after the loss of a young child to SIDS.  In their new home, they realize that they have an eccentric neighbor and a fast talking business associate (Brooke Adams). In addition, they learn of the legend of Lucy Keyes, which is particularly interesting as their young daughter is starting to have some strange experiences.

Is the ghost of the child real or is there a reasonable explanation for the noises and strange things happening in the nearby woods? And, if so, is there an ulterior motive to harrass this family, something that has nothing to do with the ghosts of an 18th century lost child and her mother haunting woods into the present?

Well, of course, I know the answer that the film provides but I'm not telling. My job is to tell you what I thought and, by extension, what I think you might think if you give this one a go. Well, it was a nice little flick, particularly considering it was shot on a shoestring budget. I can't say much more than that. The story is nice, nothing special, though I will say I thought the director did a great job with the flashback scenes to help us unravel the legend both in the past and the present. There was just nothing special about this film, which does not make it bad or anything. To me, the chance to see some good actors who are not as active as I'd like them to be is the best part of this fil.

Particularly Brooke Adams (The Dead Zone), who is really good and a little sinsiter her. Also, TV fans from the '80's will recognize Michele Green (L.A. Law) in a fairly small role. 

So I wouldn't recommend or not recommend The Legend of Lucy Keyes. If real life ghost stories are your thing, give it a chance. I think you can do better, but you can do worse, too.