Review - Raising Cain

Raising Cain presented an interesting take on the whole split personality phenomenon . . .

. . .interesting though not really all that plausible.

There were a lot of plot problems in this one for me. Even if you can suspend your disbelief for some of them, there are times in the film where I was just left going, huh? And just some really convenient coincidences too. But all that aside, the film really wasn’t half bad.

For one thing, you had John Lithgow who gave a sincere though sometime over the top performance of a man, Doctor Carter Nix who was seriously messed with as a child. So much so, that multiple personalities formed. The kicker is that Daddy dearest was the one who caused the traumas to split his very own son into God only knows how many separate personas.

Even with giving all that away, I didn’t really give up the “twist de resistance” of this De Palma film.

The story goes that Jenny Nix (Lolita Davidovich) has supposedly met the most perfect of men in Carter Nix. They have a beautiful daughter, Amy (Amanda Pombo) whom Carter is absolutely obsessed with - which should have been clue number one that something wasn’t right in Clarksville.

Right from the beginning alternate ego, Cain, shows himself to clean up the messes that Carter leaves when trying to gather up children for a supposed study conducted by his father in Oslo. Carter becomes more and more unwound when he finds his wife having an affair with a very hot, ex-boyfriend Jack Dante (Steven Bauer). The affair to me seemed to come somewhere out of left field, but who am I to complain about seeing Steven Bauer with his shirt off?

Enter stage right , Dr. Lynn Waldheim (Frances Sternhagen), who (also convenient to the plot) used to work with the elder Dr. Nix on his theories of split personality formation in children. That was until she realized that the “Cain” that Nix wrote about in their book was a real live child. So when all goes south for Carter, Waldheim tries to help find the babies that he has kidnaped by putting him under hypnosis. Unfortunately for her she is allowed to do this in a much too secluded setting being watched by a seemingly narcoleptic cop.

And we can’t forget that famous De Palma twist. That’s in there too. But I will stop now before I give too much away .

A definite recommend for anyone who is fond of De Palma films, multiple personalities or Steven Bauer without his shirt on - or with it on, he looks pretty good in this film either way.

Directed by
Brian De Palma

Writing credits
(WGA)
Brian De Palma (written by)


Cast (in credits order) verified as complete
John Lithgow ... Carter/Cain/Dr. Nix/Josh/Margo
Lolita Davidovich ... Jenny
Steven Bauer ... Jack Dante
Frances Sternhagen ... Dr. Lynn Waldheim
Gregg Henry ... Lt. Terri
Tom Bower ... Sgt. Cully
Mel Harris ... Sarah
Teri Austin ... Karen
Gabrielle Carteris ... Nan
Barton Heyman ... Mack
Amanda Pombo ... Amy
Kathleen Callan ... Emma
Ed Hooks ... Coroner
Jim Johnson ... Night clerk
Karen Kahn ... Saleslady
Noe Montoya ... Gardener
Riq Boogie Espinoza ... Gardener
Carolyn Morrell ... Newscaster
W. Allen Taylor ... Peters
Scott Townley ... Josh (little boy)
Mary Uhland ... Receptionist
Steve Schill ... Weatherman
James Van Harper ... Young detective

rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Geoff Callan ... Young lover (uncredited)
John McGowan ... Sam, Karen's son (uncredited)