#89: The Sixth Sense (1999)

Forget everything you know about M. Night Shyamalan films and the twist endings you’ve come to expect from both his films and those who quickly followed, and I think The Sixth Sense still stands out as one of the best films to come out of the 90’s. As big of an impact that the film had on pop culture, I think that the elements that everybody noticed actually take a back seat to the suspense, storytelling, acting and tone.

Bruce Willis plays Dr. Malcolm Crowe, a noted child psychologist, who tries to solve a case with Cole (Haley Joel Osment) that reminds him of a prior patient that he was unable to “cure.” To say Cole is troubled is an understatement as Dr. Crowe tries to figure out what makes Cole so special and troubled, while trying to fix his own problems at home.

I’ve always admired the horror in this film. I’ve never been scared by the gore and torture porn of today’s current movies, but the psychological strings that Shyamalan pulls are fine-tuned and so calculated that your fear causes you to watch more instead of looking the other way. I love that plot and imagery play tricks on you versus fast cuts and brutal violence. The Sixth Sense preys on your nightmares, not on visuals.

I’ve seen this film several times, and what really struck me this time was the acting. Toni Collette’s performance as Cole’s mom should be studied on how to play a perfect supporting role. Furthermore, without the performance of Osment, this movie would’ve been dead in the water. Try to think of another child actor in his spot and I think the film could’ve come across as laughable. They both highly deserve their Oscar nominations for supporting roles and think that Shyamalan hasn’t found the same acting magic in his other films. The last scene between the two characters may be one of my favorite written scenes in film based on its impact and how it ties everything together.

Yes, watching this film multiple times will cause you to see some things that are spelled out to you a little bit too much (a close up of a prescription pills that have the label “anti-depressant” for Dr. Crowe’s wife), but this film is as close as to Hitchcock’s legacy as one can get. It’s entertaining, thought-provoking, suspenseful and most importantly, original. I envy those who get to experience it for the first time, but I think even more so for those who take it in more than once.

I give The Sixth Sense 5 out of 5 broken thermometers.