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Case 39
Case 39
Case 39
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Case 39
Theatrical film poster
Directed byChristian Alvart
Written byRay Wright
Produced byLisa Bruce
Steve Golin
Alix Madigan
Kevin Misher
Starring
CinematographyHagen Bogdanski
Edited byMark Goldblatt
Music byMichl Britsch
Production
companies
Distributed byParamount Pictures
Release dates
  • August 13, 2009 (2009-08-13) (New Zealand)
  • November 5, 2009 (2009-11-05) (Australia)
  • October 1, 2010 (2010-10-01) (United States)
Running time
109 minutes
Countries
  • United States
  • Canada
LanguageEnglish
Budget$26 million
Box office$28.2 million

Case 39 is a 2009 supernatural horror film directed by Christian Alvart and written by Ray Wright. It stars Renée Zellweger, Jodelle Ferland, Bradley Cooper, and Ian McShane. The film revolves around a social worker who attempts to protect a little girl from her violent parents but finds that things are more dangerous than she had expected.

Case 39 was theatrically released in the United States on October 1, 2010, by Paramount Pictures; it was previously released in New Zealand on August 13, 2009, and in Australia on November 5, 2009. It received mostly negative reviews from critics and was a box-office failure, grossing $28.2 million against its budget of $26 million.

Plot

[edit]

Emily is a social worker assigned to investigate the family of 10-year-old Lillith Sullivan, as her grades have declined and an emotional rift with her parents has emerged. Emily suspects that the parents have been abusing and overprotecting Lillith since the day she was born and proposes to her department to take the child away from her parents' custody. Eventually, Emily's suspicions are confirmed when Lillith's parents try to kill her by roasting her alive in their oven. Emily saves Lillith with the help of Detective Mike Barron.

Lillith is to be sent to a children's home, but she begs Emily to look after her instead. With the agreement of the board, Emily is assigned to take care of Lillith until a suitable foster family comes along. In the meantime, Lillith's parents are placed in a mental institution since they are no longer fit for their parental responsibility for the girl according to court.

After Lillith moves in, strange things begin to happen around Emily. Two weeks later another of Emily's cases, a boy named Diego, murders his parents, and Barron informs Emily that somebody phoned Diego from her house the night before the crime. As she is suspected of involvement in the incident, Lillith undergoes a psychiatric evaluation by Emily's best friend, Dr. Douglas J. Ames. During the session, Lillith turns the evaluation around, asking Douglas what his fears are and subtly threatening him. That night, after receiving a "strange phone call" at his apartment, Douglas is panicked by the sight of a mass of hornets coming out of his body. His panic causes him to fall and break his neck on the toilet, killing him instantly.

Emily becomes suspicious of having Lillith in her home, so she heads to the mental asylum for answers from Lillith's parents. They tell her that Lillith is a demon who feeds on feelings, and that they tried to kill her in an attempt to save themselves and others. Lillith's father tells Emily that the only way to kill Lillith is to get her to sleep. Shortly after Emily leaves the asylum, both parents die; her mother is fatally burnt, and her father is stabbed in the eye with a fork.

Barron thinks Emily should seek psychiatric help but is later convinced when he receives a similar strange phone call in his home from Emily's cellphone, which is being used by Lillith. He arms himself at the police precinct to aid Emily in handling Lillith, however, he inadvertently and fatally shoots himself in the head with a shotgun when Lillith makes him imagine he is being attacked by permanently ferocious dogs.

After realizing that her closest colleagues have been eliminated, and that the rest of her cases will be next, that night, Emily has Lillith drink tea spiked with sedative, and while Lillith is asleep, Emily sets fire to her house, hoping and attempting to get rid of her, however, the girl escapes unharmed.

The police offer to escort Emily and Lillith to a temporary place to stay. As Emily is following the police cars, she suddenly takes a different route and drives her car at a high speed, hoping to bring fear to Lillith. She then drives the car off a pier.

As the car sinks, Emily struggles to lock Lillith (now in her true demon form) in the trunk. Emily then exits the car, but as she swims away, the surviving Lillith grabs her leg after punching a hole through the car's taillight, in an attempt to prevent her escape. Emily struggles to break free until Lillith overcomes her strengths and fears, which causes Lilith to finally let go of Emily as the car continues to sink, finally defeating Lillith from the inside. As Emily climbs back ashore, she is relieved to be rid of Lillith, hence bringing the case itself to a close.

Alternate ending

[edit]

On the DVD as a deleted scene in the Special Features section, when the car sinks to the bottom, a man swims down to the car and rescues both Lillith and Emily. Emily is later seen in handcuffs, frantically pleading with her lawyer to tell her where Lillith is. Her lawyer orders for Emily to be shipped off to the asylum for schizophrenia, unfazed by her innocence.

Meanwhile, Lillith arrives at the home of her new foster family (as mentioned earlier in the film) and turns to wink at the camera.

Cast

[edit]

Production

[edit]

The film was shot in Vancouver in late 2006. On October 31, 2006, a fire started on the film's set in Vancouver. None of the cast were on the set at the time and nobody was seriously injured, though the set and studio were destroyed.[1] The film was released theatrically in the UK, other European countries, and Latin America on August 13, 2009. The film was initially scheduled for American release in August 2008, but was delayed twice in U.S. before its final release date in the United States on October 1, 2010.

Reception

[edit]

Critical response

[edit]

Case 39 was panned by critics. On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 22% of 74 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 4.0/10. The website's consensus reads: "Director Christian Alvert has a certain stylish flair, but it's wasted on Case 39's frightless, unoriginal plot."[2] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 25 out of 100, based on 15 critics, indicating "generally unfavorable" reviews.[3]

Gareth Jones of Dread Central gave the film 2 out of 5 "knives", considering it a good thing that it was not released in the domestic market for over two years, saying: "I'm sure it will do decent business among the undemanding weekend-horror crowd and Zellweger fans when it eventually sees the light of day. Nobody else need apply."[4] Margaret Pomeranz of At the Movies Australia gave the film one out of 5 stars, calling it "one of the least scary, dumbest movies I've seen in a long time", while co-host David Stratton gave it 1½ out of 5, commenting that "once it sort of kicks into the plot – once it really gets down to the nitty gritty, like so many horror films it just becomes really ridiculous and silly."[5]

Box office

[edit]

Case 39 grossed $13.3 million in the United States and Canada, and $14.9 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $28.2 million, against a budget of $26 million.[6]

References

[edit]
[edit]
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Case 39

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
Case 39 is a horror directed by Christian Alvart and released in , centering on a social worker who intervenes to save a 10-year-old girl from her allegedly abusive parents, only to uncover a far more sinister danger. The story follows (), a dedicated worker in , who becomes entangled in the eerie case of young Lilith Sullivan () after witnessing signs of severe mistreatment by her parents. Supporting roles include as Emily's colleague Doug Ames and as Detective Mike Norris, both of whom aid in unraveling the mystery. Production on Case 39 began in late 2006 in , , with wrapping in early 2007 under Paramount Vantage, Misher Films, and . Written by Ray Wright, the screenplay drew from real-world inspirations of child welfare cases but evolved into a tale of demonic possession. The film faced significant delays post-completion, originally slated for a U.S. release in August 2008 before being postponed multiple times due to studio decisions and market saturation of similar horror films, ultimately premiering internationally in August 2009 and in the United States on October 1, 2010. With a runtime of 109 minutes, it was rated R for disturbing violent content and terror. Critically, Case 39 received mixed reviews, praised for Zellweger's performance and atmospheric tension but criticized for predictable plotting and reliance on genre tropes, earning a 22% approval rating on based on 74 reviews. Commercially, it grossed $13.2 million at the U.S. box office against a $26 million budget, performing modestly and finding a larger through and streaming.

Plot

Main storyline

Emily Jenkins, a dedicated social worker in , is assigned to investigate Case 39, involving the Sullivan family and their 10-year-old daughter, Lillith "Lily" , after reports of potential surface due to her declining school performance and withdrawn behavior. During a tense home visit, Emily witnesses Lillith's parents attempting to their daughter by sealing her inside a preheated and turning on the gas, prompting Emily to call in Detective Mike Barron for immediate intervention; rescue Lillith just in time, leading to the parents' arrest for attempted . Desperate to avoid placement in a , Lillith begs Emily to take her in temporarily, and Emily, moved by the girl's plight, agrees to foster her while permanent arrangements are made; soon after, die in their jail cells from hallucinations induced by Lillith—the mother is fatally burnt, and the father is stabbed in the eye with a —an event that baffles investigators. As Lillith settles into Emily's home, supernatural horrors escalate: a young boy named , another of Emily's cases, receives a mysterious phone call from Lillith's vicinity and brutally murders his parents with a ; Emily's colleague and friend, Douglas Ames, hallucinates a swarm of hornets—his deepest —emerging from his body, panics, and dies by breaking his neck. Detective Barron, assisting Emily in probing these deaths, also falls victim after receiving a similar call, hallucinating ferocious dogs attacking him and accidentally shooting himself in the head with a . In a chilling confrontation, the late Sullivans' warnings echo through recovered messages revealing Lillith's true nature as a demonic entity born without a , who feeds on human by manipulating victims' phobias to drive them to self-destruction or violence, having orchestrated her parents' failed attempt to kill her and now targeting Emily's . Realizing the full extent of the danger, sedates Lillith with spiked tea and attempts to burn her alive in the family home, but the girl survives unscathed in her monstrous form. In the , lures Lillith into the trunk of her car and drives it off a into icy waters, escaping through the as the vehicle submerges, trapping and drowning the . emerges alive from the ordeal, forever changed by the experience, vowing to continue her work with a hardened resolve.

Alternate ending

In the alternate ending, which diverges from the theatrical release following the scene where Emily drives the car into the lake with Lillith inside, a diver rescues both characters from the submerged . Emily is subsequently committed to a and diagnosed with by her lawyer, who dismisses her claims of Lillith's demonic nature as delusions. Meanwhile, Lillith survives unscathed and is placed with a new adoptive family, departing with them in a seemingly normal fashion. As the car pulls away, however, Lillith turns to the camera and delivers a knowing , underscoring her enduring malevolence and suggesting the cycle of terror will continue. This version appears exclusively as a in the special features section of the film's DVD and Blu-ray home media releases, providing a darker, more ambiguous resolution that heightens the horror by implying Lillith's threat remains unresolved rather than definitively ended. The inclusion aims to offer viewers an alternative tone, emphasizing psychological unease and the inescapability of over triumphant closure.

Cast and characters

Principal cast

stars as Emily Jenkins, a dedicated social worker who takes a central role in investigating a troubling child welfare case. plays Lilith "Lily" Sullivan, the mysterious 10-year-old girl at the heart of the story. portrays Douglas J. Ames, Emily's close friend and a who provides expert insight into the unfolding events. Ian McShane appears as Detective Mike Barron, a seasoned involved in the investigation.

Supporting roles

Kerry O'Malley appears as Margaret Sullivan, the mother of the young girl . Callum Keith Rennie plays Edward Sullivan, 's father and Margaret's husband. Adrian Lester portrays Wayne, a colleague of the lead social worker . In smaller supporting capacities, Alexander Conti plays Diego, a boy involved in one of Emily's other cases. Philip Baker Hall appears as Judge Stewart, who presides over the legal proceedings related to the case.

Production

Development

The screenplay for Case 39 was written by Ray Wright. In early 2006, Renée Zellweger attached herself to star as the lead social worker, marking her return to the horror genre since The Mothman Prophecies in 2002. German director Christian Alvart was hired to helm the project, making Case 39 his English-language debut following successful thrillers like Antibodies (2005) in his native country. The film was produced by , Misher Films, and , with a budget of $26 million. The completed film was shelved for several years amid financial difficulties at , including the 2008 reorganization and downsizing of due to a volatile economy and reduced film slate. To offset costs, international rights were sold, leading to overseas releases starting in August 2009; strong early performance in markets like and , grossing approximately $7 million, prompted a U.S. theatrical rollout in October 2010 under the banner.

Filming

Principal photography for Case 39 commenced on September 6, 2006, primarily in , , with additional locations in nearby and . The production utilized these sites to depict the story's setting in . During filming of a kitchen scene on October 31, 2006, a fire at a warehouse escalated beyond control, engulfing the structure and destroying the Sullivan family house set, including the collapse of the roof. Four crew members, including two from the team, and three firefighters suffered minor burns, but there were no serious injuries or harm to the cast. The incident prompted a production delay as the set was rebuilt, though shooting resumed at an alternate location shortly thereafter, allowing to wrap by late 2006. The film employed practical effects for key horror sequences, such as the swarms of and the car submersion in icy . Post-production, including visual effects supervised by Rainmaker VFX, occurred in , while final editing took place in . Challenges during shooting included coordinating the schedule around child actor Jodelle Ferland's commitments and prioritizing safety protocols for her intense scenes involving elements and peril.

Release

Theatrical distribution

Case 39 underwent a staggered theatrical distribution strategy, beginning with limited international releases in to reception and recoup production costs, while the U.S. rollout was significantly delayed until 2010. The film first opened in on August 13, , followed by a in on November 5, , and subsequent openings in countries including on August 21, , on August 28, , and and on September 3, . This international phase allowed Paramount to gauge audience response in key markets, with the film earning approximately $15.5 million overseas prior to its domestic debut, helping to offset expenses from its extended shelf life. The U.S. release faced multiple postponements, originally scheduled for February 2008, then shifted to April 2009 and January 2010, before finally set it for October 1, 2010. The delays stemmed from studio strategic decisions amid changing market conditions, though Paramount cited positive international performance—particularly in and —as a factor in greenlighting the domestic launch. Distributed under the label, the film was positioned as a thriller leveraging Zellweger's star appeal, with trailers highlighting horror elements such as demonic possession and tense psychological suspense to attract genre audiences. Marketing efforts for the U.S. opening were constrained by the film's prolonged , resulting in a limited promotional budget focused on rather than a broad campaign. The staggered approach across over two dozen territories minimized competition and enabled incremental revenue streams, though the overall strategy reflected caution following the film's three-year wait for . This international pre-release generated modest returns but underscored the challenges of timing in a crowded horror genre landscape.

Home media

In the United States, Case 39 was released on DVD and Blu-ray Disc by on January 4, 2011. The editions included over a dozen deleted scenes with an , as well as four standard-definition featurettes: "Filed Under Evil: Inside Case 39," "Turning Up the Heat on the Chill Factor," "Inside ," and "Playing with Fire." Internationally, home video releases preceded the U.S. launch in several markets during 2010, such as the where issued the DVD on September 6, 2010. The film debuted at number one on the U.S. DVD sales chart for the week ending January 9, 2011, with approximately 98,900 units sold and generating over $1.7 million in revenue. Digitally, Case 39 became available for streaming on in 2011 and later appeared on services including and , with video-on-demand distribution rights changing providers periodically thereafter.

Reception

Critical response

Upon its release, Case 39 received predominantly negative reviews from critics, who criticized its formulaic storytelling and failure to deliver genuine tension. On , the film has a 22% approval rating based on 74 reviews, with critics consensus stating that "Director Christian Alvart has a certain stylish flair, but it's wasted on Case 39's frightless, unoriginal plot." On , it holds a weighted average score of 25 out of 100 from 15 critics, signifying "generally unfavorable" reception. The primary criticisms centered on the film's predictable plot twists and lack of effective scares, often comparing it unfavorably to earlier horror classics like The Omen. Reviewers highlighted a weak script plagued by underdeveloped characters and clichéd supernatural elements that failed to build suspense. For instance, Variety described it as "the bastard offspring of 'The Bad Seed,' 'The Omen' and 'Orphan,'" adding that the "ludicrous outing takes its psycho-satanic babble much too seriously" and would likely "elicit more laughs than frights." Amid the backlash, some critics praised individual performances and isolated atmospheric moments. Renée Zellweger's portrayal of the dedicated social worker was noted for its commitment, with observing that her "pouty performance works very well, as her dainty composure disintegrates." Jodelle Ferland's depiction of the enigmatic child was commended for its chilling intensity, earning Variety's description as an "occasionally convincing turn" from the young actor. A few reviewers also appreciated the film's occasional stylish tension, though it was overshadowed by narrative shortcomings. Critics occasionally touched on the movie's thematic undertones, interpreting it as a loose of the overburdened child welfare system through the protagonist's caseload struggles and a broader exploration of fear of the unknown in parental instincts gone awry. highlighted its "gleefully gruesome" take on child endangerment, channeling influences from demonic child tropes while underscoring the terror of misplaced trust in vulnerable youth.

Box office

Case 39 had a of $26 million. The film earned $13.3 million in the United States and and $14.9 million from international markets, resulting in a worldwide gross of $28.2 million. It opened in 2,211 theaters in the U.S. on October 1, 2010, generating $5.4 million over the weekend (October 1–3) and ranking seventh at the domestic . Internationally, Case 39 benefited from earlier releases beginning in August 2009 in countries including New Zealand, Germany, and Spain, which helped accumulate earnings ahead of its U.S. debut and boosted the overall total. The performance was stronger in select markets such as Australia and Germany compared to the domestic run. The delayed U.S. release—following principal photography in 2006 and multiple postponements—hurt its momentum, as it entered a competitive October horror season saturated with similar genre films. Despite this, the movie was viewed as a modest success, recouping its budget with limited marketing outlay.

References

  1. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0795351/
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  4. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0795351/plotsummary/
  5. https://movies.fandom.com/wiki/Case_39
  6. https://www.horrorhomeroom.com/case-39/
  7. https://www.looper.com/923458/the-ending-of-case-39-explained/
  8. https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/46981
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  10. https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/28355-case-39/cast?language=en-US
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  13. https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a31734/renee-zellweger-works-on-case-39/
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  15. https://horrornews.net/5313/film-review-case-39-2009/
  16. https://deadline.com/2008/06/paramount-vantage-reorganizes-into-parent-5956/
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  37. https://www.movierewind.com/articles/2011-netflix-release-dates
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  45. https://www.boxofficemojo.com/date/2010-10-01/
  46. https://www.altfg.com/case-39-box-office/
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