In the post millennium horror explosion, plenty have mastered the look, but few have hitched their technique to a story as satisfying as this: The Turn of the Screw, with a little extra twist. Nicole Kidman's froideur is perfect for her part as the disturbed widow. An exemplary ghost story that chills through eerie insinuation.
I very much agree with AD's first two paragraphs, but the actress playing the part of the Irish nanny was one Fionnula Flanagan, which maybe gives the game away as to why she had her accent.
Nicole Kidman acted magically with two gifted, promising child actors. The plot moves beguilingly through twists and turns and has an unusual end. There are some good moments of sudden horror which would make anyone jolt (with a good and very dramatic musical score).
I don't watch many horror movies and this film is a good example of the reason, they are not that enjoyable, the bits between the horror are plain and it doesn't leave you with any other emotion than creepiness. This hybrid was worse than usual as the horror detracted from the period drama.
Why are actors forced to do accents? The nanny has the most varied Irish accent you will ever hear, which detracts so much from the atmosphere it should not be allowed. Not quite as bad as Brad Pitt's German accent or Tommy Lee's Irish accent.