Abandon [2002]

Oscar-winning screenwriter Stephen Gaghan (TRAFFIC) makes his directorial debut with ABANDON, a dense, moody psychological thriller. Loosely based on the book ADAM'S FALL by Sean Desmond, ABANDON tells the troubled story of Katie (Katie Holmes), a college senior who's having a tough time keeping herself focused. She is still struggling with memories of her boyfriend Embry (Charlie Hunnam), who disappeared two years earlier. Her past comes back to haunt her when recovering alcoholic detective Wade Handler (Benjamin Bratt) is assigned to Embry's case. As Katie struggles to finish her thesis and secure a job with a prestigious firm in the city, she must contend with the reappearance of Embry, who seems intent on destroying her life.
Gaghan's stylish picture, shot by acclaimed cinematographer Matthew Libatique, owes an obvious debt to classic thrillers from the 1970s (he even goes so far as to have Holmes sing a rendition of the theme to ROSEMARY'S BABY, ala Roman Polanski and his starlet, Mia Farrow.) Zooey Deschanel (MUMFORD, THE GOOD GIRL) delivers yet another scene-stealing performance as Katie's snide, sarcastic friend. The film dwells in the murky territory between realistic college drama and abstract psychological thriller, making it an unsettling and suspenseful experience.