A hospice employee from New Orleans, portrayed by Kate Hudson, accepts a position looking after an elderly man nearing the end of his life within a decaying antebellum mansion situated deep in the Louisiana bayou. The deceased man’s widow appears to be concealing something, played by Gena Rowlands. Peter Sarsgaard is present as the estate's friendly legal representative. "The Skeleton Key," released in 2005, falls into the category of Southern Gothic supernatural thrillers, reminiscent of "Cat People" (1982) and "The Reaping" (2007). While not quite reaching the heights of the former, it's possibly better than the latter, or at least comparable. The majority of the movie unfolds as a suspenseful drama centered on the old Southern mansion and its surroundings, though the tempo increases during the final portion with a satisfying twist ending. My wife and I couldn’t have predicted what was coming, but when it’s revealed, it makes sense and connects to earlier, less well-known horror films that I won't mention so as not to spoil anything. Kate Hudson is a strong point in the film; the director does a good job of showcasing her attractiveness without being exploitative. However, she could have benefited from gaining roughly 12 pounds, because her slenderness isn’t particularly appealing. The biggest drawback is that the characters and setting feel somewhat flat, which makes the movie occasionally slow-moving, but this is balanced out by the unsettling supernatural aspects. The film's length is 1 hour and 44 minutes. Filming took place in Louisiana (Felicity Plantation, Vacherie; Bayou Gauche & New Orleans), with some interior scenes completed at Universal City, California. GRADE: B/B-

Source on TMDB