The James Logan Courier

By Sandhaya Mansfield, Courier Staff Writer

The Life Before Her Eyes is a movie adaptation of the novel by Laura Kasischke about a life changing decision made by two high school best friends.

Diana (Evan Rachel Wood) is young,wild, adventurous and in her final year of high school. She holds back on nothing and does whatever she pleases while her conservative best friend Maureen (Eva Amurri) watches on the sidelines. They are not only polar opposites, but best friends who spend every waking hour together. One day, before class Diana and Maureen stop in the bathroom to check reflections when they hear gunshots being fired outside. Seconds later the gunman, who is a fellow classmate, bursts into the bathroom and demands that the two girls pick who will live. The screen goes black and is followed by cries then gunfire. The image that returns seconds later is an all grown up Diana (Uma Thurman) who has just woken from a nightmare.

Fifteen years later, Diana is living a "picture perfect" life but is still living with survivor's guilt. Still living in the same small town Diana is married to Paul, a college professor, and has a young daughter, Emma who possesses many of her mother's teenage behavior. As the anniversary of the shooting approaches Diana grows even more anxious and guilt ridden.

The movie flawlessly glides back and forth to the day of the shooting and present day revealing things that the audience did not catch before. As the anniversary nears, Diana's grip on reality falters both present day Diana and past Diana discover something that could change the outcome of their lives.

Overall, the hour and thirty minutes is worth the ten dollar movie ticket and makes viewers think about the life before their eyes.