It's 1921 after the horrors of WWI, England is full of charlatans trying to scam grieving people. Florence Cathcart (Rebecca Hall) is a professional skeptic driven to exposing hoaxes and getting the cons arrested. Robert Mallory (Dominic West) invites her to investigate a ghost at a boarding school. There was a murder long ago that could be the source, and recently a student had died. Florence is met by governess Maud Hill (Imelda Staunton) and the boy Thomas Hill. Teachers and staff soon goes on vacation leaving Florence alone with Robert, Maud and Tom in the school.

This setting has a good old fashion atmosphere. It's basically a big old isolated building with a handful of people and a ghost story. You can't really get any more classic than that. The story does have a convoluted twist that could be quite problematic. I was able to follow the twist, and I'm fine with it. Rebecca Hall is a nice capable actress. And she makes a good avenging heroine and a damsel in distress.

Rebecca Hall stars as Florence Cathcart an educated woman who debunks spiritualists. The movie opens with a seance in 1921 London. Our heroine springs into action.

She is then requested to come to an orphanage where a ghost of a boy has been spotted and photographed. She dismisses the ghostly images, and accepts the task. Florence is an independent and educated woman, who smokes. She reminded me of Anne Hathaway in this role. As her investigation proceeds, Florence begins to doubt her skepticism/atheism.

Interesting film with a twist that has clues. Good use of sound. Enjoyable.

PARENTAL GUIDE: Sex and nudity (male and female)

In 1921, in London, the arrogant and skeptical Florence Cathcart (Rebecca Hall) is a famous for exposing hoax, helping the police to arrest con artists. The stranger Robert Mallory (Dominic West) tells her that the headmaster of the boarding school in Rookford had invited her to travel to Cumbrio to investigate a ghost that is frightening to death the pupils. He also tells that many years ago there was a murder in the real estate and recently the pupil Walter Portman had died. The reluctant Florence finally accepts to go to Cumbrio.

On the arrival, she is welcomed by the governess Maud (Imelda Staunton) and the boy Thomas Hill. Sooner Florence discovers what had happened to Walter and then the students, teachers and staff are released on vacation, and Florence remains alone with Robert, Maud and Tom in the school. Florence is ready to leave the boarding school and strange things happen. Florence comments with Robert and he tells that there is only three persons in the boarding school, leaving Florence scared.

"The Awakening" is a ghost story that begins with the information that between 1914 and 1919, the war and the influenza claimed more than one million lives in Britain. The storyline is very similar to the 1995 "Haunted", with a woman that exposes hoax and swindlers traveling to her home town to investigate a ghost that is haunting the students of a boarding school. Nevertheless the supernatural story is engaging and has many plot points with new revelations. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "O Despertar" ("The Awakening")