These two veteran actors are able to convey entire stories in just a few words and expressions, which is an especially important task for Jenkins, who holds up his end as Abby's soul-sapped companion well.

The only cast members who are able to really tap into the subtle depth required of them are Richard Jenkins as Abby's guardian and Elias Koteas as the policeman who is investigating the murders being committed by Jenkins' character. Again, they both reach for that high bar, but can't quite manage to grab it. But still, the pair are charming in their puppy-dog affection and work hard to portray their characters in full complexity. They seem only capable of bonding on the juvenile levels they're familiar with, which is something of a misstep for Moretz' character, who is supposed to be well-versed in what it means to find, nurture and ultimately lose love. In the end, both young leads inevitably show their age - especially when it comes to the chemistry between them. What Moretz is missing is that subtle hint of an older soul hiding behind that little girl face, while Smit-McPhee makes Owen into too much of a victim a few contrived scenes of Owen wearing a scary mask are not enough to make me believe this wimpy kid has a killer's edge buried deep inside him.

If I have to make one criticism of both Moretz and Smit-McPhee, it's that they didn't quite match the brilliance of Kåre Hedebrant and Lena Leandersson, the two young actors who played these roles in Let The Right One In.

Let me in lindqvist