Orphan (2009)

Orphan is a 2009 psychological horror film directed by Jaume Collet-Serra and written by David Leslie Johnson from a story by Alex Mace. The film stars Vera Farmiga, Peter Sarsgaard, Isabelle Fuhrman, C. C. H. Pounder and Jimmy Bennett. The plot centers on a couple who, after the death of their unborn child, adopt a mysterious nine-year-old girl.

The film is an international co-production between the United States, Canada, Germany and France. It was produced by Joel Silver and Susan Downey of Dark Castle Entertainment, and Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Davisson Killoran of Appian Way Productions. Principal photography for the film took place in Canada, in the cities of St. Thomas, Toronto, Port Hope, and Montreal.

Orphan was released theatrically in the United States on July 24, 2009, by Warner Bros. Pictures. The film received mixed reviews from critics, who praised its dark humor, scares and Fuhrman's performance as Esther, but criticized its formulaic screenplay. The film grossed $78 million worldwide against a $20 million budget.

A prequel, titled Orphan: First Kill, is in development.

Kate and John Coleman's marriage is strained after the stillbirth of their third child Jessica, whose loss is particularly hard on Kate, a recovering alcoholic. The couple decide to adopt a 9-year-old Russian girl, Esther, from the local orphanage. While their 5-year-old deaf daughter Max embraces Esther, their 12-year-old son Daniel is cold toward her.

One night, John and Kate begin to have sex and Esther interrupts them. Kate becomes suspicious when Esther expresses far more knowledge of sex than expected of a child her age. Esther then exhibits hostile behavior in front of Max and Daniel, killing an injured pigeon and badly injuring a bullying classmate.

Sister Abigail, the head of the orphanage, visits the household, warning Kate and John that tragic events and accidents always seem to happen around Esther. To keep Sister Abigail from returning, Esther causes her to crash her car on the road, then bashes her head in with a hammer. She forces Max to help her hide the body, then hides the evidence in Daniel's treehouse. Daniel sees them at the treehouse and she threatens to kill him if he tells his parents.

As Kate becomes further convinced that Esther's behavior is sinister, John believes she is being paranoid. He tells Esther to do something nice for Kate. Esther rips out the flowers from Jessica's grave and gives it to Kate as a bouquet. Kate is horrified and roughly grabs Esther's arm, asserting that she did this on purpose. That night, Esther breaks her own arm and calls John for help, blaming Kate and causing further strife in their marriage. The next day, she releases the brake in the car, causing it to roll into oncoming traffic with Max inside. She also points out the wine bottle she found in the kitchen, causing John and Kate's therapist to think that Kate is drinking again, though she is not. They suggest she return to rehab, and John threatens to leave her and take the kids if she refuses. Kate discovers that Esther came from an Estonian mental hospital and the orphanage she claims she was from has no record of her.

When Daniel learns about Sister Abigail's death from Max and searches the treehouse, Esther sets it on fire and attempts to kill him but is thwarted by Max. Daniel is seriously injured and while in the hospital, Esther smothers him. Kate, whose suspicions have been confirmed, strikes her and screams at her to stay away from her children, but she is restrained and sedated. That night, Esther attempts to seduce a drunken John, who threatens to send Esther back to the orphanage.

At the hospital, Kate is contacted by Dr. Värava of the Saarne Institute and learns that Esther is actually a 33-year-old woman named Leena Klammer born in Estonia. She has hypopituitarism, a rare hormonal disorder that stunted her physical growth and caused proportional dwarfism, and she has spent most of her life posing as a little girl. Leena is violent and has murdered at least seven people, including the last family that adopted her, after failing to seduce her adoptive father. The ribbons she wears around her wrists and neck have been hiding scars from trying to break out of straitjackets during her time at the institute. Meanwhile, Leena removes her disguise, revealing she wears dentures to hide bad teeth, and stabs John to death. Kate rushes home and Leena attempts to shoot her, wounding her arm. After Leena opens fire at Max, Kate breaks through the roof above and lands on top of her, knocking her out.

Kate and Max flee as police arrive, but Leena attacks Kate near the frozen pond, hurling them onto the ice. Max tries to shoot Leena but shatters the ice, sending Leena and Kate underwater. Kate climbs out, with Leena clinging to her legs. Leena pleads with "Mommy" to save her while hiding a knife behind her back. Kate screams that she's not her mother and kicks Leena in the jaw, breaking her neck and killing her. Leena sinks into the icy pond as Kate and Max are met by police.