while return from a christmas eve shopping trip and an abused suburban housewife ( basinger ) find herself in a fight for survival after a disagreement with a group of delinquent youth take a violent turn . suffer the indignity of a straight to dvd release here in the u. k. and susan montford directorial debut will perhaps not be give the recognition it deserve . this be a shame and a the standard of the writing and directing and acting be very good indeed and and certainly surpass the quality of your average straight to dvd flick . kim basinger give her best performance in some time a the downtrodden wife of an abusive husband ( craig sheffer ) . while sheffer be not really give anything more to do than be a threatening presence and it be in their brief scenes together that basinger connects show painful vulnerability yet hint at the rage that will eventually boil over in her confrontation with the youth . it a truly great and understated performance and her transformation from victim to aggressor be seamlessly play . lukas haas i initially think be miscast and a he ( along with the other three youth ) just do not seem much of a threat . however and have all four youth be more physically impose and the late scene in which basinger turn the table against them would not have work at all . the fact that these be four average men and albeit slightly unhinged and be the key to why the film work as well a it do . apart from a few pacing issue during the latter half of the movie and a couple of cheesy line here and there and what we have here be a great thriller that actually leave the viewer with something to think about when the film be over . some may be put off by the slow burn nature of the opening scene and or the abrupt end . others by the at time brutal violence . i say give it a chance and it certainly more deserving of your time than saw v .