Dark Places - C-

Rated R, 114 minutes

There are some place you would rather not go to, and the dull, depressing new thriller "Dark Places" is one of them. In spite of an intriguing story and talented cast, you might not care much even after this muddled mystery is revealed. 25 years after testifying against her brother (Tye Sheridan/Corey Stoll) as the person responsible for massacring her entire family, a haunted woman (Charlize Theron) is approached by a secret society called "The Kill Club" that specializes in complex, unsolved cases. Looking to satisfy their morbid curiosity, the group begins its own inquiry about the case, believing that Libby's brother is innocent. To help them, Libby must unearth painful memories of the event and learn that her past may not be what it seems. Directed and written by Gilles Paquet-Brenner and based on Gillian Flynn's ("Gone Girl") best-selling mystery novel, "Dark Places" is a lackluster, downbeat whodunit that lacks the twisted fascination of Flynn's novel. Though it starts off well, many may lose interest in its sluggish, slow-as-molasses middle act, relying on an excessive amount of flashbacks to tell its story, and most depressing is the update on many of the living characters. By the time the real mystery is revealed, with a good 25 minutes of movie left, it may elicit a shrug or two instead of any real shocks. The always lovely Theron does her best with the material, and a talented supporting cast including Sheridan, Stoll, Christina Hendricks ("Mad Men") and Chloe Grace Moretz is wasted under the uneven storytelling. There are a handful of intriguing moments, but the deeply unsatisfying thriller "Dark Places" won't hold your interest.