Johnny Depp gets high off another acting challenge in this tricky adaptation of a Stephen King yarn. Although the mood is too sinister to allow for the mischief of his Pirates of the Caribbean turn; Depp still manages to embroider his role here with plenty of quirky business. He plays a writer; depressed and nearly divorced; who's stuck in an isolated cabin (shades of The Shining) when a stranger (John Turturro) arrives; accusing him of plagiarism. Writer-director David Koepp (Stir of Echoes) does his best to make the rickety material compelling--he gets the maximum out of the cabin set; for instance--but the problems inherent in the King story eventually win out. The climactic scenes are particularly unpleasant; especially in contrast to the cleverness of Depp's performance. A Philip Glass score adds class; but this one ultimately feels like a disappointment. --Robert Horton