I was expecting little from this, given that Rene Zellweger doesn't usually do this genre. However her choice to play social worker Emily actually gives the film greater clout, as she's a very sympathetic lead and she brings a vulnerability to a lead role where she's surrounded by angry, abusive parents and vulnerable kids.
When she gets assigned the titular Case 39, her immediate impression is that sweet little girl Lily is in some kind of danger from her freakish and wild-eyed parents. One breathtakingly intense rescue later, and it's apparent she was right.
However, the closer she gets to easing Lily back into normality, the clearer it becomes that there's more to the case.
Zellweger is excellent, as it Bradley Cooper as her best friend and romantic interest, and Ian McShane as her cop buddy. Most of the thrill of the film is in riding the twists as they happen, so I won't give away any more of the plot. However, for those of you with a curious nature, if they were to re-create a certain Richard Donner movie from the '70s from scratch without trying to immitate what's gone before, this is how they might do it. Very creepy and very exciting.
Well worth watching.