atie Burke (Katie Holmes) is a college senior with a disturbing incident in her past. During her freshman year, her boyfriend, Embry Langan (Charlie Hunnam), disappeared without a trace. Two years later, with the mystery still unsolved, police detective Wade Handler (Benjamin Bratt) is newly assigned to the case.

  When the detective comes to the school asking questions, memories are renewed and Katie begins to have disturbing dreams about Embry. She receives a creepy note that reads, "I like watching you." Embry tells her similar things in her dreams. Katie actually starts to see him around campus, watching her, then disappearing without saying a word, and she gets scared. What's going on here, is her boyfriend dead and she's seeing his ghost? Or did he voluntarily disappear two years ago and finally decide to come back? If so, why? Why doesn't he just come to Katie and explain what's going on instead of surreptitiously watching her?
   
actors
Katie Holmes
Benjamin Bratt
Charlie Hunnam
Zooey Deschanel

director
Stephen Gaghan

locations
Montreal
outtake
Although the story is set at one of America's most exclusive universities, filming actually took place at McGill University in Montreal.
  Complicating matters further, Detective Handler, a recovering alcoholic, finds himself attracted to the young woman. Her friends notice, and are wary of his attentions.

  Melanie Lynskey (Ever After) plays a librarian who questions Handler's motives. "I play this incredibly shy, kind of creepy librarian and whenever I'm on set, I can't really help it, but I basically stay in character the entire time. I think Katie, who is a very nice and very normal girl, probably thought that I was a bit freaky! I never got a chance to explain that I was only playing a part," she says with a laugh.

  Abandon is Katie Holmes' (Dawson's Creek) first major leading role in a feature. Director Stephen Gaghan was impressed with her performance. "She carries Abandon," he maintains. "I've been staring at this movie a lot while editing it, and maybe I'm biased, but Katie is a movie star."

  Holmes admits the role made her a little nervous, calling it the most challenging of her career. "It was one of the hardest things for me to play," she reveals. "I think there's a bit of me in the character, the part of her that hides her feelings in work sometimes. But I'm not that dark, really. I just want to do a good job. And I want to find interesting parts. That's my number one goal."

- Alexandra Heilbron