Echo Valley movie review: Sydney Sweeney is squandered in Hollywood’s dopey Drishyam dupe that can only be saved by Ajay Devgn

The central thrust of the Drishyam movies relies on one basic truth: Ajay Devgn’s character will do just about anything to protect his family.

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Not only does he cover up a murder, he also concocts an intricate scheme to keep the cops off his scent. The Drishyam movies don't realise this, but the protagonist is actually a psychopath in the guise of a protective family man. In the second movie, he even allows his teenage daughter to be manhandled by the police in order to keep up the charade. The Drishyam franchise holds some sort of record for having inspired the most remakes. And although it isn’t an official adaptation, the new Apple movie Echo Valley follows the exact same beats. It would've been one of the rare examples of Hollywood ripping off an Indian project had Drishyam itself not been a rip-off of a Japanese novel.Julianne Moore plays a middle-aged woman named Kate, who runs a horse farm in rural Pennsylvania. She's separated from her wealthy husband, played by Kyle MacLachlan, and is grieving the death of her wife. There's a lot of backstory in there that’s communicated quite gracefully, especially for the kind of movie Echo Valley eventually turns out to be. Kate has a young daughter Claire, who's caused her immense trouble over the years. Played by Sydney Sweeney, Claire is a drug addict who comes and goes from Kate’s life as she pleases. She's entangled with the wrong crowd, and has a shady boyfriend. Kate’s manner, however, suggests that she’s no longer interested in throwing her a rope. But when Claire shows up at her doorstep one night, soaked in what she says is her b