*** CONTAINS SPOILERS *** The main character serves as the narrator in the Poe story. Unfortunately, in that short story, the character is a man; but, in this version of the story, the role is given to a young woman. She is a former lover of Roderick, instead of a childhood friend.<br /><br />Except for that one difference; and, a few modern contrivances (like the isolation tank), the story is incredibly faithful to the Poe story well, and the family curse is changed here too.<br /><br />But, more on that later.<br /><br />The role of the narrator is to act as an observer through which we see the story unfold. This helps us build empathy with the character, without all the messy foreshadowing and flashbacks that would have happened, had we seen the movie through Roderick's or Maddie's eyes.<br /><br />Given that perspective, I think the acting is very good; and, I think the casting was brilliant. Austin Nichols plays the role of Roderick to a tee  embodying the twisted perceptions, hyper-sensitivity (suffering from Neurasthenia), and photo sensitivity brilliantly. In the Roger Corman version; which I think is the definitive telling of the Poe story, Vincent Price never could have (nor should have) done as well.<br /><br />And, Izabella Miko is an absolute delight. Not just for the eyes, because there's plenty there to see; but, she also builds the suspense incredibly well as Jill Michaelson. As the events unfold around this young woman; and, as Roderick and Mrs. Thatcher (played brilliantly by Beth Grant) begin to manipulate her reality, she reacts honestly and credibly.<br /><br />The Usher family's secret is a curse indeed! As Jill said, "They are all one line." Brother and sister as parents of the next line of twins and, all suffering the same family curse. However, the secret is revealed when Jill takes down the family pictures -- parents have twins and those twins have twins and those twins have twins... All you have to do is listen to the names as she reads them off.<br /><br />However, as Roderick's book unfolds with the movie, we find out that Jill is there as a surrogate for Maddie, who went insane because of the incest. And, Roderick and Thatcher are trying to keep her hidden; she's not dead at all! In this telling, she is trying to prevent the curse from going on - WOW, what a twist on Poe, with re-curring themes of being buried alive!<br /><br />OKAY, now watch the rest of the movie, because the last 15-to-20 minutes make it all worthwhile.