The Skeleton Key is a 2005 supernatural horror film directed by Iain Softley and starring Kate Hudson, Gena Rowlands, John Hurt, and Peter Sarsgaard. The movie is set in Louisiana and follows Caroline (played by Hudson), a hospice nurse who takes a job caring for an elderly man in a decrepit plantation mansion. As she starts exploring the house, she uncovers secrets about the family and the house’s past, linked to voodoo and hoodoo practices.

The film builds its suspense through eerie atmosphere, Southern Gothic elements, and a focus on folk magic and the occult. One of the key aspects of the story is Caroline’s growing belief in the power of hoodoo as she encounters strange occurrences and uncovers a dark plot involving the transfer of souls.

The movie’s ending is a twist that plays with themes of power, belief, and the manipulation of those who are skeptical of the supernatural. While The Skeleton Key received mixed reviews from critics, it is appreciated for its performances, particularly by Gena Rowlands and John Hurt, and its tense, unsettling atmosphere.