User reviews

Viewed at the Festival de Film, Cannes 2010

To spoil or not to spoil, that is the question. NOT spoil! The summary tells you all you need to know and anything else would be a revelation and defeat the object. Basically, David Hyde Pierce plays his Frasier character Nils as coming from the dark side. He's whacked out all right, but only slowly do we discover just how whacked and out he is!

The Perfect Host is not a horror film, although it's easy to see how it could have been made as one, but a psychological, cat and mouse thriller of tables (dining tables?) turning and being turned as small time hood meets major lunatic!

Given the vast majority of the film takes place in one setting, the film does come over as a bit staged at times, but that also adds another dimension because staging itself plays a big part. After all, Warwick Wilson (David Hyde Pierce's character) is staging the perfect dinner party and is not about to let some uncultivated intruder spoil things.

And then come the twists...

The Perfect Host is a little film that slips under the radar, but if you enjoy good thrillers, want a different take on the home invasion genre, just enjoy watching David Hyde Pierce (and he is most watchable) being creepy, then it's well worth a look.

Caught this on On Demand last night on a whim, and I am really glad I spent the overpriced ticket on it. David Hyde Pierce must have had a ball with this and Clayne Crawford is a very solid performer. He reminds me of a young Ray Liotta in "Something Wild". I hope to see him in some more high quality films, because he deserves a good career. I am in total agreement with the only other reviewer here so far; this is a film that to describe too much about really would spoil the twists.

The trailer even gives a bit too much away so if you have not seen it; trust me, if you have ON Demand and you enjoy Black Comedy have a go without watching the trailer.

The entire plot twists and setup is absurd, but if you don't nitpick too much as I am wont to do you will have a great time watching two talented actors for a fast paced 90 minutes.

I would have even rated this higher like a 9, but I didn't want the "incredibly surprised cause I had no expectations" factor to add too much to my numerical rating of this gem of a film.

David Hyde Pierce will forever known as Niles Crane--Frasier Crane's brother. However, in this post-"Frasier" film, Pierce appears to be screaming LOUDLY that he is NOT Niles! No, the character from this film is very, very, very far removed from his cute comedic persona from TV.

The film begins with a desperate criminal (Clayne Crawford) running from the police. He was involved in some sort of robbery and was injured in the process. And, naturally, he's looking to find some place to hide. He tries a couple times and finally convinces a guy (Pierce) to allow him into his home. Crawford lies and convinces Pierce that he's harmless and the viewer can't help but worry about poor Pierce's safety. My advice...DON'T worry about Pierce...he's more than capable of taking care of himself. I'd say more, but it would spoil the amazing twist that takes place. My advice....hold on to your hats! This is one of the strangest movies I've seen in some time. In some ways, it's a very, very, very dark comedy. But, mostly, it's a terrifying film--one that is very original and quite strange...and quite savage. Regardless, it's an acting tour de force by both Pierce and Crawford and it's amazingly well written and clever. See this film. It's not perfect but it's pretty cool and memorable nonetheless.

great film, David Hyde Pierce is brilliant & quite scary. highly recommended. The characters are simple but effective. The plot is easy to follow & keeps you on the edge of your seat. If you like David Hyde Pierce in Frasier then this character is much darker but just as funny. I would love to see Hyde Pierce play more nutter's in other films because he played the character so well.

Clayne Crawford supports well & his character is likable as a petty criminal.

Easy to watch, very clever

RED or WHITE wine????

I stumbled upon the 2010 movie "The Perfect Host" by random luck, and seeing that the movie had David Hyde Pierce on the cast list, then I decided to watch it right away.

And I am very happy that I opted to sit down and watch "The Perfect Host" without ever having heard about it, because this movie was really, really entertaining.

The storyline told in "The Perfect Host", as written by Nick Tomnay and Krishna Jones was just one that was interesting and entertaining right from the very start, and as the movie progressed it just kept on getting more and more interesting and fun to watch.

And not only did the movie have a really good storyline, but it also had some very lovely characters, with lots of personalities and details. It was really good how well fleshed out these characters were on the screen. And despite of the relatively small cast, then the writers really did manage to make the two main characters very outstanding and memorable.

David Hyde Pierce (playing Warwick) and Clayne Crawford (playing Jonh) really carried the movie phenomenally well with their performances in the movie. It was simply amazing how well they did individually and together in the movie. I was definitely having expectations to seeing David Hyde Pierce in the movie, as I loved him back in the "Frasier" days, and he really shows that he is a gifted and versatile actor with this movie.

Oddly how I never picked up on this movie before now in 2021, 11 years after the movie was released. And as it turned out, then I had really been missing out on a great movie.

I was thoroughly entertained by director Nick Tomnay's 2010 movie, and this is certainly a movie that I can and will warmly recommend you sit down to watch, should you find yourself with the opportunity to do so.

My rating of "The Perfect Host" lands on a seven out of ten stars.

What a strange little movie this is. A Criminal named John (Crawford), looking for a Hideout tries taking advantage of the wealthy and harmless Warwick (Hyde-Pierce). Little does he know Warwick has bigger secrets than he could ever imagine.

The story is interesting from the start. Albeit a pointless scene or two, watching John work his criminal mind to get into Warwick's home and gain his trust using lies and trickery is suspenseful and smart. Once things begin to unravel the suspense begins to churn an interesting dialog between the two. A typical cat and mouse game, only it's between a desperate bank robber and a getting stranger by the minute home owner. Warwick begins asking more and more questions while at the same time revealing his own strange tendencies. You can see the comfort level and suspicion of each character rise and fall as if there were a meter above their heads charting it.

The second act, without giving anything away becomes an all-out romp fest of psycho. This is where David Hyde Pierce really shines. He puts it all out there in a way that's impressive, disturbing, and fun. Even though he had a lot of the same traits he had in his character in the TV show Frasier (highly educated and slightly snobbish), you can't tell me this guy doesn't have acting chops. Considering the character of Warwick has so many different emotions and sides to him, David Hyde Pierce took a role that would make or break film and nailed it. Clayne Crawford was also impressive to watch. I was surprised to see that he is not in many more films. He was charismatic and enthralling when on screen and did it playing a part that wasn't easy as the bad guy you had to sympathize for. He was very believable. Making you afraid of John when you needed to be, as well as root for him when appropriate.

So up to this point there has been great tension, drama, trickery and even a genuine scare or two. But the film unfortunately falls apart in the third act, as the story just can't hold up to all the twists and turns it throws at you. Eventually it comes crashing down like a tower of Jenga that has one (or five), carelessly placed blocks. The ending is confusing, not because it's hard to follow but because it doesn't seem to fit the rest of the film you were enjoying so much. Ultimately, The Perfect Host isn't perfect. But that doesn't mean the party wasn't fun.

By: Mike Holtz, http://www.youtube.com/WeWatchedAMovie

I would give this a 7, but I felt the plot and story fell short.

Davis Hyde Pierce is always very good and with such a small cast he really shines. I really liked the cat and mouse in the beginning of the movie and looked forward to the story progression. Pierce can shake his groove thing :)

Then I became bored............

Too much back and forth with an idea which the viewer is smacked over the head with and then the introduction of characters which seemed to be a little contrived and forced because they were needed for the ending and not because there was any character development.

If they had really explored the main characters this movie could have been excellent. Good try though.

Sometimes, low budget films with few locations and lesser-known actors are sent to B-movie oblivion - many in fact. However, I'm pleased to say that this isn't one of them.

Sure, it doesn't have much action, it's only really filmed in one (major) location and (unless you used to watch Frasier) you probably won't recognise too many of the cast. It's even got a couple of questionable plot holes, but the fact it, the film was just too damn enjoyable to let any of that bother me.

Just like the big-screen adaptation of 'American Psycho's' success was down to Christian Bale's excellent (and psychotic) performance, 'The Perfect Host's' charm is completely down to David Hyde Pierce's character. You can tell he's clearly loving doing what he's doing... and it shows.

I won't go into too much detail about the plot, but it may just put you off dinner parties for life. It's a cheap, but enjoyable little black comedy/thriller/horror. It'll never compete with the Avengers or Avatar, but it is good fun if you have a black sense of humour.

http://thewrongtreemoviereviews.blogspot.co.uk/

The Perfect Host is a brilliant thriller about Warwick Wilson, a seemingly accommodating, middle-aged man, who loves hosting dinner parties for his unique group of friends.

Criminal at large, John Taylor, cons his way into Warwick's home and has an unforgettable, albeit, surreal night, full of wine, music and dance.

David Hyde Pierce and Clayne Crawford give superb performances. Writer / Director Nick Tomnay created this wonderful gem. It is certain to receive high praise from those who enjoy psychological thrillers.

The On Demand preview is riddled with spoilers. I recommend not watching the preview before viewing the film.

This is possibly the best movie I've seen all year - and I've seen a lot! You'll find no spoilers, nor even clues to what this little movie with big surprises is about in this review. In fact try not to know anything about this wonderful crime/thriller/mystery before seeing it and just sit back and enjoy the ride! David Hyde White is himself (as usual) but this time he brings much more to the party. Clayne Crawford was unknown to me but puts in a terrific performance. In fact every actor is at peak performance levels in this very intriguing and entertaining movie. Editing is excellent, writer/director Nick Tomnay must be congratulated on a stunning piece of work, both as director and for a masterful piece of writing. Fantastic in every way and best enjoyed with a clean palette. "Do you drink red or white wine?"

This film is brilliant. I am not going to go into details of it, because it would ruin all of the unexpected twists, but really, if you're wondering whether to watch it or not.. definitely watch it. I've watched a lot of films; thrillers, horrors.. and this one pleasantly surprised me, which is quite rare given that I've watched so many of them in the past.

I gave it a 10/10 because it was purely brilliant (I'm over-using the word I know!) and it's the type of film I would definitely watch again.

Oh one more thing, DO NOT watch the trailer/preview, it's such a spoiler, I actually watched the trailer AFTER I watched the film (as people had complained about it) and I'm so glad I did because most of the twists would've been spoilt for me if I had seen it before hand.

And to think that I came across this film looking through the IMDb "Comedy" genre list... it was a hidden gem!

A criminal on the run (not Ray Liotta) cons his way into the wrong dinner party where the host (David Hyde Pierce) is anything but ordinary.

This film, which I think went under the radar of most people (myself included) is a great showcase for Pierce. While much of the film has him doing his Niles Crane shtick (albeit an older Niles), there are enough twists and turns to really let his range show.

The best scene, hands down, is the "Car Wash" bit. While it takes place for less than a minute, it will forever change the way you look at Pierce and will make this film completely worth watching if nothing else does (though I think it has enough going for it either way).

Perfect Host, The (2010)

*** (out of 4)

Two-bit criminal John Taylor (Clayne Crawford) pulls off a bank robbery but soon his name and picture are all over the news so he must find a place to hide for the night. He thinks he finds the perfect victim when he gets into the house of Warwick Wilson (David Hyde Pierce) but the robber soon realizes he's not the most dangerous person at this party. That's pretty much all the story anyone needs to know because there are so many twists and turns throughout the 93-minutes that knowing anything more would really take away many of the shocks. I must admit that I went into this movie not really knowing what to expect and when the end credits came up I immediately wanted to start telling people that this is a movie they should certainly check out. I think it's clear that the movie wants to be another THE USUAL SUSPECTS because there is just one twist after another and the movie does a terrific job making the viewer feel off their guard because you never quite know where the film is going and once you figure it out it just takes another turn to throw you. I thought what really made the film special is that the direction by Nick Tomnay just keeps the twists and turns coming at almost a poetic rate because there's a certain beauty to how everything plays out and it's really as if you're seeing some tango take place in front of your eyes. Everything is so well laid out in his screenplay that you really do feel as if you're watching something special take place even though there are a few flaws that I'll get to in a bit. Another major plus for me is that the film starts off with Crawford as the bad guy and Pierce as the good guy but throughout the movie they trade places and yet you can enjoy both characters. I enjoyed that we've got a film with only two characters and you can hate and like them and usually both within the matter of minutes. Crawford is extremely good in the more laid back role of the criminal and I thought he did a very good job with the role and especially when it was time for the events that happens to his character (again, I won't spoil them here). The real stand out is clearly David Hyde Pierce who is simply wonderful in the role. His character does so many odd things but Pierce makes you believe everything you're seeing and the amount of charm, charisma and personality that he brings to the film really makes this character his very own. While watching the performance it becomes clear that he's the only person in the world who could have played it. The film builds up some nice suspense throughout and I really enjoyed the rather unnerving way all the secrets get revealed. Horror fans will enjoy some of the black humor, which includes a hilarious piece involving the Gil Man from CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON. The film's major flaw is that there are a few too many twists and turns in the final ten minutes. With that said, THE PERFECT HOST is sadly going to get overlooked with all the blockbusters out there but hopefully people will give the film a chance as it's certainly a good little gem.

What would happen if the tightly-wound Dr. Niles Crane (of TV's Frasier) finally lost it? In The Perfect Host, David Hyde Pierce provides a glimpse into one such possible outcome – with excellent results.

As he prepares to host a perfect dinner party, Mr. Pierce is interrupted by a stranger at the door purportedly seeking refuge from a mugging. The stranger is actually seeking refuge from the police who are searching for him for an earlier bank robbery. As it turns out, he would have been better off with the police, as Mr. Pierce's character has a night full of unexpected and undesirable events planned for his guest.

The performances of the two leads are excellent, with Mr. Pierce showing the dark side we little expect from him. The dialog is sharp and witty, and the plot's twists and turns all deliver.

This was much better than I had expected. There is no doubt that David Hyde Pierce made this show a triumph. He's irrepressible. It's worth watching just to marvel at him alternatively charm, gyrate and chill. And yes, he is oddly reminiscent of Nils. Also appearing is Nathaniel Parker, oddly reminiscent of Inspector Lynley. This is robust entertainment, character driven, a script to admire, and a diabolical plot, where nothing quite turns out as you expect throughout. If I have a criticism it is that there are several lead in and lead out scenarios that I thought could have been given more grit, more tension. I thought the gulf between the two protagonists could have been wider in this way, certainly a much harder edged criminal. Regardless, this is a great movie, and, as we say in Australia, it's a real doozy.

A criminal on the run after a bank robbery seeks shelter at a mild mannered man's house. He uses a postcard found in the man's mailbox from a girl named Julie as his way in. After conning his way in, he soon finds himself in a sticky situation as the man is more dangerous than he is.

A very simplistic film that manages to be funny, weird, sadistic and odd all in one sitting. Even though the surprise of Pierce's character being a psycho is given away in the plot, the film still throws a few surprises your way. For a film that is very minimal it demands a strong script and actors that can carry a film with their talent and nothing else. That's exactly what you get with Pierce's role as a more sadistic and darker Niles. I never watched Fraiser, but even I can still see the Niles character show through here and there. That's the problem with playing the same character for years. Yet Pierce still manages to bring something new to the table. His performance is chilling, hilarious and something very few people can do. I'm glad he was cast in this role.

The film is very under the radar and those who see it will be surprised at how well done it is. The last bit of the film takes it in a different direction and it becomes a more cat and mouse flick, whereas before a lot of the cat and mouse was in the dialogue. The script was strong enough to keep me interested. It's definitely a flick that you can watch twice and catch a couple of things you didn't catch before or didn't understand.

The Perfect Host isn't perfect, by any means. It does suffer from unimaginative direction. It was shot in 17 days and despite the strong performance and a nice script, the direction seems to be very amateur. This is a longer version of a short film he made in Australia. The premise if good enough for a short film and manages to be doable for a feature. Although it is obvious that the last act was added on to meet the feature length requirement.

I'd recommend The Perfect Host to those looking for an interesting film that throws a few surprises and has one hell of a performance from a cooky guy. Without Pierce, the film most likely would have fallen flat. Few people can pull of a 'not all there' performance. I don't want to give away any details but his psychotic tendencies are some of the funniest moments of the film.

David Hyde Pierce stars in this odd, twist-heavy home invasion thriller, in which he suddenly turns the tables on both a desperate assailant and the unsuspecting audience. It's a cinematic contortionist, so desperate to shock and surprise that it gives every single cast member a chance to swivel one hundred-eighty degrees. Unsurprisingly, that trick quickly gets old and we're left to make bold predictions on a shallow, random plot while the puppets perform their jangly, awkward little dance. Pierce is loads of fun as the ludicrously demented straight-lacer with a secret, but the film isn't particularly well-acted and the greater story arc makes almost no sense. It looks terrific for a low-budget production, but desperately needed a few more rounds of screenplay revisions and the caring touch of a proficient editor.

I think I am still in shock over this one.It blew me away and had me in fits~ lol

David Hyde Pierce is astounding in this very unorthodox role of madness. This movie is so psychotically delicious, it borders on "The Twilight Zone" meets "Sybil". I found myself laughing out of total fear of the in-credulousness and depravity of the host. I did NOT see the ending coming or even imagine it to end the way it did. The movie works on several levels, from the civility of human compassion to the intrinsically evil darkness of insanity. This movie is a must see for those looking for just plain "bizarre". This one had me thinking about it several days after watching it and when a movie does that to me, then my appetite for wanting 'something different in a movie' is complete. Get ready for one heck of an emotional roller coaster ride. Mr. Pierce, WOW.