I Hate the Man in My Basement

A dark indie tale that tips the scales of revenge and compassion, with a grieving protagonist who begs both for your sympathy and your contempt. This drama gives us some amusing moments peppered into its disturbing themes, but most importantly it's watchable and I never felt as if it had to struggle to keep my attention. There are elements to the story which are a little unrealistic, namely some things that unfold around the protagonist's budding romance, and I believe it would have been better overall if it had run a little shorter. The last 20 minutes sour things slightly, but not enough to overtake the surprisingly powerful performances delivered by the film's two male leads. 6/10.

This was a good film. Never over the top, it slowly showed the emotions of all the characters, and made for a good watch.7/10.

Gotta say I loved this one. I love movies that are not what you might expect, and with this title I wasn't sure what I'd get. The title's kind of ironic for a straight up thriller/horror film - which this flick definitely wasn't. It's more a suspenseful drama/comedy/romance with a premise you'd expect from a psycho/serial killer flick. If that description doesn't intrigue you this movie probably won' appeal to you. I was, literally, shocked at how believable some of the performances were and how invested I became in the budding romance. Yeah, the comedy performances (particularly by the friend) were a tad over the top, and yet credit to the writer/director because everyone acknowledges that fact that the guy is weird, and it always feels like it's part of the same world the rest of the movie takes place in. I liked the way the story of the man in the basement grew and I was kept in suspense the whole time wondering how everything would play out. I put the title in my queue not knowing it had experienced pro actors in it until I saw Nora-Jane Noone's name in the credits (loved her since The Descent and Magdalene Sisters) and then recognized several others faces. Well, they were given great parts and played them well.

This movie does have a few funny elements due to some clever writing and subtle acting moments between the leads but it is in no way a comedy. It is mostly a drama with a bit of mystery and romance. It's hard to really review this movie without any spoilers, but it does unfold organically, the acting is well done as is the cinematography. There's some very dark themes here and a heavy dose of what any one of us would do in this given situation. It can also be quite sad at certain moments. There is a little spicy language here and there but no overt violence or nudity.

Overall a very well executed enclosed film that keeps you guessing what will happen next and overall offers closure without just dropping it in your lap. It kept my attention the entire way through, just keep in mind this is far heavier on the drama and mystery than comedy or romance.

Dustin Cook's film is a compelling independent drama-thriller that combines surprising sympathy, retaliation, and sadness into a suspenseful character study. The film examines the hazy boundaries between justice and humanity through the eyes of Claude, a widower who secretly imprisons the guy who killed his wife. The tale is elevated by Chris Marquette and Manny Montana's strong performances, and Cook's direction strikes a balance between moments of emotional depth and disturbing tension. A thought-provoking thriller for fans of dark, character-driven stories, even though its pacing and realism occasionally falter.