I Hate the Man in My Basement

Not a long review but I had to leave this. I came across this movie knowing absolutely nothing about it and from the beginning I was glued to the screen. Rarely does a movie catch me like this as I am usually working or playing video games while a I have a movie going. I think it helps with my ADD & Narcolepsy. The slow and quiet pace of this movie combined with a slow but steady build up to some big surprises. I won't tell you any more about but the performances from the 2 lead's were amazing. I've never heard of either of these actors but i will be following them now to see what else they can do! The ending delivers proper closure to the story and will not disappoint. Watch this movie! 9/10

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.

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.

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.

I love a film that leaves you with questions at the end and this is full of questions and I'm ok with that. I really disliked the main character and his friends and felt sorry for the guy in the basement but that's ok too. Great performances, great story and nicely edited and directed.