I Hate the Man in My Basement

All of the female characters must have been selected for their weird and overly excessive eye movements. Much of the movie is a statement on how people interact on first dates/new relationships when in their 30's.

The director must believe it's cute to grab a boob on a first date, or joke about innuendos related to underage kids - though that humor doesn't entirely rule the movie. I assume he used to vehicle to enhance the theme of awkwardness in being back on the dating circuit. Claude's 40 yr old pal acts like a junior high football player with unchecked hormones. Jokes about masturbation are prevalent and inappropriate to the plot. Humans do not interact like these characters - it reeked of absurd scripting. The plot had potential and some positive moments. I think the movie would only need about 35-45 minutes to keep viewers more engaged and the story moving. The best part of the film was the dialogue between Claude and his girl about 75% through the film. Best actor goes to the detective - he was most believable.

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.

When Claude loses his wife, he loses himself. Anger, grief, loneliness and guilt drive him to kidnapping the man who killed her, and holding him in his basement. He pushes away his friends and coworkers, who only want to help him.

Will Claude kill the man in the basement? Or will he find himself again? As the film slowly reveals both the secrets of Claude and the man in the basement, it becomes hard to tell the villain from the hero.

The movie isn't a horror movie or even a thriller. It's a delicate examination of the way getting to know someone else can change the human heart. And, in its own twisted way, it's a great antidote to our present political craziness.

The acting is superb, the script interesting and it makes me wish there were more Indy movies like it.

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.