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Review: Dave Franco’s ‘The Rental’ Takes a Trip in the House of Horror

Published

4 years ago

July 20, 2020

For Dave Franco’s directorial debut, he made the wise choice to make it horror. It’s a genre that offers a lot of flexibility in the details, as long as the film works. Co-written by Franco and Joe Swanberg (V/H/S, Drinking Buddies), The Rental takes some creative chances that mark Franco as a curious new talent to watch for.

The Rental follows Charlie (Dan Stevens, The Guest, Apostle) and his wife Michelle (Alison Brie, Community, Glow), who pair up with Charlie’s brother, Josh (Jeremy Allen White, Shameless), and Josh’s girlfriend/Charlie’s business partner, Mina (Sheila Vand, A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night) to rent a seemingly perfect house for a weekend getaway. But what begins as a festive weekend for the four close friends turns into something far more sinister as secrets they’ve kept from each other are exposed and paranoia grows that they may not be alone.

Visually, The Rental has that muted it’s-fall-at-the-beach aesthetic that hovers a sense of dread over the proceedings. This isn’t a bright, happy, sunny season of fun and adventure, it’s a dreary sense of cold that settles in, even in a warmly lit room. It sets a moody tone that carries throughout the film.

Franco — no stranger to working in front of the camera — pushes the actors by limiting the shot reverse shot framing, opting instead to hold the camera on one character while the dialogue happens around them. The camera doesn’t jump around during group conversations, it often works its way through the room, person by person, while the actors take their time to react to what’s being said. It creates a sense of intimacy that allows you to click in to the characters a bit more, but it also draws attention to the sometimes clunky script.

Though the script isn’t all that complex, it’s Alison Brie as Michelle who really sells it. Franco — who is married to Brie — knows the talent he’s working with here. Brie’s sincerity and deeply likable nature (and her role as the voice of reason) makes Michelle the only character you really care about. When she ducks out of the first night of partying and is left to roll on her own the next day, there’s something so subtle about her performance that beautifully communicates her hurt and frustration while still keeping a smiling face.

As far as “house rental” horror goes, The Rental certainly brings up some worst case scenarios. Hidden cameras and a body count combine to create what must be a really bad trip for poor Michelle. While the dialogue makes a very strong attempt to seem organic, the weight of the situation is real enough that you can connect to the reactions of each character. The script sounds awkward, but you can still get why it works.

Though the plot meanders in one direction for quite some time, things really take off when it shifts gears. I’m trying really hard to avoid spoilers here, but The Rental essentially sets itself up as one thing before flipping to another. It’s a surprise slasher that is never fully explained, which is where the horror genre can be very forgiving; in the genre, things often don’t require explanation in order for them to work.

That said, there are other horror films that have done a similar formula with better execution, but there’s something about the set up that makes The Rental work. We’re dedicated to one thing for so long that the end result feels almost inconsequential, but I actually don’t mind it. It’s a snapshot. It does what few films dare to do — it toys with commitment and dangles questions that aren’t answered. Now, this could certainly be considered a bad thing — and perhaps it is — but in the horror genre, it’s forgivable. We’re allowed to be left with questions. We’re allowed to not get answers.

When the shift comes, Franco leans in to the horror elements to make the climax really take off. It can be surprisingly brutal. It’s hard to say if Franco is a diehard fan of the genre, or if he just wanted to try something different for his directorial debut. He’s checked in to the vast house of horror, but it may just be a short stay. Either way, he’s found his footing as a director with a horror film that looks great and stands strong above many other genre offerings.

The Rental is available in select drive-ins, theatres, and On Demand on July 24th. You can check out the trailer and poster below.

'Civil War' Review: Is It Worth Watching?

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Movies

Trailer for ‘The Exorcism’ Has Russell Crowe Possessed

Published

17 hours ago

April 25, 2024

Timothy Rawles

The latest exorcism movie is about to drop this summer. It’s aptly titled The Exorcism and it stars Academy Award winner turned B-movie savant Russell Crowe. The trailer dropped today and by the looks of it, we are getting a possession movie that takes place on a movie set.

Just like this year’s recent demon-in-media-space film Late Night With the Devil, The Exorcism happens during a production. Although the former takes place on a live network talk show, the latter is on an active sound stage. Hopefully, it won’t be entirely serious and we’ll get some meta chuckles out of it.

The film will open in theaters on June 7, but since Shudder also acquired it, it probably won’t be long after that until it finds a home on the streaming service.

Crowe plays, “Anthony Miller, a troubled actor who begins to unravel while shooting a supernatural horror film. His estranged daughter, Lee (Ryan Simpkins), wonders if he’s slipping back into his past addictions or if there’s something more sinister at play. The film also stars Sam Worthington, Chloe Bailey, Adam Goldberg and David Hyde Pierce.”

Crowe did see some success in last year’s The Pope’s Exorcist mostly because his character was so over-the-top and infused with such comical hubris it bordered on parody. We will see if that is the route actor-turned-director Joshua John Miller takes with The Exorcism.

'Civil War' Review: Is It Worth Watching?

News

Win a Stay at The Lizzie Borden House From Spirit Halloween

Published

18 hours ago

April 25, 2024

Timothy Rawles

Spirit Halloween has declared that this week marks the start of spooky season and to celebrate they are offering fans a chance to stay at the Lizzie Borden House with so many perks Lizzie herself would approve.

The Lizzie Borden House in Fall River, MA is claimed to be one of the most haunted houses in America. Of course one lucky winner and up to 12 of their friends will find out if the rumors are true if they win the grand prize: A private stay in the notorious house.

“We are delighted to work with Spirit Halloween to roll out the red carpet and offer the public a chance to win a one-of-a-kind experience at the infamous Lizzie Borden House, which also includes additional haunted experiences and merchandise,” said Lance Zaal, President & Founder of US Ghost Adventures.

Fans can enter to win by following Spirit Halloween‘s Instagram and leaving a comment on the contest post from now through April 28.

The prize also includes:

An exclusive guided house tour, including insider insight around the murder, the trial, and commonly reported hauntings

A late-night ghost tour, complete with professional ghost-hunting gear

A private breakfast in the Borden family dining room

A ghost hunting starter kit with two pieces of Ghost Daddy Ghost Hunting Gear and a lesson for two at US Ghost Adventures Ghost Hunting Course

The ultimate Lizzie Borden gift package, featuring an official hatchet, the Lizzie Borden board game, Lily the Haunted Doll, and America’s Most Haunted Volume II

Winner’s choice of a Ghost Tour experience in Salem or a True Crime experience in Boston for two

“Our Halfway to Halloween celebration provides fans an exhilarating taste of what’s to come this fall and empowers them to start planning for their favorite season as early as they please,” said Steven Silverstein, CEO of Spirit Halloween. “We have cultivated an incredible following of enthusiasts who embody the Halloween lifestyle, and we’re thrilled to bring the fun back to life.”

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Spirit Halloween is also preparing for their retail haunted houses. On Thursday, August 1 their flagship store in Egg Harbor Township, NJ. will officially open to start off the season. That event usually draws in hordes of people eager to see what new merch, animatronics, and exclusive IP goods will be trending this year.

'Civil War' Review: Is It Worth Watching?

Movies

’28 Years Later’ Trilogy Taking Shape With Serious Star Power

Published

20 hours ago

April 25, 2024

Timothy Rawles

Danny Boyle is revisiting his 28 Days Later universe with three new films. He will direct the first, 28 Years Later, with two more to follow. Deadline is reporting that sources say Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, and Ralph Fiennes have been cast for the first entry, a sequel to the original. Details are being kept under wraps so we don’t know how or if the first original sequel 28 Weeks Later fits into the project.

**Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Ralph Fiennes**

Boyle will direct the first movie but it’s unclear which role he will take on in the subsequent films. What is known is Candyman (2021) director Nia DaCosta is scheduled to direct the second film in this trilogy and that the third will be filmed immediately afterward. Whether DaCosta will direct both is still unclear.

Alex Garland is writing the scripts. Garland is having a successful time at the box office right now. He wrote and directed the current action/thriller Civil War which was just knocked out of the theatrical top spot by Radio Silence’s Abigail.

There is no word yet on when, or where, 28 Years Later will start production.