Back Away Slowly

Movie: The Perfect Host

My Rating: 4 stars

I really go for these smart, psychological thrillers because they rely on great writing in order to succeed.  Action thrillers with fast cars and big explosions do have their proper time and place.  It’s the same thing with the sort of horror films that use lots of blood and sudden surprises for their scares.  Those are good for when you’re in the mood for some mindless entertainment.  But, I will always love good writing.  You know, a well-planned story, clever plot twists, plenty of suspense.  Psychological thrillers usually feature all of these elements.  Plus, they typically don’t have too many of the other distractions (the cars/ explosions/ pretty ladies) that allow filmmakers to fake a good story.

I really like the premise for this film.  A dangerous criminal, “John,” is on the run from the cops, and they seem to be closing in on him.  So, he decides to break into someone’s home, and wait there until the police lose his trail.  In this case, he talks his way into the home of a delicate, middle-aged man, Warwick, who is just about to throw a refined dinner party.  John’s a tough guy, he has a weapon, and this mincing, little man doesn’t look too threatening, so he isn’t expecting to run into too much difficulty.  And, normally he wouldn’t.  It’s just that John has had the stunning misfortune of having chosen the one home in the neighborhood of someone more predatory than he.  As it turns out, Warwick is more than a little mentally unstable.  He’s a psychopath who enjoys luring bad men into his home for a little “fun.”  To have a victim delivered right to his doorstep, well that’s just a stroke of good luck.  It’s thug vs. psychopath.  Now, that’s an interesting story!  But, the plot isn’t as simple as that.  There’s plenty of dramatic irony, as the audience gets to watch each character learn new things about the other.  And, the action isn’t too linear, either.  I love how the script allows power to shift back and forth between these two men throughout the course of the evening.  This usually happens just as the viewers, themselves, learn something new about each man.  It’s quite suspenseful.

This is one of those films that has been pared down to the bare necessities.  Most of the action takes place on one set—the host’s house.  And, the dialogue between the two men drives most of the drama.  Although, the set isn’t as Spartan as those in some other films I’ve seen.  There are a few elaborate scenes thrown in for fun.  Sometimes I am disappointed with suspenseful films.  The worst is when they fail to deliver a strong ending after building up so much tension.  But, this film really pays off.  It has just the right amount of surprises and twists to be satisfying, but not enough to make the film feel too cheesy.  I recommend it.