Lakeview Terrace

 

Lakeview Terrace 2008

• Director: Neil LaBute
• Seen by this director: Nurse Betty
• Based on the novel: no
• Cast: Samuel L Jackson, Patrick Wilson, Kerry Washington
• Personal “oh yeah him/her” reaction, i.e. have seen this actor in:
• Samuel L Jackson – 51^st State, Glass, The Hateful Eight, Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, Django Unchained, Jumper, 1408, Star Wars, Kill Bill, Changing Lanes, The Red Violin, Jackie Brown, The Long Kiss Goodnight, True Romance, Jurassic Park, Pulp Fiction, Jungle Fever, Mo’ Better Blues, Sea of Love, Do the Right Thing
• Patrick Wilson – The Conjuring, Prometheus, Phantom of the Opera, Angels in America
• Kerry Washington – Django Unchained, The Miracle at Santa Ana, The Dead Girl, The Last King of Scotland, Ray, The Human Stain, The United States of Leland, Save the Last Dance
• Why? Samuel L Jackson
• Seen: 31 January 2023      

       Widowed LA cop Abel (Jackson) is strict with his two resentful kids. A new couple Lisa (Washington) and Chris (Wilson) move in next door in the comfortable suburb. Abel doesn’t like the fact that Chris is white. He is jovial and smiley and vicious.

       There is a lot of tension in this complex story. There are difficult racial, gender and political issues. It’s no doubt realistic but it’s also hateful, and whatever point it’s trying to make, it’s not made.

       The whole neighbourhood will probably go up in flames anyway as there are repeated references to the approaching forest fires.

       It wallows in poison. The acting is good (can SLJ be anything but good?) but I just don’t like the film.

2 ½ * of 5

PS Personally I’m cheering for the forest fires, nature’s way of fighting back against greed and crimes against the environment.