ALLIANCE OF WOMEN FILM JOURNALISTS

Female Film Critics 24/375

Reviews 

THE RENTAL – Review by Susan Granger

Susan Granger 0 Comments , , ,
0 Flares 0 Flares ×

Remember how you felt about going to a motel after seeing Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho? That’s the same vibe first-time director Dave Franco goes for with this horror/thriller, based in an Airbnb.

“The country is as divided as it’s ever been, and no one trusts each other,” observes Franco in the press notes. “Yet we trust staying in the home of a stranger simply because of a few positive reviews online.”

Charlie (Dan Stevens) and Mina (Sheila Vand) are business partners. To celebrate closing a major tech deal, Charlie plans a weekend getaway, renting a magnificent mansion perched on a rocky cliff with expansive Oceanside views.

Charlie’s married to Michele (Allison Brie, Dave Franco’s wife), while Mina’s dating Charlie’s rebellious, ex-con brother, Josh (Jeremy Allen White).

Trouble’s brewing immediately, since Josh and Mina insist on bringing their dog, Reggie, even though the lease agreement specifically forbids dogs. Plus, Mina’s furious that Charlie was able to reserve this secluded Airbnb while she, having tied earlier, was rejected; she’s convinced it’s racial profiling because her Iranian surname is Mahoumadi.

Mina immediately confronts their sinister ‘host’ Taylor (Toby Huss) with accusations of discrimination. Trying to defuse the situation, Michelle inquires whether it would be possible to get a telescope, and he agrees to bring one over.

Eager to liven up the party, Michele reveals she’s brought Ecstasy to share the following evening, but Charlie, Josh and Mina decide to drink & drug right away. When Josh passes out, Charlie and Mina climb into the hot tub and, predictably, nature takes its course.

The next morning when Michele and Josh go on a hike, Charlie and Mina beg off. Then Mina discovers a camera hidden the showerhead – with incriminating footage of their indiscretion. And they’re not alone. Someone’s stalking them.

Scripted by Franco and co-writer Joe Swanberg, it’s character-based, delving into the insidious relationship dynamic between the two couples.

On the Granger Movie Gauge of 1 to 10, “The Rental” is an exasperating 3, burdened by a disturbing, frustrating conclusion.

0 Flares Twitter 0 Facebook 0 0 Flares ×

Susan Granger

Susan Granger is a product of Hollywood. Her natural father, S. Sylvan Simon, was a director and producer at R.K.O., M.G.M. and Columbia Pictures; her adoptive father, Armand Deutsch, produced movies at M.G.M. As a child, Susan appeared in movies with Abbott & Costello, Red Skelton, Lucille Ball, Margaret O'Brien and Lassie. She attended Mills College in California, studying journalism with Pierre Salinger, and graduated from the University of Pennsylvania, Phi Beta Kappa, with highest honors in journalism. During her adult life, Susan has been on radio and television as an anchorwoman and movie/drama critic. Her newspaper reviews have been syndicated around the world, and she has appeared on American Movie Classics cable television. In addition, her celebrity interviews and articles have been published in REDBOOK, PLAYBOY, FAMILY CIRCLE, COSMOPOLITAN, WORKING WOMAN and THE NEW YORK TIMES, as well as in PARIS MATCH, ELLE, HELLO, CARIBBEAN WORLD, ISLAND LIFE, MACO DESTINATIONS, NEWS LIMITED NEWSPAPERS (Australia), UK DAILY MAIL, UK SUNDAY MIRROR, DS (France), LA REPUBBLICA (Italy), BUNTE (Germany), VIP TRAVELLER (Krisworld) and many other international publications through SSG Syndicate. Susan also lectures on the "Magic and Mythology of Hollywood" and "Don't Take It Personally: Conquering Criticism and other Survival Skills," originally published on tape by Dove Audio.