The Rental
Dan Stevens, Alison Brie, Sheila Vand, Jeremy Allen White, Toby Huss
FilmInk rates movies out of $20 — the score indicates the amount we believe a ticket to the movie to be worth
…stunning cinematography, compelling performances, dark psychological aspects explored and an enigmatic ending…
The Rental is the debut feature film directed by actor Dave Franco (he also co-wrote the screenplay with indie filmmaker Joe Swanberg), a thriller/horror about two couples who book a weekend getaway, which turns into an Airbnb nightmare.
The film delivers a tense, albeit predictable, relationship drama, taking place in the eerie location of a stranger’s home, also exploring privacy issues that derive from the home’s hidden cameras, instilling feelings of dread in the viewer.
It’s essentially a psychological thriller with a sliver of violence and horror, exploiting the idea of stalking to the extreme, as a stealthy serial killer adds panic to the lives of our main characters Charlie (Dan Stevens), Mina (Sheila Vand), Michelle (Alison Brie) and Josh (Jeremy Allen White), who uncover secrets about one another that lead to further mental anguish.
For some horror fans, the film may prove disappointing due to the deliberate pacing and the lack of gore. For others, they will be impressed by the stunning cinematography by Christian Sprenger (Atlanta), compelling performances from all the cast, the dark psychological aspects explored and an enigmatic ending, which leaves plenty of room for a sequel.
