Ooooooh man. This movie happened.
Before I get into it though, quick weekend update. I obviously missed a movie yesterday do to work. Tomorrow, I’ll be on set all day for a short film shoot so that’s going to be another miss. Starting Monday though my time should free up a little so expect the continuation of 31 Days of Horror.
As always, I’m happy to take any recommendations. If it’s streaming, I’ll watch it. Or if it’s available at Redbox, that works too. Next weekend I’m hoping to catch Annabelle in the theater. I feel like I’m off to a really, really strong start this year. There’s been a streak of exceptionally weird in my first three watches of the month. Here’s hoping it keeps up!
I’m gonna keep this one short as I do need to be up pretty early in the AM. Ain’t no rest for the wicked…
The Guest, 2014. Dir. Adam Wingard, Written by Simon Barrett. Starring Dan Stevens, Sheila Kelley, Maika Monroe, Leland Orser, and Brendan Meyer.
Dan Stevens shirtless. Do I need to say anything else?
Oh fine, I will.
The Guest is the latest from director Adam Wingard and writer Simon Barrett. You may have seen their work in the V/H/S movies or in last year’s You’re Next. While I’m not a huge fan of V/H/S or V/H/S 2, if you’ve followed me for a while you know I really dug You’re Next. While not always consistent, it’s a great take on the home invasion flick. So after that, I counted myself pretty excited for The Guest.
Plus, Dan Stevens shirtless. I mean, seriously. Cousin Matthew is lookin good.
Really though, I dug this movie a lot. It’s a little weird, definitely creepy, and surprisingly funny. Maybe a lot weird. I know not everyone is appreciating the 80’s homage but I enjoyed it. There’s a wicked sense of humor happening here that I think makes the dark turn of the third act even more effective.
Dan Stevens. Man, Dan Stevens. Not even just shirtless Dan Stevens. Maybe it’s just that I’m so used to his Downton Abbey persona, the earnest, sweet lawyer whose love affair with Lady Mary was just epic. Seeing him here, there was something so off about David. His expressions, his little twitches. It’s not like it was a secret that there’s something wrong with him from the get go, that’s set up in the freakin title after all. That expectation is built from frame 1, the nature of his character is never the mystery. The Who and Why are what we don’t know.
As much as I love the cast of You’re Next, I think the the acting is really where the two films diverge. The Guest’s cast is really just that much stronger. Beyond the disturbing (and occasionally hilarious, always steamy) performance from Stevens, I thought Maika Monroe and Brendan Meyer were also great. As were their friends and enemies. Sheila Kelley is probably the weak link but her part is small enough that it didn’t hurt things for me. Oh yeah, and I love Leland Orser. Between this and Faults, that dude is doing awesome things. I just enjoy watching him, his onscreen presence is great.
I love the look of the film, the color, the shots of wide stretches of farmland that drive home the feeling of isolation, the whole design of the final climax is brilliant and ridiculous. The soundtrack is also great. I kind of want to download it for my drive home on Monday. Maybe I will.
Without getting into spoilers, there are a few reveals that are a little over the top ridiculous. The military sub-plot sometimes feels like it belongs in a different movie. It’s okay though, there’s so much that’s enjoyable here, the few little hiccups didn’t really ruin anything for me.
This movie really is just batshit crazy.
Also, Dan Stevens without a shirt. You’re welcome.
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