Post #5 - The Lodger

Please note this is a complete SPOILER and I am basically relaying how insanely stupid this movie was for your enjoyment. I suggest seeing the movie before reading this if you have any interest in it being surprise.

2009 Release
Directed by: David Ondaatje
Written by: David Ondaatje, Marie Belloc Lowndes
Starring: Alfred Molina, Hope Davis, and Shane West

I always get a little bit sad when I see really good actors trying to make a piece of shit movie something people would want to watch. I personally liked this movie because its so ridiculously convoluted and tried to smash 2 plot lines into 1 coherent story.

Story Line #1: Detective Manning (Molina) and his young spry partner Street Wilkenson (West) are hunting a serial killer in Hollywood who is targeting and murdering prostitutes Jack the Ripper style. Manning realizes quickly that the murders perfectly mimic a string of murders from a few years ago -the suspect in those crimes having been found guilty and executed. Did they make a booboo and fry the wrong guy? Or is Manning the killer?

Story Line #2: An mentally unstable wife and mother, Ellen (Davis), is trying to keep her shit together so her husband doesn't realize she's taking a walk back down Schizophrenia Lane. At the same time a mysterious and handsome man appears at her door requesting to rent out an apartment in the back of their house. Could this strangers appearance have anything to do with the murders?

I thought this movie was unnecessarily gory. The acting was pretty terrible given the cast. And I was disappointed in the ending twist. I think writing this review is making me depressed because it maybe could have been a good movie.

SO having said all that, I give this movie:

This movie could have been good but wasn't a complete piece of junk so I am somewhat reluctantly giving it a 2 hook. A part of me wants to give it a 3 and another part a 1 so I guess this is a good compromise. I guess I recommend it in a weird way, it was at least kinda different.