The Rental - Review

Slow burn thriller starts slow, but pays off by the end

iFC Flims

Director: Dave Franco

Writers: Dave Franco, Joe Swanberg

Starring: Alison Brie, Jeremy Allen White, Shelia Vand, Dan Stevens

Info: R 1hr 28min Thriller, Horror iFC Flims July 24, 2020

Grade: 3½ of 5 stars

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The Rental is the freshman directorial debut by Dave Franco, brother to 127 Hours actor James Franco. A solid freshman outing Franco take an Hitchock-ian approaching, choosing to let the tension build for the audience as the characters provide melodrama unaware of the impending danger the will inevitably confront.

Charlie (Dan Stevens) and his business partner Mina (Shelia Vand) decide to go on double-date vacation with their respective partners Michelle (Alison Brie) and Josh (Jeremy Allen White), who is also Charlies brother.

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When the couples arrive at the beautiful cliffside home they are greeted by the groundskeeper. After an off putting exchange the group goes about enjoying their stay. but drama among the couples heats up crating a fog that hides the peril.

The suspense is built up well, if not a little slowly early on, and once things get moving really well. The acting is good enough to be believable and Franco has shown enough of a spark here to suggest he is an up and comer to watch for in the future.

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