Title: The Guest
MPAA Rating: R
Director: Adam Wingard
Starring: Dan Stevens, Maika Monroe, Lance Reddick
Runtime: 1 hr 37 mins

What It Is: Reeling from the death of their soldier son the Petersons are a very normal family. So when one day a drifter and forme military colleague of their son named “David” (Stevens) shows up they show him the uptmost hospitality. But there’s something sinister about David that no one seems to notice besides the Peterson’s overly suspicious daughter Anna (Monroe). What will she find out about him upon inquiring about him with the United States military? What mysteries will potentially dangerous skeletons in David’s closet will Anna find? Is he dangerous or just weird? What sort of person has been let into their home.

What We Think: This is a great movie. Not good, not serviceable, great. A true hidden gem in the 2014 calender. It was dumped uncerimoniously in the early autumn when nothing good really comes out, and then subsequentially forgotten about. Here’s the main thing you need to know… see this movie! Not only does director Wingard (You’re Next) nails the tone of the film perfectly. It has this 1980’s thriller feel while having elements of more contemporary horror/thriller films. Stevens is pitch perfect as the enigmatic David. He gets the nuances of the character in a way that draw the audience in to his every move. He’s almost serpentine in his calculation. Meanwhile relative newcomer Maika Monroe is more than just a “scream queen” sort. Really look forward to more from her in the future. The young man who plays her younger brother Luke is also pretty good in his limited role. The genius of Wingard’s direction stems from his ability to properly gauge how we are preceiving the characters, and that they are all fully fleshed out.

Our Grade: A, Top to bottom The Guest feels like a movie that cost double it’s budget. It’s unsettling tone heavied by the fantastic soundtrack which has been on repeat since the movie the film ended. I really hope all you Snobs out there will heed my advice and pick this one up when it hits Blu-Ray on the 6th of January here in the good ole U.S of A.

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