Disturbia

Rating:	★★★★
Category:	Movies
Genre:	Mystery & Suspense

I really liked Alfred Hitchcock’s “Rear Window”. I had to watch for a film class a few years back, and I loved the performances by Jimmy Stewart, Grace Kelly, and Raymond Burr. When I first saw the trailer for “Disturbia”, it felt like a younger, hipper version, but still seemed like “Rear Window” anyway. Therefore, I didn’t have such high expectations for this “remake”, but was still quite surprised to find myself enjoying it.

Kale Brecht (Shia LaBeouf) has become a troubled teen since he survived the car accident that cost his father his life. He punches out his Spanish teacher for insinuating his dad’s disappointment in his study habits, ending up under house arrest. His mother Julie (Carrie-Anne Moss) cancels his Xbox Live and iTunes subscriptions, then cuts off his cable TV to further punish him. He enjoys peeping at his sexy new neighbor Ashley Carlson (Sarah Roemer) and eventually develops a sexually-tense relationship with her. However, Kale notices disturbing thins about his neighbor Mr. Turner (David Morse). Suspicious of Turner, Kale, Ashey and his pal Ronnie (Aaron Yoo) dig up stuff on him, only to find Kale under more suspicion from the authorities. Is it all in his head, or is Turner more dangerous than he lets on?

LaBeouf is clearly becoming more of a lead actor with this film. After the success of “Transformers” and with a fine acting performance in “Disturbia”, the kid seems to have a good enough head on his shoulders to pick quality projects. He doesn’t come across as a whiny, annoying kid here, just somebody who’s got issues and has an overactive sex drive and imagination. Roemer plays the young ingénue who gets the boys’ blood running perfectly. Morse (who I’ve been watching since his “St. Elsehwere” days) has matured to the point that he can play creepy older men with aplomb. I’m just disappointed for the former Trinity, Carrie-Anne Moss. Apparently she’s gotten to the age where she can be tagged to play mother to a near-twenty year old. How quickly she’s fallen from Hollywood’s good graces!

Director DJ Caruso gives his own distinct spin to the “Rear Window” concept here, and does so quite successfully. He still has a good looking cast who just so happen to be good actors as well, and luckily his scriptwriters have come up with a well-paced, frenetic thriller. In this age where voyeurism via webcams and powerful telescopes are a reality, it’s kind of creepy how one’s neighbors, particularly in the suburbs, can just open their windows and learn all kinds of things about you. This could also lead to all kinds of wrong assumptions and assaults on one’s privacy, but that’s what helps lift “Disturbia” from the rest of today’s run of the mill slasher flicks.