Lakeview Terrace (2008)

User Rating:

6.4/10   

Director:

Neil LaBute

Writers (WGA):

David Loughery (screenplay) and
Howard Korder (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

19 September 2008 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

What could be safer than living next to a cop?

Plot:

An LAPD officer will stop at nothing to force out the interracial couple who just moved in next door. |

Plot Keywords:

Harassment | Racism | Lapd | Neighbor | Slashed Tire

US Showtimes:

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Cast

Samuel L. Jackson	...	Abel Turner
Patrick Wilson	...	Chris Mattson
Kerry Washington	...	Lisa Mattson
Ron Glass	...	Harold Perreau
Justin Chambers	...	Donnie Eaton
Jay Hernandez	...	Javier Villareal
Regine Nehy	...	Celia Turner
Jaishon Fisher	...	Marcus Turner
Robert Pine	...	Captain Wentworth
Keith Loneker	...	Clarence Darlington
Caleeb Pinkett	...	Damon Richards
Robert Dahey	...	Jung Lee Pak
Ho-Jung	...	Sang Hee Pak
Bitsie Tulloch	...	Nadine
Michael Sean Tighe	...	Manager

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for intense thematic material, violence, sexuality, language and some drug references.

Runtime:

110 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

UK:15 | Canada:13+ (Québec) | Canada:14A (Alberta/British Columbia/Manitoba/Nova Scotia/Ontario) | Singapore:PG | Argentina:13 | Philippines:PG-13 (MTRCB) | Australia:MA | South Korea:15 | Ireland:15A | USA:PG-13 (certificate #44057) | Denmark:15 | Malaysia:U

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Overbrook Entertainment

Trivia:

Lakeview Terrace is the name of the area that Rodney King was beaten by L.A. police in 1991. His name and famous line, "Can't we all just get along?" is also referenced in the movie.

Goofs:

Continuity: In the bar scene with Chris and Abel, the amount of whiskey (or whatever Chris is drinking) changes between shots.

Quotes:

[last lines]
Chris Mattson: I love you.
Lisa Mattson: I know.... I love you too.
Chris Mattson: The rest isn't important.
Lisa Mattson: [whispering] Shhhhh....
Chris Mattson: We're going to have a family.

Movie Connections:

References Watermelon Man (1970)

The Burbs in Color

Greetings again from the darkness. If director Neil LaBute's last film wasn't enough reason to boycott this film, surely the ridiculous trailer was, right? Well, not when one is addicted to movies and "Ghost Town" is the other weekend opener.

Besides, LaBute does have "The Company of Men" on his resume, though that is more than negated by "Nurse Betty". But c'mon, Samuel L Jackson as an angry, prejudiced, screw-loose cop? That's got to have some good moments, eh? Sure enough, the first 30-45 minutes of the film deliver the level of uncomfortableness that LaBute was after. Viewers struggle to tell if Jackson is truly well meaning or actually the world's worst neighbor.

The objects of his disaffection are Patrick Wilson and Kerry Washington, the interracial couple who move in next door. Jackson's menacing looks and words and his ability to flash a badge make for quite a nightmare for the two love birds.

The film starts out seeming to test our beliefs and opinions on race but then spins off the axis and winds up being almost as ridiculous as "The Wicker Man" ... I said ALMOST! The last 45 minutes, I pretty much just kept thinking to myself ... "are you kidding". The ending certainly could have been handled much better given the few moments of brilliance throughout the movie. Quite the cop-out (pun intended).