Martin Donovan unlocks the doors to 'Apartment Zero'. Set in Argentina, he introduces the viewer to the bizarre world of Adrian (Colin Firth), his neighbours and his new housemate, Jack (Hart Bochner). Leading an isolated life struggling with the deterioration of his mother's mental health and financial difficulties while finding some comfort in his revival theatre, Adrian's life is about to change after the arrival of Jack. Even the neighbours, who're otherwise meeting everyday in the downstairs hallway to gossip, take a liking to Jack. Little do they realize that he's too good to be true but the audience already knows there's something fishy.
While the story sounds straightforward, there's plenty of awkwardness and twists going on and it just gets more bizarre as it nears the end. Donovan really manages to involve the viewer into this familiar yet strange unsettling world. I also liked how the director displays the homoerotic undertones without pinpointing the sexual identity of the two leads.
The screenplay is exceptionally well written. The dialogues are dark, funny and poetic. One that I particularly remember is the conversation between Vanessa and Jack after she's harassed at the theatre. When Jack asks her why she lowers herself, she answers him saying that she's already low and that she feels safe in the darkness that exists in this low place (or something to that effect). Another sharp dialogue I remember is one mentioned by Adrian, 'If that is a mask please take it off now, or keep it on forever'.
On the technical side, 'Apartment Zero' is pretty well crafted. The cinematography captures the mystery of the beauty of Argentina and the claustrophobic building of apartment zero. The score is very good and the lighting is first rate.
Hart Bochner does a fine job as Jack. Jack's charm, that he uses to seduce people, is effectively displayed but it is his smile that reveals to the viewer that there's something fishy about this guy. Of the supporting cast, James Telfer stood out to me the most as the transvestite who's confident enough with her own identity but is consequently rejected by others. The most outstanding performance comes from Colin Firth. Playing Adrian couldn't have been easy but Firth's nuanced portrayal of this complex character comes across as very natural on screen. Whether it's Adrian's gait, the changes in his facial expressions, his line delivery or his spontaneous reaction, Firth does it effortlessly.
'Apartment Zero' is an underrated classic. It's definitely recommended to those looking for something dark and twisted and different from the standard Hollywood fair. I'll certainly be paying this one a revisit.
While the story sounds straightforward, there's plenty of awkwardness and twists going on and it just gets more bizarre as it nears the end. Donovan really manages to involve the viewer into this familiar yet strange unsettling world. I also liked how the director displays the homoerotic undertones without pinpointing the sexual identity of the two leads.
The screenplay is exceptionally well written. The dialogues are dark, funny and poetic. One that I particularly remember is the conversation between Vanessa and Jack after she's harassed at the theatre. When Jack asks her why she lowers herself, she answers him saying that she's already low and that she feels safe in the darkness that exists in this low place (or something to that effect). Another sharp dialogue I remember is one mentioned by Adrian, 'If that is a mask please take it off now, or keep it on forever'.
On the technical side, 'Apartment Zero' is pretty well crafted. The cinematography captures the mystery of the beauty of Argentina and the claustrophobic building of apartment zero. The score is very good and the lighting is first rate.
Hart Bochner does a fine job as Jack. Jack's charm, that he uses to seduce people, is effectively displayed but it is his smile that reveals to the viewer that there's something fishy about this guy. Of the supporting cast, James Telfer stood out to me the most as the transvestite who's confident enough with her own identity but is consequently rejected by others. The most outstanding performance comes from Colin Firth. Playing Adrian couldn't have been easy but Firth's nuanced portrayal of this complex character comes across as very natural on screen. Whether it's Adrian's gait, the changes in his facial expressions, his line delivery or his spontaneous reaction, Firth does it effortlessly.
'Apartment Zero' is an underrated classic. It's definitely recommended to those looking for something dark and twisted and different from the standard Hollywood fair. I'll certainly be paying this one a revisit.