Desperate, drug-addicted, and homeless, Kelly (Gabriella Wilde) and Jonas (Thomas Dekker) have a random stroke of luck and find themselves squatting in the lavish home of the wealthy Silvermans, who are vacationing in Greece. Jonas rationalizes that it should be their privilege to do this because rich people are all corrupt pigs anyway, but Kelly watches the Silvermans' home movies and finds them to be more tragically ordinary and human than Jonas will ever realize. Jonas gets a little too eager and greedy with the Silvermans' expensive jewelry and cars, arranging a lucrative deal with a dangerous racketeer, and to tell you any more would be spoilous.
SQUATTERS is well-acted by just about everyone involved, with especially memorable performances by Wilde and Luke Grimes as Michael Silverman. Some other reviewers have criticized its Hollywood-slick portrayal of life's underside in L.A., and it could have shown a bit more sympathy in that area, but what it does show seemed pretty realistic to me. The general cinematography is excellent, with some really pretty south Cali scenery.
On the other hand, the transformation that Kelly and Jonas make is pretty unconvincing, as are certain other things, e.g., Jonas's safe-cracking abilities, and wouldn't the maid be coming by occasionally? The ending's somewhat rushed plus a little too neat, easy, and Peter Pan for many tastes. Overall, it just seems that the directors and writers could have made a little more-in-general happen here.
Still, SQUATTERS does have some interesting turnabouts and nice old morals to it. The fine acting and expert production help compensate for some of the basic flaws to the story, and I like the way it left me rooting for both Kelly/Jonas and the Silvermans.
SQUATTERS is well-acted by just about everyone involved, with especially memorable performances by Wilde and Luke Grimes as Michael Silverman. Some other reviewers have criticized its Hollywood-slick portrayal of life's underside in L.A., and it could have shown a bit more sympathy in that area, but what it does show seemed pretty realistic to me. The general cinematography is excellent, with some really pretty south Cali scenery.
On the other hand, the transformation that Kelly and Jonas make is pretty unconvincing, as are certain other things, e.g., Jonas's safe-cracking abilities, and wouldn't the maid be coming by occasionally? The ending's somewhat rushed plus a little too neat, easy, and Peter Pan for many tastes. Overall, it just seems that the directors and writers could have made a little more-in-general happen here.
Still, SQUATTERS does have some interesting turnabouts and nice old morals to it. The fine acting and expert production help compensate for some of the basic flaws to the story, and I like the way it left me rooting for both Kelly/Jonas and the Silvermans.