Review of The Perfect Host (2010) by Adam C — 04 Jun 2013

Been in my Netflix queue for a while and finally got a chance to watch it earlier this evening. This is a clever suspense film with all sorts of twists and turns. The story is about a criminal on the run from the law who charmingly talks his way into coming inside a home that is occupied by a man getting ready to throw a dinner party.

It seems like the perfect hideout with some gracious gratitude, but the host is not all that he seems. David Hyde Pierce gives a sadistic and numerous performance as the host, Warwick Wilson. He has the eccentric personality of Niles (his character on Frasier) with his knowledge of wine, fascination of traveling and his squeamish cringes when he sees blood and the isolated schizophrenic mind of Norman Bates.

This is a modern day adaptation of 'Psycho' with many nods to the Alfred Hitchcock style of film-making. What's clever about this film is that you don't know if you're seeing the images in the film through the eyes of Pierce's character or through the eyes of the criminal as he is heavily drugged and intoxicated.

I strongly recommend giving this movie a chance. It's funny, crazy, diabolical and above all a very enjoyable experience.