Review of The Rental (2020) by Rakib0301 — 24 Jul 2020

Loved the movie.Marking Dave Franco's directorial debut, this sharp, engrossing horror-thriller gets by with no supernatural elements, relying entirely on scarily believable human behavior and intrusive technology. Working from a screenplay co-written by Franco, Joe Swanberg, and Mike Demski, Franco creates tension right away in The Rental with his human tableaus. Even the (sometimes dark) humor is designed to throw things off-balance. The very first shot shows Charlie and Mina leaning together over a computer monitor in such a familiar, comfortable way that we may immediately assume that they're a couple.

Everything in the movie is staged in a way that creates tension and dislocation, from Taylor's underlying racism and his sly way of deflecting it to Michelle being out-of-step with the other three. Michelle is the only one interested in going on a hike, and she takes ecstasy alone on Saturday night, becoming a kind of quirky comic relief and also a catalyst for more disaster. Brie and Franco are married in real life, and he's given her a rich role here that plays to her talents. Plus, Franco manages to comment on technology in a way that's subtle and not overbearing. He doesn't go easy on his characters, and he finds an ending that clicks into place with a true shudder. In essence, The Rental is a must-see thriller, both smart and unsettling.