CINEMA: Lakeview Terrace

We’ve had plenty of neighbours from hell at the movies before, but probably none quite as self-righteous as Los Angeles’ policeman Abel Turner (Samuel L. Jackson). Woebetide the person living in Turner’s cul-de-sac who doesn’t park close enough to the kerb, or puts their rubbish out on the wrong day for he will take action against them.

When young, newly married couple Chris and Lisa Mattson (Patrick Wilson and Kerry Washington) move in next door they unwittingly unleash the worst of Turner’s wrath and before long there are arguments over lighting, over bushes in the garden, and even over cigarette butts in the driveway. With flash forest fires descending on LA it looks like Chris in particular is about to ignite Turner’s fury, and once he does neighbours are going to turn into the bitterest of enemies.

Director Neil LaBute is well known for the bile and angst in the films he writes himself (such as In The Company Of Men), but he didn’t write the screenplay for Lakeview Terrace and it shows. Although the movie is slick, looks amazing and is well put together, it burns with a slow fuse, taking far too long to reach combustion point and when it does finally burst into flames the storyline is pushed just that one step too far beyond. Samuel L. Jackson does control-freak psycho well (I wouldn’t want to mess with him) but Patrick Wilson’s character Chris is really no match for him which makes the final showdown a bit damp.       Dee Pilgrim

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