Customer Reviews

Lakeview Terrace

5 star:		(20)
4 star:		(24)
3 star:		(18)
2 star:		(13)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

There's an inherent problem with making a movie of this kind: unless you're a creative genius of your time, these sorts of movies have the potential to turn real generic, REAL fast.

Reminiscent of Denzel Washington from Training Day, we see Samuel L. Jackson play an overly aggressive cop with an agenda, with the movie focusing on the problems he's causing for his new neighbors. A completely realistic situation that can take place anywhere. Problem is, because a movie like this is completely character driven, after you have the nice slow build up to the climax, once the tension snaps, you're relegated to basically a generically default final act of the movie where "the bad guy finally comes out of the proverbial shadows and literally chases the hero." (i.e. Disturbia, The Glass House). It's a shame too because the buildup on this was very good. Samuel L. Jackson was really scary here, he played that bullying, obsessive character perfect. The only acting problems I saw were 2-3 moments from Kerry Washington where her sad face was done poorly, with overly done lip quivers and facial movements (similar to Kirsten Dunst's crying scenes from the Spider-Man movies, except done in a BAD way).

With a movie like this, you pretty much have these possible outcomes:

1) the generic, semi-predictable ending (like we got here).
2) tragic ending with hero dying at the end.
3) an unpredictable twist coming out of left field (this has the potential to be very good or very bad).
4) a Great ending.

Unfortunately we usually get number one, since they wanna give the satisfying, safe, effective, tried and true, Hollywood ending. Most people are content with those types of cop out endings. I'm not.

Home ownership is still the American Dream. When newlyweds Chris and Lisa Mattson (Patrick Wilson and Kerry Washington) move into their first home together, they are understandably excited. Very quickly, that dream becomes a nightmare for both them and their neighbor, Abel Turner (Samuel L. Jackson).

Turner's a widowed Dad with two kids he's trying to keep out of the trouble he sees every day on the street. He's pretty strict, but it's just him parenting. And he's not too comfortable about the interracial couple who's just moved in the neighborhood.

Lisa and Chris can't sleep for the security lights Abel has around his home.

Abel's kids see Chris and Lisa having a sexual encounter in their poor.

Chris plays loud rap music driving up to his home--and throws the cigarettes his wife doesn't know he's smoking over on Abel's yard.

Okay, Abel's pretty heavy. He patrols the neighborhood and issues unsigned parking tickets to people over the line. Not everyone likes it.

Tensions mount as Abel gets in trouble on his job. Chris and Lisa aren't doing so well, either. Lisa wants to start a family, but Chris isn't so sure.

The film has fascinating character arcs for both Chris and Abel. Initially, neither person is fully at fault, but as relations continue to spiral downhill, the tit for tat gets more and more vicious and cuts closer to home.

Abel's character rivets you to your seat. You see him determined to make a good home and family and yet his life is spinning further and further out of control. Hate him/pity him, you will not be devoid of emotion when you see the man on the screen.

And are the Mattsons the happy couple they initially seem to be? As the story unfolds, duplicity on both sides is revealed. The honeymoon is definitely over.

While this story has been told before, I don't think the director could have chosen anyone better than Jackson to play Abel. He's what ultimately makes the film stand out.

Rebecca Kyle, March 2009

This movie movie brought out a lot of feelings people may have but are afraid to admit. I was very suprise by the end.

Lakeview Terrace was not a great movie, but it wasn't horrible either. It wasn't as much of a thriller as I thought it would be.
Sam Jackson is good in this, as are the other actors.
This movie is something you would watch if you had time to kill on a weekend afternoon and didn't want to think too much.

This was overall a really good movie. I found the majority of the plot to be original and creative. You basically have Samuel L. Jackson playing a neighbor who at first seems to be a good cop and family man that just likes his privacy but he quickly shows himself as something worse. Everyone knows the story so I'm not going to give everyone the 1000th summary of the movie. Basically I found myself at first thinking Jackson's character was a pretty decent guy and by the time the movie was over I was shocked at the dark side to this character. What started out as a minor dislike for his neighbors eventually turned into a hatred for them. No matter what they did, he wanted them out of that house and he would go to great lengths to make sure that happened.

This was one of Samuel L's best acting performances ever in my opinion. He does a great job of having you believe he's a good family man one minute and a crazy lunatic of a neighbor the next. It was interesting to see how he would react to different things the neighbors were doing and how far he would go. The movie certainly kept you guessing through most of it. The one downside for me as others have said was the ending which seemed predictable and bery un-original. A better ending and this movie would be a 5 star movie. It's still a great movie though and one I'll watch again as well as recommend to others.

This is a straight-forward thriller with no real big surprises. It has been done before in several film and now Sam L Jackson gets a shot on playing a bad guy. First, Sam's character isn't evil. He is actually a loving father, unfortunately he gets a kick out of being an authority figure. He is a blue collar guy who has a white collar couple (yuppies) move next door and he seems to have a real problem with that.
What I did like, is the husband's take on the whole black and white couple thing and how he felt being under society scrutiny as if he has something to prove.
I bought this blu-ray because I am a Sam L Jackson fan, the movie looks interesting and it is interesting, and just because it's a typical thriller (in my book) doesn't mean its not enjoyable. It is. The disc comes with some special features and the one I watched were the deleted scenes. You can tell why they were deleted. Some gave away too much too early and one particular scene, if kept in, wouldn't make sense. Lakeview Terrace is not a movie that needs to be seen on blu-ray. There are no special efx shots, or not real big majestic scenery scene, but since I have a blu ray, and a fan of Sam L, I decided to get it. This is a recommende rental in my book. Once seen, no real need to see it again. This isn't a bad movie, is not a great movie, but just and above average good movie. You've seen this plot/storyline done better in other films, but it didn't bored me. I wasn't looking at my watch to see how much longer. And it does look good in blu-ray format.

Ok, so racism comes in all forms... and it isn't dead.

This film is complex and well acted by all parties.

In the end, I would NEVER watch it again, it is just too uncomfortable.
but it is VERY successful in being uncomfortable.

and it is unpredictable.

it does hint at The House of Sand and Fog, whereas the home is a main character, as well complex human emotions surrounding how strongly we feel about our residence.

overall, this is a Great film, and quite effective, but really uncomfortable.

:)

TO start off with, I am a huge fan of Samuel L Jackson, and was really hoping this film would be better than it was. The pace is slow, due to the development of the characters no doubt, but it never seems to really take off. The new neighbors are a interracial couple and this does not set well with Jackson's character, who is once again a over zealous cop. First, I doubt any single cops in L.A raising two children live in a trendy little complex that this film is set in. Second, I found it hard to believe that of all the crime and violence he sees daily, the one thing that drives him over the edge is his neighbors, escpecially the interracial thing. To me it could have been better, but to each his own.

Good movie. Samuel Jackson takes you there and makes you want to slap him silly. Good cast. Makes you think about you own prejuidces about people living next door to you.

My wife and I saw this movie the other day and to be honest ever since I saw "Snakes on a plane" everytime I see a Samuel Jackson movie I can't help but think of how terrible that movie was. So I admit that I am a bit biased now when I see his movies.

But to be fair, the movie was good. It's the typical drama where you have a psycho neighbor. It wasn't what I thought the previews reflected, that being more horror/killer type. The movie was instead somewhat psychological with some terrible action. Throughout the movie we were both engaged and the movie wasn't half bad. Would I recommend watching this? Sure, it's entertaining and a decent movie when there is nothing else to watch. Would I buy it? Probably not as it's definitely not a "keeper" in my eyes.