7/10
People definitely had hangups back in the day, people definitely have'em now
5 February 2023
Warning: Spoilers
Ok, this will require quite a suspension of disbelief, because everyone - I mean - grown *** men behave like like if they were the size and age of middle school pupils in the presence of 2 mildly dangerous, and not the least intimidating thugs.

The one playing the "psycho creep" is quite effective, while the "knucklehead" is, while a supporting role, gives some depth to all the characters, however this isn't without some funny moments where there Psychopath is putting on his maximum creep and being incredibly passive aggressive

> I'm tryin' to set up a business here like if that's how people used to talk in the 1960ies I'm not surprised that they missed tons of serial killers

>Hey lady hire me to do your plants.

> Or you know, I just mighta murder you > After all, I've godda landscaping bizness to run

This is an otherwise an effective home invasion thriller with some innovative camerawork making the spectator commingle with the criminals, becoming a sort of voyeristic criminal oneself, however this choice wasn't followed through to the end, presumably because this all - including the very mild, but effective suggestiveness, was a bit too much for the pre-Summer-Of-Love Mental Liberation Holywood.

The end is clichéd and conventionally moral, especially with the "Are you hurt?" and the wife's "I was , but now I am okay" reply, however, this is open to interpretation, as titles roll and it's very clear that what's being portrayed is a doomed, possibly manipulative and abusive relationship of a husband who's 20 years older than his wife, all the while under the fig leaf of the suitably-aged explanation that he met her "in school" when she was "just 19". And then "he went to Chicago".

This segment just made me guffaw out loud, because of all the implications of the unsavory realities of that bygone era and even not such a remote period of time, that we now know of, for certain.

Overall, an effective thriller whose message have changed over time and which will probably remain a classic.
0 out of 1 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink

Recently Viewed