Saturday, October 17, 2009

Day 16 - Right at Your Door



Day 16's selection was a movie I've been wanting to see for quite a while - having heard positive things about it - but a little hesitant just the same. I like my horror based in a certain amount of fantasy -and Right at Your Door is, sadly, a film that portrays circumstances that aren't as far fetched as we might like to think.

A husband and wife (Brad and Lexi) start their day just like all their other days - he is a stay at home struggling musician, and she is the breadwinner of the family. Except this particular day terrorists decide to strike......leaving a layer of toxic dust to cover the city. People in their homes are advised to seal off their homes and stay inside.

Brad (Rory Cochrane) faces a dilemma - to seal off the house or wait for his wife to get back? When he is unable to reach her by phone, he has to make a decision - or risk getting exposed himself. Adding to the chaos, the neighborhood handyman Alvaro (Tony Perez) has taken refuge inside the house as well.

Alvaro and Brad set about sealing off the house, and just when they finish, guess who shows up? Lexi (Mary McCormack) is home, covered in dust, and wants back in the house.

If Brad had just let Lexi in the house, we'd have an entirely different kind of movie. But it isn't that simple, and what follows is impossible to watch without asking yourself - what would I do? What would your loved one want you to do? Or - if you were the person stuck outside - what would you want to have done?

It's not an easy film to watch - it's often tense and uncomfortable, and at times, it's downright irritating. But it's still a well-done, thought provoking film - something we don't get often enough.

2 comments:

Jumbo's Lezis said...

I got this a couple of years ago, seen it about 4 times since then, mainly from showing it to other people. It was a great movie, makes you wonder the decisions you would make if put in a situation like this. Again very good movie, I am all for the "end of the world" scenario. This is hard to watch, but it doesn't top Testament, which made my eyes water.

Viking Wolf Woman said...

I agree, it was simple and scary and very emotional - they did a lot with a little. Also it pretty much leaves it to us to fill in what the attack actually looked like and what happened - and the ending, wow. I never saw that coming. I didn't want to say too much about it in the review and give anything away.

definitely a film to stimulate conversation with.