Director: Paul McGuigan
Writers: Gilles Mimouni, Brandon Boyce
Production Companies: MGM, Lakeshore Entertainment
Stars: Josh Hartnett, Diane Kruger, Matthew Lillard, Rose Byrne
Genre: Drama/ Mystery/ Romance
What It’s About: A young Chicago advertising executive believes a woman he sees in a café is his long-lost love. His conviction leads to obsession, as he puts his life on hold to trail her. (From IMDB) A remake of the French film L’Appartement from 1996.
How I Watched It: Alone in my apartment.
Thoughts: **The following review will contain spoilers!!**
I don’t feel that bad about spoiling this one, considering it’s 10 years old. However, I managed to not have it get spoiled for me, so I’ll extend you a warning.
A young up-and-coming advertising exec, Matthew (Hartnett), is about to take off on a business trip to China, however, while out for a farewell dinner he thinks he spots a long-lost love. So, instead of taking off on the plane like he’s supposed to, he basically starts stalking this girl. Instant creep factor. He hears her talking on the phone, and (even though he doesn’t really see her) he assumes it’s actually her. He investigates the phone, and finds a hotel key…and he TAKES it. Then he actually goes to the hotel room and lets himself in.
What the hell, man!? Why would you do that? Even if this is some long-lost lover, wouldn’t you be worried about creeping her the fuck out?! He ends up passing out on the hotel bed because he had taken some pills to relax for his flight. Then we get flashbacks of the estranged lover, Lisa (Kruger). Turns out, their relationship started out by him basically stalking her, so maybe she wouldn’t be creeped out by his most recent actions. Weirdos.
He wakes up, steals a compact and a newspaper clipping from her hotel room, then he’s off to consult with his good buddy Luke (Lillard). After Matt explains the previous night, I don’t know why the hell he doesn’t stop him. Seriously. Friends don’t let friends stalk. Buuut anyway, Matt continues on trying to find Lisa. He goes to pretty great lengths. Eventually, he thinks he finds her apartment. He sees a man (the one in the article he found in the hotel room) leaving a note and rose at her door. Turns out the note also had a key to her place in it, and he just slid it under her door…within reach of any crazy person who happens to come upon it. Smart. So, of course, Matt retrieves the key and just lets himself into the apartment. He leaves a note for her to meet him at their usual spot the next day. He goes, no one shows up.
So, then he goes back to the apartment. While trespassing, the homeowner walks in. He goes to approach her only to find that….GUESS WHAT?! It’s not her! It’s another Lisa (Byrne). Then, instead of beating him upside with the statue she armed herself with, or calling the police, she eventually invites him to stay…then she sleeps with him. What. The. Fuck. Just. Happened. This isn’t real life.
Well, after a bunch of crazy, unexpected twists and turns, we come to find out that it’s not real life. The movie just begins to unfold in completely mind-fucking ways. Completely caught me off guard. To summarize very quickly: Rose Byrne’s character is actually named Alex. That’s not her apartment. She actually lives across the way in a building that faces it. Turns out, that she’s friends with the real Lisa. The real Lisa has been staying in Alex’s apartment because some guy (the one who left the note and rose) won’t leave her alone. At first, I just thought that Alex got caught up in this at the end of the story. Turns out, she was in love with Matthew before Lisa and him ever even met, and she’s been plotting and stalking him ever since. Holy shit. Basically, she kept these two apart for nearly two years. Oh, and there’s also the twist that Alex is dating Luke/using him to get to Matthew.
In the end, everything is revealed to everyone, and Matthew and Lisa have a touching reunion in the airport while Coldplay plays in the background. XD
Wow. This movie really surprised me. Had no idea what I was in for. I will say that I knew something was wrong with Rose Byrne’s character right away. Before she meets Matthew at the apartment, there’s a scene where Luke goes to see her at a play rehearsal. She’s got stage makeup caked on her face and hair, but I knew it was her right away. Had I watched this movie when it came out (and wasn’t familiar with Rose Byrne), I might have been even more surprised at that reveal later on. But even then, I didn’t know the extent of the deception.
If I had one complaint about this movie, I would say that I wish this movie edged more toward a horror movie, as opposed to the creepy romantic movie it turned out to be. Not to say that I didn’t enjoy it as it is, but I just tend to be drawn toward those types of movies, and really had a feeling that it was going in that direction. Only slightly disappointed that it didn’t.
Great casting all around. Hartnett was excellent. He really walked the fine line between creepy and romantic very well. Byrne was phenomenal in this. But really, I think I’m so drawn to her character because of the way she was written/directed. Just great storytelling. The way they show all of the times that she was there, but overlooked in flashbacks was wonderful. Makes me wanna go back and re-watch and try to spot her.
My Rating: Huzzah!!
At first, I was just creeped out and confused, but once the pieces starting falling into place, I couldn’t tear my eyes away. Great movie. Wish I would have watched it sooner.
Where Can I Watch It?: Available on Netflix instant, Amazon Instant, Showtime Anytime, iTunes
Terflix 