Disturbia

Review:

Director: D.J. Caruso

Starring: Shia LaBeouf, Sarah Roemer, Carrie-Anne Moss, David Morse

Kale (LaBeouf) had it good. His life involved playing video games, watching TV and surfing the web. He could do what he wanted, when he wanted. However, the plain sailing has long since stopped for the teenager who ran off the rails when his dad died a year earlier. After punching his Spanish teacher, Kale finds himself under house arrest for three months, with prison just a wrong step away.

As punishment, Kale’s mother (Moss) removes his possessions, leaving him with only the goings on in his street for entertainment. With the help of some binoculars, recording equipment and his best friend Ronnie, Kale becomes the ‘peeping Tom’ of the neighbourhood. He soon sees more than he bargained for, including Ashley (Roemer), the new girl next door, who catches him in the act. Together, the trio chart the goings on of their neighbours, from mundane daily routines, to affairs with house-maids, though nothing can prepare them for what they think they witness at Mr Turner’s (Morse).

What started off as a fun spy game rapidly transcends into a stakeout, and they know they’re not the only ones doing the watching. Kale decides that the time to act is upon them, but without any concrete evidence, who’s going to believe a young convict and his friends? They need proof, though getting it could well be the last thing they ever do.

Akin to its inspiration, Rear Window, the film uses paranoia and fright, coupled with the unknown, to make it a thoroughly worthwhile suspense thriller. However, this is no rip-off update of the Hitchcock classic. Most new films of this genre rely on a concoction of over the top gore and sex appeal which end up colliding in an unbelievable mush. Disturbia brings together solid acting, where body language is as important as dialogue, to share with you the emotions of those on screen.

LaBeouf is undoubtedly the star of the piece, as the withdrawn teenager for whom things won’t go right, with a performance indicating how prominent an actor he may be over the next decade. Add to this a sensual yet girl-next-door performance from newcomer Roemer, a typically strong cameo by Moss, and a wonderfully creepy performance from Morse of the “is he, isn’t he?” bad guy ilk, and Disturbia is an undeniably entertaining nerve-jangler and a must see.

Robert Gardner