Across the Hall

This movie is filmed in a sort of strange manner. It is dark, not a pleasant film. It does mean it is not entertaining. But it really is not. Not only is it slow and painstaking, the characters are simple and unapealing. It certainly is not a blockbuster nor a movie that has an abundance amount of funds supporting it.

Do guys really take baths? Well, the movie's picture is totally unelaborate. It is not a colorful visual experience. The director mixes up the story line. The ending conversation is placed at the outset and the scenes intermingle but the script is not cohesive. It is not that original and is not as grasping as a Tom Clancy book-not even close.

Perhaps this director deserves a medal for making something though on such a tight budget.

This movie mainly occurs at a old hotel called The Riverview. It has alot of history apparently but that is just a backdrop. Danny Pino is Terry who is the husband. He suspects his wife is having an affair and this drives him to a demented place. It is a crushing blow for any spouse, but his reaction is unhealthy and perhaps criminal. Apparently he married the wrong person.

Brittany Murphy is June who is the wife. She still seems too young or looks too child like to be a wife. She is also unfaithful and her husband evidently did not detect his best friend had something for her before they were married.

Mike Vogel plays Julian who is not a good friend. This movie offers this as something worth speaking about, a little thrill to the audience. The movie begins with Terry and Mike having a strange conversation. When we know Terry is planning something diabolical it is revealed his friend Mike is the one who has slept with his wife. Oooo...

Mike is really terrible. Perhaps the worst one. He is willing to voluntarily sacrifice an innocent bystandard to possibly escape from his devious deed.

The only person I felt sorry for was the bellhop. He is treated disrespectful by his younger co workers and at times the main characters. Do hotels, or certain ones, stilll require that type of uniform to be worn? That hat seems pretty demeaning. Perhaps it is a certain east coast requirement or detail.

The very thin Natalie Smyka plays Anna and seems to be one of the few people in this film who makes correct decision. She does not want any part of this plan. When she kicks Mike out of her room, perhaps this saves her life.

Mike could have gotten away from this sin if he did not leave his phone in the room with June. Though one make escape the punishment of man, that is impossible to do with the Lord.

Brittany Murphy is still pretty, she has not changed one bit from 8 Mile. Too bad her character ends fatally. She did not measure the consequences of her actions though. Her husband is not afraid to go all the way in many aspects. Some wicked.

I am not sure what it would take for someone to enjoy a film with this type of flow and story lines. I did not. I would not pay for it. I would not even rent it. This music is devoid of any decent music or writing intrigue.

To be truthful though, this movie is still superior than Cage's Wickerman and Stallone's Judge Dredd. Across the Hall does have a twist at the end, or an ending that one may not assume or accurately detect. Perhaps there is some justice involved in what happened. But mortally eliminating another human for this reason, taking the law into one's hands in this instance, Terry will be judged eventually. It is unescapable. How does Danny gain the trust of the bellhop is beyond me? If it makes any sense, it is not worth my time to figure it out.

I allocate this movie one star.*