Stuck together in close quarters, usually at a remote house somewhere, a small group of people tell truths, play mind games, and watch their relationships (and lives) gradually unravel. It’s a genre as classic and variable as Polanski’s “Cul-de-Sac,” Albee’s “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?,” Peckinpah’s “The Osterman Weekend,” or Aronofsky’s “Mother!” And it almost always comes in one of two flavors: high-end psychodrama or low-end thriller.
The hooky thing about “The Rental,” the first feature directed by Dave Franco, is that in just 88 minutes the film exploits, and exhausts, more or less every possibility of the late-night-domestic-bull-session-in-hell pressure-cooker genre. It starts off as a shrewdly arresting four-hander about two couples spending a weekend getaway at a fabulous cliffside cottage along the Pacific Ocean — a kind of dark-and-stormy indie soap-opera noir on ecstasy. Then it evolves into a suspense drama of sex, lies, and (secret) videotape.
The hooky thing about “The Rental,” the first feature directed by Dave Franco, is that in just 88 minutes the film exploits, and exhausts, more or less every possibility of the late-night-domestic-bull-session-in-hell pressure-cooker genre. It starts off as a shrewdly arresting four-hander about two couples spending a weekend getaway at a fabulous cliffside cottage along the Pacific Ocean — a kind of dark-and-stormy indie soap-opera noir on ecstasy. Then it evolves into a suspense drama of sex, lies, and (secret) videotape.
- 7/20/2020
- by Owen Gleiberman
- Variety Film + TV
Similar News
Shazam! Fury Of The Gods Star Grace Caroline Currey To Lead Remake Of Wes Craven's The Breed
- 5/11/2024
- ComicBookMovie.com
Wes Craven Said Johnny Depp ‘Can’t Act’ When They Met
- 5/11/2024
- by Antonio Stallings
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Julie Plec Signs With CAA
- 5/9/2024
- by Lynette Rice
- Deadline Film + TV
A Delightfully Eccentric Vampire Movie: “Abigail”
- 5/11/2024
- by Martin Cid
- Martin Cid Magazine - Movies
Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire Sequel Officially In The Works; Shang-chi Writer To Pen Script
- 5/11/2024
- ComicBookMovie.com
Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire Sequel: MCU Writer Has Been Roped In To Write The Potential MonsterVerse Movie? Here’s All We Know!
- 5/11/2024
- by Esita Mallik
- KoiMoi
“We don’t believe you Donald”: Fans Refuse to believe Donald Glover After He Set the Record Straight on Reason Behind the Delay of ‘Community’ Movie
- 5/11/2024
- by Maria Sultan
- FandomWire
Beloved TV Shows With A Rough First Season
- 5/11/2024
- by Audrey Fox
- Slash Film
Donald Glover Addresses Rumor His Schedule Is Holding Up ‘Community’ Movie: “Everyone Is Hating On Me On The Internet!”
- 5/10/2024
- by Rosy Cordero
- Deadline Film + TV
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.
More to explore
Box Office: ‘Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes’ Makes $6.6 Million in Previews
- 5/10/2024
- by Jordan Moreau
- Variety - Film News
‘Red, White & Royal Blue’ Sequel in the Works, With Nicholas Galitzine and Taylor Zakhar Perez Returning
- 5/10/2024
- by Adam B. Vary
- Variety - Film News
‘Fantastic Four’ Casts Ralph Ineson as Galactus (Exclusive)
- 5/9/2024
- by Borys Kit
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
‘The Bear’ Season 3 Releases Teaser, Premiere Date
- 5/9/2024
- by Christy Piña
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
‘Baby Reindeer’s’ Alleged Real Martha Denies Stalking Claims on ‘Piers Morgan’: ‘I Didn’t Write Him the Emails…I Think He Probably Made Them Up Himself’
- 5/9/2024
- by K.J. Yossman
- Variety - TV News
‘Law & Order’ Bidding Farewell to Camryn Manheim
- 5/10/2024
- by Lesley Goldberg
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Frank Grillo Joins ‘Peacemaker’ Season 2 as Rick Flag Sr.
- 5/10/2024
- by Jordan Moreau
- Variety - TV News
‘Red, White & Royal Blue’ Sequel in the Works, With Nicholas Galitzine and Taylor Zakhar Perez Returning
- 5/10/2024
- by Adam B. Vary
- Variety - Film News
Marvel’s ‘The Fantastic Four’ Adds ‘The Witch’ Star Ralph Ineson as Galactus
- 5/9/2024
- by Katcy Stephan, Angelique Jackson and Adam B. Vary
- Variety - Film News
Justin and Hailey Bieber Expecting First Child
- 5/9/2024
- by Chris Gardner
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Olivia Wilde, Gregg Araki Team On Black Bear Thriller ‘I Want Your Sex’
- 5/9/2024
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Tatiana Maslany & Rossif Sutherland To Star In ‘Keeper’, The Next Film From ‘Longlegs’ Director Osgood Perkins; Neon Pre-Buys U.S. Rights & Will Launch Int’l Sales At Cannes
- 5/9/2024
- by Andreas Wiseman
- Deadline Film + TV
MTV Documentary Films Acquires U.S. Rights to Sundance #MeToo Doc ‘Black Box Diaries’ (Exclusive)
- 5/9/2024
- by Addie Morfoot
- Variety - Film News
Drew Pearce Thinks ‘The Fall Guy’ Twist Is ‘Tangible’: ‘A Lack of Carbs Is Very Damaging to Your Cognitive Processing’
- 5/11/2024
- by Harrison Richlin
- Indiewire
Jonny Greenwood on TikTok Fame of ‘Phantom Thread’ Score: ‘It’s Not Supposed to Be a Pastiche’
- 5/11/2024
- by Harrison Richlin
- Indiewire
Easterseals Disability Film Challenge Announces 2024 Winners
- 5/10/2024
- by Pat Saperstein
- Variety - Film News
Box Office: ‘Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes’ Makes $6.6 Million in Previews
- 5/10/2024
- by Jordan Moreau
- Variety - Film News
‘Red, White & Royal Blue’ Sequel in the Works, With Nicholas Galitzine and Taylor Zakhar Perez Returning
- 5/10/2024
- by Adam B. Vary
- Variety - Film News
Marvel’s ‘The Fantastic Four’ Adds ‘The Witch’ Star Ralph Ineson as Galactus
- 5/9/2024
- by Katcy Stephan, Angelique Jackson and Adam B. Vary
- Variety - Film News
Olivia Wilde, Gregg Araki Team On Black Bear Thriller ‘I Want Your Sex’
- 5/9/2024
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
‘Law & Order’ Bidding Farewell to Camryn Manheim
- 5/10/2024
- by Lesley Goldberg
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
‘The Bachelor,’ ‘American Idol’ Among Seven Unscripted Renewals at ABC
- 5/10/2024
- by Rick Porter
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
‘The Conners’ Renewed for Seventh and Final Season at ABC, ‘Not Dead Yet’ Canceled
- 5/10/2024
- by Joe Otterson
- Variety - TV News
Frank Grillo Joins ‘Peacemaker’ Season 2 as Rick Flag Sr.
- 5/10/2024
- by Jordan Moreau
- Variety - TV News
‘Shogun’ Nears Season 2 Renewal at FX as Star Hiroyuki Sanada Signs Deal to Return
- 5/10/2024
- by Ethan Shanfeld
- Variety - TV News