Lakeview Terrace (PG-13) 110 minutes C+
Fear, Loathing and Jungle Fever
Starring Samuel L. Jackson, Patrick Wilson, Kerry Washington, Eva La Rue, and Bitsie Tulloch
A racist cop (Samuel L Jackson) harasses the young interracial couple that moves in next door. This is a decent film by one of the best filmmakers around- Neil LaBute. But unfortunately the film doesn't live up to the standard of his earlier more provocative work.
Lakeview Terrace has shades of LaBute's misogynistic style but ultimately plays out like most films in the suspense/thriller genre. Samuel L. Jackson is fantastic, Kerry Washington is beautiful and Patrick Wilson is solid as always.
By no means is this a bad film, but there is nothing new or surprising. I recommend checking out some of LaBute's earlier films which are much more tantalizing and astute (see In The Company of Men or The Shape of Things).
This is definitely worth renting or seeing at your local second run/discount movieplex. Critic Roger Ebert loved this film, claiming that "it's a challenging journey LaBute takes us on. Some will find it exciting. Some will find it an opportunity for an examination of conscience. Some will leave feeling vaguely uneasy."
I found it entertaining but fairly mediocre...
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