Lakeview Terrace

Samuel L. Jackson returns to the big screen after a brief performance in Ironman, (so brief that it was uncredited), and plays Able Turner, an LAPD police officer who’s problems step from the sadness he feels for the loss of his wife.  Turner is an ultra conservative man who tries everything that he can to force the inter-racial couple living next door to move out.  The couple (played by Patrick Wilson and Kerry Washington), try everything the can to put up with Turner, including talking to him, putting up an artificial wall made of trees, and even adding floodlights to the side of their house.  Then one night, when both men are sick of each other, they meet (unintentionally) at a bar and the auidence learns of Turner’s reasons for his attitude.  Apparently, three years ago to the day, Turner’s wife was supposed to be at work when she was in a car accident with her white boss.  Ever since that night, Turner’s views on inter-racial couples have been skewed.  The film ended the way I wanted it to, but not the way I was expecting it to, my analysis is below.  Here is the thatrical one-sheet from the film:

The theatrical one-sheet for Lakeview Terrace

I went to see this movie with my girlfriend.  One of the many things that I like about her is that she likes the horror/thriller genre of movies, so I always have someone to go see the scary stuff with.  Lakeview Terrace is definately a thriller, and I don’t think I’d go see it again.  Both my girlfriend and I thought there were a lot of plot holes.  For instance, at one point Turner and Wilson’s character Chris are fighting through the fence, and Chris strikes his wife Lisa.  Weather this was done with a purpose or it was an accident, I’m not sure, but nothing is every said of the hit after the fact.  I also didn’t like the negative viewpoint that the movie sheds on Conservatism.  Turner is an extreme conservative, and does many things with which I disagree, but at one point he’s talking to his daughter about a world without rules and how bad it is, and that little shpeel I can agree with.  Two seconds later, Turner smacks his daughter to the ground, and I’m thinking, “that wasn’t neccesary.”  Overall I’d only give this film a 2 out of 5 stars for the plot holes and the inconsistancies that the film fails to address.