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Lakeview TerraceClaudia PuigAnyone who has ever had an annoying neighbor will see their worst nightmares fulfilled in the overheated but entertaining Lakeview Terrace. Samuel L. Jackson plays a fearsome neighbor from hell. Not only is he a menacingly angry man who vents his bitterness in increasing bouts of irrationality, but he seems to have the law on his side. He's a cop, besides being an overbearing father and an off-putting party guest. The movie is better than the stock thriller that ads would suggest, but by the end, it devolves into standard-issue potboiler. It's a flawed suspense drama, but an ambitious one that delves often unflinchingly into issues of race, politics and class. Jackson's performance is mesmerizing. Patrick Wilson is a bit of a lefty cliche: a Berkeley grad who drives a Toyota Prius, works for an environmentally conscious grocery chain and listens to rap music. Jackson is stereotypical as well, playing a right-wing LAPD tough guy. There's a "Can't we all just get along?" Rodney King reference in the dialogue, and the film's title also is an allusion to that event. Lakeview Terrace is the area in Los Angeles where King's 1991 altercation with the police took place. The only one who seems not as categorizable is Kerry Washington, who plays Wilson's wife. Jackson, a domineering single dad, resents the free-thinking interracial couple. One of the best scenes is also one of its subtler ones. In an early effort to be neighborly, the couple invite him to a housewarming party, where he puts off the guests by belittling their political views and growing aggressive when one of the guests registers disgust. Director Neil LaBute (In the Company of Men) has explored misogyny, sexism and infidelity in his films, so tackling racism seems logical. But while the story might spur discussion on an important subject, the film ends up following a formulaic route. As social commentary, it doesn't go deeply enough, and as a psychological thriller, it peters out in silliness. ?? Copyright 2008 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Co. Inc. |
