‘This will never be over…’
I really like Joe Swanberg. I suggest you go and check out Easy on Netflix, Swanberg’s low key anthology series that focuses on sex and relationships. Swanberg has worked with everyone from Mark Duplass to Marc Maron (and other people not named Mark), as well as Dave Franco – brother of James. It is the latter partnership that has wrought The Rental, a horror thriller that sees Swanberg sharing writing duties with Franco, who also directs.
Charlie (Dan Stevens) and Michelle (Alison Brie) take a trip to a secluded cabin in the woods, along with Charlie’s brother Josh (Jeremy Allen White) and his girlfriend (and Charlie’s work partner) Mina (Sheila Vand). A missing dog and a racist host (Toby Huss) turn out to be the least of the quartets troubles.
The Rental is two films co-existing at the same time. At one end, it is a character study that examines work place relationships and the dynamics shared by siblings, and to this end, The Rental is a success. The love triangle at the centre of the movie is both compelling and realistic, and the talented cast sell it wonderfully. Brie is particularly effective as the woman scorned, but all four main cast members do a great job.
Running alongside this romantic entanglement is an ominous feeling of unease that becomes more and more prominent as the movie unfolds, screaming to a crescendo in the final act. It is a difficult balancing act to combine all of these elements into a satisfying whole, but Franco and his cast manage it, through a mix of familiar horror tropes and unfamiliar relationship dynamics. In lesser hands, this whole thing could have become a little messy, but Franco and Swanberg are experienced enough story tellers to be able to dovetail two different genres, and still come up with a show stopping conclusion in less than 90 minutes. No small feat.
The Rental won’t be for everyone. But for fans of more low key horror fare like Creep or even Halloween, Dave Franco’s film will be a rare treat. One of those horror movies that gets under your skin and crawls around for a while…