THE PERFECT HOST is an odd film, complete with twists and surprises. Filmed in a mere seventeen days, it's occasionally static and sharp. The film opens with John Taylor (Clayne Crawford), a crook fleeing the scene of a crime. Newly rich, Taylor has an injured foot, and limps around Hollywood looking for a place to hide out. A series of flashbacks tells us that Taylor had an accomplice working from within the bank he just robbed, a woman he was involved with. She is nowhere to be found, and Taylor begins knocking on doors and making up stories. Eventually, he finds Warwick Wilson (David Hyde Pierce). After reading Warwick's mail, he has come up with a shrewd story, and passes himself as one of Warwick's friends' friends. He shadily deals with Warwick, who begins to catch on, but has some buried secrets of his own. In a twist that almost saves the film because it allows Pierce to craft a truly creepy and unique character, Warwick takes control, and tortures Taylor. We learn a few more things about the characters, and there are a host of new twists as the film progresses, but too occasionally, director Nick Tomnay loses control of the action on screen. There are accentuated bursts of cool, usually shown in the twists. But that's all THE PERFECT HOST is, and all it can really handle. Quiet moments are uncomfortable and contrived. Despite Pierce's performance, Clayne Crawford isn't a very good lead, and we don't really care about him. He would at least have to be charismatic for us to care.
The Perfect Host: ★★
No comments:
Post a Comment