Saturday, June 25, 2016

The Ones Below (2016) - “Your paranoia is real”


The Ones Below is a suspicion thriller by director David Farr, about a couple living in a tenement that find out their new downstairs neighbors have something else in common with them, they too are with child. 

 

In The Ones Below David Farr tackles certain themes as in movies like Basic Instinct, Single White Female and Fatal Attraction but takes it down a more artful direction that leads to some scarier results. Using color tones to convey emotions and physical deterioration, adding a warmly charming baby themed film score that becomes increasingly ironic as the film goes on for a creepier experience. David Farr has a great sense for the tenement location, making it seem open yet claustrophobic constantly in sharp cornered up close shots, flawlessly done. Paired with cold quick scene cuts and character movements, paranoid flights of fancy and rollercoaster like emotional dread is accurately portrayed.

 

Clémence Poésy (the protagonist) does a perfect job, seeming sweet, demanding and naturally curious and all the while tortured without notice of trying. Laura Birn (the antagonist) is frightfully malicious while holding a defeated tone throughout the movie all the same.

 

Now even though The Ones Below is another entry in skeptic horror brought up with the same traits, the urgent acting and intriguing direction makes it all feel fresh as can be and you won’t be able to take your eyes off the suspense.

 

…….neighbor beware…….

 

-          Maurice Jones
 
 

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