The Resident (2011)

Studio: Image Entertainment/Hammer Films
Theatrical Release: February 18, 2011
DVD Release: March 29th, 2011
Rated R

Review by James Klein

Without sounding like a misogynist or a downright jerk, I need to choose my words carefully before I speak. Some suspense/horror films are made and aimed at women as the target audience as apposed to men. The Resident is one of those films. Borrowing heavily at times from films like Sleeping With the Enemy and Single White Female, I couldn't help but think of my wife or sister-in-law being on the edge of their seat, clutching a pillow and talking to the TV. Unfortunately for me, I couldn't stop looking at the clock wondering when the film was going to end.

After sitting on the shelf for over a year, The Resident was given an extremely limited release and has now come to DVD and blu ray. Hilary Swank plays Juliet, a doctor living in NYC who just got out of a bad relationship and is looking for a place to move in. When she comes across a fancy but very old apartment with a great price and a handsome landlord on top of it, she takes it in a heartbeat. Little does she know, her landlord is much like Norman Bates and he has a fascination with Juliet, a fascination that she doesn't know about.

The landlord is played by Jeffrey Dean Morgan who reminds me alot of an American version of  Javiar Bardem. Morgan is charming and sinister and is well casted for the role. Hilary Swank is always good and for those of you who REALLY like Swank, you do get to see a little more of her than you normally do. Christopher Lee has a small part as the bizarre grandfather of Morgan. His scenes are too short and the back-story of his character and Morgan's is so vague and briefly touched upon, I wonder if his character was ever really needed.  Being this is a Hammer film, I was really looking forward to seeing Lee return to the studio that made him famous but unfortunately his return is all too brief and insufficient.

My problem with this film is that I have seen these kind of movies so many times. It's the same movie over and over again, providing no scares or anything original. A man watching a woman while she sleeps just isn't frightening to me. However, I can see a woman being terrified over that thought and so maybe this film would be more enjoyed by the opposite sex. But for me, it does nothing but make me yawn. Even the climax of the film goes on way too long and continues the annoying cliché of the bad guy refusing to die, no matter how badly hurt he is.

The Resident is predictable and dull and even though the performances are strong, it is a forgettable movie.