Disturbia
Directed by D.J. Caruso
Screenplay by Christopher B. Landon
2007
Dreamworks SKG
Rated PG-13
Plot Summary:
While 17 year old Kale is driving, a horrible accident occurs, leaving his father dead. One year later and Kale is still devastated by loss, and increasingly troubled. After punching a teacher in the face he is placed on house arrest for the summer. With no cable or X-Box and tons of time, Kale becomes a studious voyeur of his neighbors. This results in a tentative romance with the girl-next-door, but leads to other less fortuitous scenarios with the man-across-the-way. With the region-wide hunt for a serial killer on the loose occupying the headlines, Kale becomes convinced it is his next-door neighbor.
Critical Evaluation:
The film's story and sympathies can be tied directly to the famous Hitchcock film Rear Window, wherein a man recuperating from injuries entertains himself by watching his neighbors from his apartment window. Like Scotty in the earlier film, Kale becomes convinced his neighbor is a murderer. The plotline reflects the suspense, tension, and boredom found when a man is left to his imagination and immobility. However, Disturbia is no mere homage, and Caruso very ably lingers on the fear and impossibility experienced when the rug is suddenly swept out from under you. Though Kale's suspicions are somewhat obviously confirmed midway through the film, the rhythm and the tension produce a highly likable and suspenseful murder mystery.
Viewer's Annotation:
Kale can't shake the tragic death of his father. When he is placed under house arrest for assault, he begins believing there is violence all around him. Is Kale right, or delusional?
Genre:
Mystery/Suspence
Director Info:
Caruso's most notable film prior to Disturbia, was his Salton Sea, a cult classic starring Val Kilmer. He has been a director-for-hire for various television shows, including The Shield and Smallville.
Filmtalking Ideas:
*Are Kale's troubles rooted in his inability to deal with the loss of his father?
*Does the film's trajectory ever allow any sort of catharsis concerning Kale's loss?
*Will a girlfriend and a solved murder resolve Kale's problems?
Viewer Level/Interest Age:
13 and up.
Challenge Issues:
Film is rated PG-13 for violence and language. Some scenes hint at very macabre scenarios, but little is glimpsed. This and the film's rating render challenges rationally answerable. Further, its presence is unlikely at a school library, while more likely to be found at a public library.
Why Include?:
I have always been curious about the top-selling, Vertigo knock-off, and I wasn't disappointed.
