It May Be Their House for the Weekend, But They’re Not the Only Ones

From left: Dan Stevens, Sheila Vand, and 
Jeremy Allen White in "The Rental" 
Photo Credit: Imdb.com

Some of the boldest entries in the horror genre of the last few years came from well-known actors who wanted to make their filmmaking visions seen, with those examples being Jordan Peele’s “Get Out” and “Us,” and John Krasinski’s “A Quiet Place.”  Not only did these films solidify new moviemaking talents, but they’ve become some of the best offerings from the horror genre that we’ve seen in a while.

Now, actor Dave Franco makes his directorial debut with the horror film, “The Rental,” and while this movie doesn’t quite reach the heights of those aforementioned movies, he’s still able to provide a fun update to the cabin-in-the-woods angle for the Airbnb generation.  

The story follows two young couples who rent a seaside home for a weekend getaway, only to find out that they’re being watched.

The four leads, who are played by Dan Stevens, Alison Brie, Sheila Vand, and Jeremy Allen White, aren’t given characters that are exactly three-dimensional, but they still exhibit a fine chemistry that draws us into their friendship, and then their fight for survival.  Their characters might not be too engaging, but their committed performances help in keeping this movie from being a disposable entry in the genre.

While the screenplay by Franco and Joe Swanberg is rather thin, it does well in terms of playing with your expectations a bit, with the film unfolding as more of a relationship drama as secrets are kept and revealed amongst the two couples.  Although there are horror elements that offer some chills during this portion of the movie, they aren’t in your face.  Instead, they take a back seat to the drama between the characters, slowly easing their way forward as the movie reaches its purely horror segment.  By the time we arrive at that part of the story, it never seems jarring because of the story having taken its time to transition between the two tones.  Despite the story not offering much in the way of depth, Franco and Swanberg should be commended for knowing how to build towards something and keeping us invested.

Parts of the narrative seem familiar in several respects, but Franco proves to be someone who’s capable of using the technical aspects of filmmaking to heighten the narrative.  The use of cinematography by Christian Sprenger displays the space of the house in such a way that gives us an idea of not only the vastness of the interior that the characters inhabit, but also the outside, with the giant windows showing the expansive outdoors that further highlight the isolation of the main characters.

The final five minutes of the movie are probably what show Franco’s potential the most.  He builds tension even as the film seems to have wrapped up, heading towards an ending that leaves a disquieting impact.  Aside from that, another plus is that the few jump scares that Franco uses aren’t cheap, but instead evoke some shivers from the viewer.  Despite being new to directing, Franco not only shows that he can craft a good scare, but also proves that he isn’t afraid to show restraint when it’s needed the most.

“The Rental” might not be a top pick when it comes to other recent horror films, but it shows glimmers of promise from Franco as a filmmaker.  And, just like a simple weekend getaway, this movie proves to be diverting enough.

Grade: B