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Cast: Brittany Murphy, Mike Vogel, Danny Pino
Armed and ready to kill his fiancé's (Brittany Murphy) mysterious lover in the hotel room across the hall, Terry (Danny Pino) nervously phones his best friend, Julian (Mike Vogel), who offers comfort and guidance while calmly trying to conceal the fact that he's the man Terry's after.
This is a very good thriller but I don't think it is a movie for everyone simple because there are no fast-paced action scenes,explosions or special effect in this one that so many people are use to seeing in cinemas today. This is a thinking man's thriller that does a great job at keeping the audience on the edge of their seat. There is a lot to like here, for a film noir thriller to succeed you must have some things going for you like atmosphere and suspense and this one has that. The man-made sets of hallways and rooms in the hotel really give the film the dark, moody feel it needs. Plus the music adds that extra edge to help build the tension. The acting in a film like this is also a must since it is a character-driven film and the limited cast all deliver including, Danny Pino as the man who clearly has gone over the edge and is looking to get revenge on his fiancé, Mike Vogel is also very good as Danny's best friend or at least Danny thinks he is. Also the film stars the late Brittany Murphy, a tragic loss not only for Hollywood and her fans but also for those that knew and loved her. From a distance she seemed like a happy person that lit up a room every time she entered it and she had the personality to match the looks. She does a terrific job here in one of her final roles. Director Alex Merkin based this gripping noir thriller, which explores the dangerous intersection of love, sex and friendship, on his own 2005 short film. If your looking for something fast paced look elsewhere but it u want to see a slow moving thriller that begins to build it's tension from the opening scenes and has you hanging on to your seat till the shocking end then I recommend picking this up. This is a terrific debut for Director, Alex Merkin who seems to have an eye for the genre. I look forward to seeing more work from him. It is not often you get to see a character-based thriller like this that doesn't reply on gimmicks to tell the story, Across The Hall might not be perfect but it comes pretty close. This is one of those gems I really found enjoyable and one that you will be telling friends and family about.
Released by Image Entertainment
**** Out Of *****