Cohabitation

Of course, these wonderfully written characters only work if they are brought to life by talented people. Cohabitation wins there as well, as all the major players are excellent. Admittedly, some of the minor cast members (a secretary in just one scene, for example) could be better. But they do not bring down the core group. Streng plays the PTSD card as more than just being scared of everything. She has a normal life, but something, say sirens in the distance, will disturb her for a moment or two. It is subtle enough not to feel like a cartoon but present enough not to seem like an afterthought.

Anderson is lively and stoic in all the right places, ably compartmentalizing her job and personal life. Krueger is fun but still finds some real depth, especially in his heart-to-heart with his on-screen sister. For all the flaws present in the character of Sarah, Quinnell is a creepy, uneasy presence and sells her character’s potential unhinged actions more so than the script does.

“…works better than most films of this ilk.”

And that brings us to the issues with Cohabitation. The most minor is that of the lighting. It is basic, never visually creating a sense of dread or tension. Given how good the editing and the sound design/mixing are (all top-shelf quality), the lack of stylized lighting to up the stakes is disappointing.

But the biggest problem lies with motivations for Sarah. Of course, what she’s ultimately up to and why are not revealed until the third act. Without spoiling the entire plot, there needs to be a better build-up and explanation of her “why.” It is not arbitrary exactly, but the parallels between what Sarah’s doing and Emily’s former career should be explored more to work as intended. This does mean that not everything at the end lands as well as planned.

Even still, Cohabitation works better than most films of this ilk. Barker has written engaging, well-rounded characters and gathered a talented cast to breathe life into them. The story’s sharp dramatic turn takes ups the stakes while the sound design builds to a nailbiting crescendo.