Inheritance

That man is Morgan Warner (Simon Pegg). It would seem that her dad hit Morgan and his business partner with his car after a drunken night out. Archer becomes so paranoid that Morgan would talk, he imprisoned him in the bunker for several decades. At least that’s Morgan’s story.

So…what would you do? Dad sends you a package warning you about his mistake and a man in a bunker who could ruin the entire family. Let him die or release a potentially innocent person? Of course, being a highly competent lawyer, Lauren begins to vet Morgan’s story, and little by little, the details check out. But this is a thriller and things never…oh no, I typed too much.

“…Collins is strong and confident, but she allows cracks to surface as her entire life turns into a brittle piece of glass.“

Inheritance is a brilliantly smart thriller, and it is pretty creepy too. From the moment Lauren discovers Morgan, we are drawn straight into her problems. Letting Morgan go appears to be the moral thing to do, but if he talks, her family’s legacy is in jeopardy, along with her brother’s re-election campaign. But this begs the question of who knew what? There’s her mom, and the trusted family lawyer, Harold. Surely, they had to have known, right?

Vaughn Stein’s film would have failed miserably without great acting. These critical “out there” plot points could have come off as over-the-top, if not for the brilliant performances of Lily Collins and Simon Pegg. As Lauren, Collins is strong and confident, but she allows cracks to surface as her entire life turns into a brittle piece of glass. We root for her from the start. Simon Pegg shows such a vast range as Morgan. There’s a moment when Morgan gets a taste of freedom, and Lauren’s choice will break your heart.

Lastly, I’ll say the design of the underground bunker is top-notch. It proves a wonderful playground for the actors to stretch their muscles. You’ll want to build one for yourself real soon.

Like a good thriller, Inheritance draws you in and takes you right into the middle of the action. Then when it’s all over, you’ll want to revisit it as soon as possible to pick up on all the little details and clues. It feels real, which adds to the intensity. Look, the roller coaster is waiting for you, and Inheritance makes a great ride.