Writer-director Jack Brame’s feature-length debut, The Intruder, begins a little oddly. Joe (Steve McNair) goes to visit Michael (David Gow), who has just moved into the house next to Joe’s. The middle-aged African-American man grills the caucasian college-aged male about security cameras, how many boxes are yet to be unpacked, and all manner of invasive questions about a guy Joe literally just met. Michael’s responses and mannerisms are so anxiety-ridden and guarded that I thought the plot was heading toward a Mr. Ripley-style situation and Michael would not be the person he’s claiming.
But no, that is not where this is going at all. That does mean the opening comes across as stiff and stilted in a way the rest of the film does. The plot is actually about Michael’s slow descent into madness as paranoia takes hold of him. During his first night in his new home, Michael has a vivid nightmare of someone breaking into the house. This starts him awake, and things get worse as each night he has similar horrifying dreams. To help put his mind at ease, the young man buys security cameras, but those are soon taken down by someone or something. All these sleepless nights put Michael on edge, damaging his burgeoning friendship with Joe. Is Michael going crazy, or is someone breaking into his house night after night?
“Is Michael going crazy, or is someone breaking into his house night after night?”
Once it settles into a natural groove, The Intruder becomes mighty engrossing and engaging. But that does take a good 20 or so minutes, again, because that first scene is so awkward it feels like a set-up for a different film. However, Brame impressively builds tension and maintains an air of mystery until all is revealed. The relationship between Michael and Joe is authentically built, and the actors’ chemistry sells it.
But the most impressive thing is the lighting, which really sells this as a neo-noir. Red permeates many scenes, but only in swatches, not the whole screen. This helps sell the idea that Michael is going crazy, as that little dab of color feels like it doesn’t belong. The way the filmmaker plays with shadow creates a sense of dread throughout the 101-minute runtime. The interplay of light and dark maintains the creepiness of what happens in the house, especially during the wild climax.
The Intruder is not the film it seems for the first few minutes. But once it knows what it is, the eerieness and mystery of everything is captivating. The leads are excellent and sell the craziness of the situation believably. The conclusion is intense and exciting and pays all that came before off exceptionally.
For more information, visit the official The Intruder site.
"…not the film it seems for the first few minutes."
