Agoraphobia - Die Angst im Kopf

I first saw this movie in a hotel room, on a business trip in a strange city, so I hadn't seen any previews - like the very long one that's available on youtube that essentially gives everything away. But here we are, nearly 30 years later, and I still remember being completely creeped out by this film - and the ending is PERFECT. The performances were STELLAR from the three leads, Christine Lahti, Dylan McDermott, and Jennifer Rubin. Yes, it's 90s style (it's called nostalgia), but it still stands out in my mind as a completely watchable and engaging film. Certainly, though obscurely memorable to me: the MINUTE I saw McDermott's Wheatley character on Law & Order SVU, I remembered the origin of him being capable of playing an intelligent, psychopathic and violent manipulator in The Fear Inside. And whatever happened to Jennifer Rubin? (google search up next for me) Wouldn't it be nice to experience whether The Fear Inside still holds up - IF ONLY IT WERE AVAILABLE?

Artist, Meredith Cole (Christine Lahti) has a few problems. In addition to suffering from acute agoraphobia, her husband has left her and threatened to take their young son. A virtual prisoner in her large, rural home, Meredith struggles to overcome her debilitating fear of the outside world.

Meredith takes in a new boarder named Jane (Jennifer Rubin) who seems perfect. Alas, things take a turn when Jane's "brother" Pete (Dylan McDermott) arrives for a visit. This bodes ill, since we've already been shown an example of Pete committing a heinous act!

As time goes on, Meredith learns that she's not the greatest judge of character, all leading to a life and death situation.

THE FEAR INSIDE is a made-for-TV thriller that is the basic template for the future, superior film, RESTRAINT. Still, it's suspenseful enough in its own right, and McDermott is a serviceable psychopath.

Worth a watch...

Now this movie is much better than five stars. It has a good plot, good directing and features the talent of the excellent Jennifer Rubin. She gives one of the best performances I have ever seen, as usual. Such a great actress! The scene when she commits suicide is very moving. Also listen closely to the score - it's by Michel Rubini, who made the wonderful electronic score for "The Hunger" (by Tony Scott) together with Denny Jaeger! He even recycles some samples from this earlier work for this movie!

My friend and I recently watched The Fear Inside. We thought it was a uniquely put-together movie, compelling and thrilling at the same time. Because it is a sort-of murder movie, it had a lot of heavy moments in it, but there was a bit of comic relief from the very insane killers. Christine Lahti was very convincing as the half-crazed agoraphobic who is held at the mercy of two murderers, a prisoner in her own house. She is torn, quite literally, between the fear of going out doors, and the fear inside.

Okay, so this is a made for TV movie of 1992. It is based around the fear of being out of the house - called agoraphobia (sp). Christine Lahti is the lady in distress. Usually I like this lady's work, but this time around I was not only annoyed at her dramatics but tired after awhile of her screaming antics. Now you also have the good looks of Dylan McDermott as one of the home invaders. At first you really like him. And then when he begins to show his true colors, the plot thickens. McDermott gives a reasonably good performance. Unlike his supposedly wacky sister, overplayed by Jennifer Rubin. I couldn't wait for Rubin to get her uppance. She was that annoying. Both she and Lahti deserved each other. I was hoping that the two ladies would kill each other and Dylan goes free. He and the parrot that is. The house gets trashed along the way and our leading lady gets out of the house. Not surprising. This story was written by Alan Jay Gluickman and made into a screenplay by David Birke. Leon Ichaso directed this, but letting the two leading actresses go too far in my opinion.