1BR: The Apartment

Not a great movie by any stretch. But a clever commentary on the strict conformist society that we now reside in whether it intends to comment on that or not. I liked the twilight zone (60's) ending.

1BR - ok I reckon it makes sense that it stands for 1 Bedroom. When it comes to revealing what the movie is about - I reckon it doesn't say much. The German title for the movie "The Appartment" may not be revealing that much either, but there is a subtitle that is quite on the "spoiler" side of things - that's why I won't mention what is being said there.

The poster here may be an indication too, but you know it is a thriller at least if you found your way to this page. I for one did only know that much. It becomes pretty clear what direction this will go ... and while it is mostly psychological horror there is some vivid physical horror and violence too. And there is an ending you may predict or see coming. Once you start something, it's not just as easy as ... switching something off. Interesting premise, nicely played out

With some genuinely disturbing parts. And just when you think it can't be much harder to watch, it gets harder to watch. It takes around 30 minutes to set up then the last hour a real rollercoaster ride with a fairly high squick factor. Overall a very satisfying horror/thriller.

This has me interested from the get-go. I must admit I'm not usually a fan of these spooky bedroom type situations, but this is far from your bedroom goes bump in the night movie.

This could have been a little more intense, and in-depth, as far as story line goes, but the story that they have given you i think is well done, well acted and over all quite a good watch.

I wouldn't say this is a horror, at all, but it makes for a good thriller.

Some reviewers forget the obvious questions most potential viewers have when reading IMDb reviews. Here are my answers to them:

1. If you're looking for suspense versus a bloodbath with jump scares, then 1BR will give you the low-level anxiety fix you're seeking.

2. It doesn't drag. The movie's 90-minute run time passes quickly, and it will competently hold your interest. It's escapist in the best sense of the word.

3. Production values, plot, directing, and acting don't read as cheesy in spite of a modest budget and a lack of big-name talent. It's a great reminder that simplicity often succeeds where CGI and tens of millions of dollars do not.

What some call 'flat' performances read to me as understated -- realistic reactions to depression, shock, and brainwashing. One expects the depressed and those tortured into submission to be subdued, not over the top. That said, the acting is merely good, not great.

Complaining about a movie being predictable is like complaining that the outcome of an election is predictable. There is a limited array of possibilities, so predicting correctly doesn't exactly make you a genius.

Is it too predictable? I foresaw 1BR going two or three possible directions, all of which have been done before in one way or another. It did, indeed, travel one of those paths. That said, in spite of an expected general outcome, the ending does offer an unexpected twist that's fair and supported by the plot.

For those always seeking a higher message, there's one to be had, and this sets 1BR apart from other run-of-the-mill, low-budget thrillers. The filmmakers don't beat the social commentary drum too hard -- it's chancy with a movie like this -- but 1BR does say a little something about the tyrannies of paternalism, forced conformity, and ideology by threat, phenomena we're seeing a little too much of in society these days.

As with any movie, the fun isn't always in the destination. Rather, it's often in the path you take to get there. That's true for most films, and it's true for 1BR. But no one can force you to watch it. At least not yet.