User reviews

There's an inherent problem with making a movie of this kind: unless you're a creative genius of your time, these sorts of movies have the potential to turn real generic, REAL fast.

Reminiscent of Denzel Washington from Training Day, we see Samuel L. Jackson play an overly aggressive cop with an agenda, with the movie focusing on the problems he's causing for his new neighbors. A completely realistic situation that can take place anywhere. Problem is, because a movie like this is completely character driven, after you have the nice slow build up to the climax, once the tension snaps, you're relegated to basically a generically default final act of the movie where "the bad guy finally comes out of the proverbial shadows and literally chases the hero." (i.e. Disturbia, The Glass House). It's a shame too because the buildup on this was very good. Samuel L. Jackson was really scary here, he played that bullying, obsessive character perfect. The only acting problems I saw were 2-3 moments from Kerry Washington where her sad face was done poorly, with overly done lip quivers and facial movements (similar to Kirsten Dunst's crying scenes from the Spider-Man movies, except done in a BAD way).

With a movie like this, you pretty much have these possible outcomes:

1) the generic, semi-predictable ending (like we got here). 2) tragic ending with hero dying at the end. 3) an unpredictable twist coming out of left field (this has the potential to be very good or very bad). 4) a Great ending.

Unfortunately we usually get number one, since they wanna give the satisfying, safe, effective, tried and true, Hollywood ending. Most people are content with those types of cop out endings. I'm not.

Seven. Yes, seven. No, I'm not talking about the David Fincher directed thriller, nor am I referring to Samurai, Dwarfs or the lucky number. In this context, seven denotes the number of wince inducing minutes it takes for Lakeview Terrace to throw it all away.

Particular genres of movies tend to have a nasty propensity to ruin their final acts, the foremost of those being thrillers and horror films. May it be an amateur director not knowing how to complete their vision, studio intervention sucking the life from the screen or the commonly occurring revelatory "shocker" ending which tries to jam too many ideas in the viewer's already bleeding sockets. Oddly, director Neil LaBute's latest offering does not succumb to a conventional destructive timeline, but instead opts to cataclysmically implode in literally the final scenes, a feat which few films can boast. Perhaps I am being an iota harsh, as I am recommending this film and the majority of this review will be skewed favourably, but chiefly, my unbounded feelings of contempt towards the finale should stand as a testament to their standalone absurdity which contrasts harshly with the preceding 90 or so minutes.

Samuel L. Jackson has had a vibrant career portraying characters in two spectrums of the acting realm. On one side we have his depictions that can be lumped into the loud-mouthed anti-hero category (Pulp Fiction, Die Hard with a Vengeance, Snakes on a Plane), and on the other, his more nuanced (as nuanced as Sam Jackson can be) roles. (Black Snake Moan, Resurrecting the Champ, Coach Carter) Lakeview Terrace to some extent blurs this boundary, but for the most part Jackson plays his role straight, and he is very good because of it. Jackson plays Abel Turner a veteran, but widowed LAPD officer who lives his daughter Celia (Regine Nehy) and Son Marcus (Jaishon Fisher) on Lakeview Terrace in the hills. He is strict to be sure and his protective nature sometimes obscures the obvious affection for his children. It is touches like this, and similar additions by LaBute that makes his character all the more menacing when the tension later builds, as he is not so much a faceless villain, but a deeply flawed everyman. Despite an encroaching wildfire, things are routine on Lakeview; Abel patrols the neighbourhood at night, loves his job and wants nothing more then to protect his family. Things change however when a new couple move in next door. The fact that husband Chris (Patrick Wilson) wife Lisa (Keri Washington) are interracial is only the fuel for Abel's contempt, and when his children witness a late-night skinny dip by these two newlyweds, the fire erupts and Abel and Chris' lives spiral out of control.

Fashioning Abel as a cop is an intelligent choice, as per the television advertisements indicate, what are they going to do, and who are the authorities going to believe; who will police the police indeed. The tension for the duration is so high, you don't even need a knife to cut it, and a definite sense of dread and menace perforates the narrative. LaBute, truthfully, makes few mistakes, he allows for character development, and as I mentioned not just regarding Chris and Lisa, lets the story develop at a slow burning pace, with the hillside fires mirroring the escalating tempers. The story is also far more insightful and caring then I ever would have anticipated regarding the complicated issue of race and marriage, without feeling shoehorned into the thriller template. As you can clearly discern I have a fairly large amount of admiration for Lakeview Terrace, which brings me to the ending.

Few endings I have seen have represented such a radical shift in tone, and made its characters undertake such ridiculous and uncharacteristic actions then we see here; and I assure you it is jarring. The immediately preceding act, is an iota off kilter with the acts preceding, but does not draw attention and properly illustrates the consequences when things are taken too far in the name of retribution. I was fully under the impression that things were going to end sharply until Abel's character jolts erratically from intelligent saboteur to volcanic lunatic and makes a series of choices that are against both his nature, and what the audience would want to see transpire. Either Abel lost his mind, or the director did. Those who seek out this film in theatres may be disappointed and feel the conclusion somehow managed to bilk them out of their cash like a sneaky pickpocket. LaBute's finale does not so much embody a slap in the face, but a swift hard kick to the groin.

Read all my reviews at Simon Says Movies: http://simonsaysmovies.blogspot.com/

When i saw the trailer for this movie i immediately compared it to "pacific heights" which stars Michael Keaton and is a favorite movie of mine, i am not a fan of Samuel L Jackson i have never really enjoyed his work and the few movies he has been in lately including "the cleaner" did not help my view on his acting, so going into this movie i was determined i would not like it and i was wrong , the first thing i want to clear up is this isn't like the movie i compared it to, it deals with racism but from the other end which i have never seen before in a movie, And secondly Samule L Jackson does great in this role as a cop with a grudge, the story is more than what you would think and the trailers did not give anything away, it is not a complicated movie with twists but it is a movie that is different from previous films with this type of aim. the fact that i am not a fan of Samuel L Jackson yet i praise him for this role shows how much quality this movie has. Patrick Wilson also does a great job , he is a good actor and its a good warm up role for people to know his face in his next role in "watchmen".

The rest of the cast do a good job in there supporting roles. This by far is not a movie that will win any Oscars but it is a movie that will entertain, i recommend it for a Saturday night in with drinks. A very entertaining thriller with great acting from its two leading actors. I hope my review was help full and if you get the chance to see this take it, because it will not disappoint.

If you're a Samuel L. Jackson fan you'll probably watch this movie disregarding a good or bad review. I'm a fan and watched this movie with few expectations and thought it was a good movie worth watching at least once. Sam Jackson did a great job,and the other actors did well in their performances and meshed together really well. There are some great points in the movie that have quite a bit of tension and anger which was put across really well. This is of course not a work of art and has no moral to the story,but not all movies need to teach a lesson. What do you do when a racist,crazed cop lives next door and starts to harass you? I gave it a 6 out of 10. Good film with a decent premise,worth watching.

A young successful interracial couple move into a new home in an exclusive California neighborhood. Chris Mattson (Patrick Wilson) and Lisa Mattson (Kerry Washington) are greeted with hostility by their new neighbor, LAPD Sergeant Abel Turner (Samuel L. Jackson), a widower and single father with a son and daughter. Chris and Lisa attempt to be cordial with Abel, inviting him and his family to their home and attending a barbecue Abel throws for some of his fellow officers. Despite this, Abel keeps becoming more disruptive and aggressive to Chris and Lisa. This eventually leads to retaliation on Chris' part and a confrontation with tragic consequences.

This movie despite its racial overtones doesn't break any new ground as a thriller. Patrick Wilson and Kerry Washington are a yuppie couple pushed too far and Sam Jackson as Abel is their disturbed neighbor/antagonist who wishes them harm. Definitely nothing new. The acting and script are okay with Sam Jackson's performance easily being the best. The ending is something that can be seen coming a mile away. This film is something you would watch on a slow day if it came on cable.

The movie itself might only have gotten 4 to 5 stars from me, weren't it for the cast. And while Patrick Wilson is pretty good in his lead role, Samuel L. Jackson is the one who shines. His performance does truly elevate this movie onto a level it couldn't have reached without him!

His presence is really phenomenal and when he is on screen you can feel his aura. When he delivers his dialogue it's pretty strong, even if the dialogue itself might not be the best, his interpretation of it, makes it stronger. There is one particular dialogue scene, where he is really showing a different side of his character (look for the "Whatever" speech).

Sadly the movie has also quite a few low points, which would be weighing a lot more, if Samuel weren't to play the foe here. Some clichés and the predictability of the whole thing/story. Still worth a watch, if alone (and I can't point that out enough) for Samuel's performance!

Lakeview Terrace, what could have been a great thriller turned into a complete and total mess. I'm honestly surprised that this movie has the rating that it does, I'm trying not to insult anyone, just honestly, how could you take this seriously? It was so horribly written and I was actually looking forward to this film. My major problem was that the character development, there wasn't any, you go on this roller coaster ride where you think you might understand why Samuel L. Jackson's character is the way he is, but instead they go back into making you just brutally hate this guy. This is how beyond insane this movie is... Samuel L. Jackson goes from this stern, uptight guy to a bully, to a chainsaw maniac killer, to just plain psychotic, and honestly this guy is never given a solid reason why he turns this way, you're just left with five million questions and on of the worst endings I've ever seen.

Chris and Lisa, an inter-racial couple, the nicest couple you will ever meet, the couple you would love to be friends with finally got a home of their own in what seems like a very nice neighborhood... well, that is until they meet Able, their black widowed neighbor who also happens to be a police officer... who also happens to not approve of their relationship. From the get go Able is pretty much a rabid dog who threatens Chris off the bat saying to leave the neighborhood and that he doesn't like them. He just cannot be reasoned with, when Chris and Lisa have an unexpected surprise they were not ready for that gives their marriage a shake, Able isn't helping when he goes as far as to threatened their lives.

Honestly this is one of the worst films I have seen this fall season, it was beyond unrealistic and you have no compassion for some of the characters. Not to mention there is a constant rubbing in your face of the race issues, it's not just Samuel L. Jackson that doesn't approve of this relationship, all of the family and friends make some kind of disrespectful comment on it, I personally know 3 inter-racial couples and they don't receive that much hate or disapproval, it was hurtful on that level. I recommend you stay away from this movie, it's slow paced and the thrills are a let down. The story doesn't make much sense and I just found it to be pointless.

2/10

An excellent story about a dirty cop for a neighbor and Patrick Wilson's character not being able to do much about it. Great that it's not the type to contrive racist things all over it instead it's more subtle. I love how the movie gets away with 2 f bombs! Lakeview Terrace is under appreciated and highly entertaining in my opinion; deserves more credit!

This movie has the elements of racism and thriller in it, and it's pretty decent overall. It's about this interracial couple that moves into the neighborhood, right next to a crazy and racist black police officer named Abel Turner(Samuel L. Jackson) and let me tell you Jackson played a good villain in this cause he was pretty intimidating throughout the movie especially when his level of bullying start to elevate. The thing is Abel has a thing against white people, especially when they are in a relationship with a black girl although it doesn't really explain the reason behind it all that well. I liked how this movie was more original compared to other movies that deals with racism where it's just plain black and white. Although it ain't a great movie of these types of genre, it's alright and could have been better if the ending wasn't so generic.

7.3/10

Abel Turner (Samuel L. Jackson) is a tough aggressive LAPD officer living with his two kids with lots of rules. Chris Mattson (Patrick Wilson) and Lisa (Kerry Washington) move in next door. Abel isn't happy with the couple, and tension rises.

Director Neil LaBute is supposedly putting together a little treatise on racial politics. But it's really just a way to a cheap thriller. The problem is nobody is likable. Nobody is compelling. It's the annoying neighborhood spate that everybody rolls their eyes at while desperately trying to avoid. That's what I feel when I watch this. I like to avoid this if at all possible.

This movie became more interesting as I continued to watch it. Samuel Jackson played an excellent part as the antagonistic evil Able Turner. This movie teaches me to never move next door to a cop no matter how friendly they appear to be. But Lakeview Terrace is a bit extreme with the cop next door type of deal. Not only that the Mattsons had to deal with a cop living next door but he's a racist. Able abused his power as a police office by spying on the Mattsons and acting upon it. I know somehow that's illegal to snoop into people's privacy. This is one of the best parts Samuel Jackson played in a movie next to Pulp Fiction and Shaft 2000. Kerry Washington was excellent as the Ms. Lisa Matton,Kerry is versatile. Overall Lakeview Terrace is a interesting movie that build ups to a powerful climaxing ending. Recommend anyone to watch it with a family or friend.

The movie kept my intrest throughout thanks to Samuel El Jackson's performance but the ending truly could have been a little more creative.

Greetings again from the darkness. If director Neil LaBute's last film wasn't enough reason to boycott this film, surely the ridiculous trailer was, right? Well, not when one is addicted to movies and "Ghost Town" is the other weekend opener.

Besides, LaBute does have "The Company of Men" on his resume, though that is more than negated by "Nurse Betty". But c'mon, Samuel L Jackson as an angry, prejudiced, screw-loose cop? That's got to have some good moments, eh? Sure enough, the first 30-45 minutes of the film deliver the level of uncomfortableness that LaBute was after. Viewers struggle to tell if Jackson is truly well meaning or actually the world's worst neighbor.

The objects of his disaffection are Patrick Wilson and Kerry Washington, the interracial couple who move in next door. Jackson's menacing looks and words and his ability to flash a badge make for quite a nightmare for the two love birds.

The film starts out seeming to test our beliefs and opinions on race but then spins off the axis and winds up being almost as ridiculous as "The Wicker Man" ... I said ALMOST! The last 45 minutes, I pretty much just kept thinking to myself ... "are you kidding". The ending certainly could have been handled much better given the few moments of brilliance throughout the movie. Quite the cop-out (pun intended).

Look, I get it, ALL actors like to work; all actors WANT to work, and if your agent called you and said, "Hey, they want you for this movie and guess what? You'll be starring opposite SAMUEL L. JACKSON!!!!!". You'd be, like, WHAT????? Hang up and the first call would be to your MOTHER. "Hey Mom, GUESS WHAT????". And she'd be like, "WHOA!!! My baby is in a movie starring SAMUEL L. JACKSON!!!!!". So there you go. I still am left with the questions; WHY? Why was this movie even made? Seriously. What's the point? And second: HOW? How did they (whoever) get this script read, and actually accepted by Mr. Jackson? He probably likes to work as much as I do, BUT he probably has more financial obligations than I do, too. Maybe the maintenance fees on his Park Ave apt have gone up? Don't know, but I hope his check and all the checks of all the other actors successfully cleared.