Seen on: September 19, 2008

The players: Director: Neil LaBute, Writers: David Loughery, Howard Korder, Cast: Samuel L. Jackson, Patrick Wilson, Kerry Washington

Facts of interest: LaBute also directed "Nurse Betty" and "In the Company of Men."

The plot: A racist cop (Jackson) tries everything to force his new neighbors to move out again.

Our quick thoughts: Although Neil LaBute’s “Lakeview Terrace” is a film you can sit through without having to complain about boredom too much, its story is still too weak and unsurprising to leave a long-lasting impression. Nevertheless, it’s certainly a major improvement on his previous disaster “The Wicker Man,” and that alone is worth a lot.

Samuel L. Jackson plays Abel Turner, a racist cop and overprotective father who uses unconventional methods to fight crime and believes the best way to raise his kids is to make them follow a strict set of rules. So when Chris (Patrick Wilson) and Lisa Mattson (Kerry Washington) move in next door, Abel can’t help but stirring up trouble because he strongly disapproves of the couple’s interracial relationship.

It becomes obvious early on that the heart of the story of “Lakeview Terrace” is intended to make the issues of race the main focus of the film, but the disappointing script by David Loughery and Howard Korder fails to explore this thematic in a thought-provoking manner. What we end up watching here is Abel simply using all kinds of dirty tricks and smart-aleck responses to let everybody know how much he hates the idea of the couple being together.

But Chris and Lisa are stubborn and make some really stupid decisions, which quickly leads to a ridiculous war between neighbors who try everything to piss each other off. At times this really feels like watching a bunch of aggressive kids fighting over something in the backyard. And to be honest, the fact that Abel is a cop and Chris and Lisa are helpless and can’t rely on the law to deal with their predicament really fails to inject the plot with suspense.

“Lakeview” also gets worse as it approaches the finish line, sending Abel and Chris into a ridiculous showdown that couldn’t be more predictable and less exciting. The only interesting thing I noticed in these final 20 minutes is a collection of CGI wildfires slowly creeping up the hills and circling the neighborhood. Also, LaBute’s direction is efficient only in the sense that it at least keeps the plot operating at a decent pacing.

Although his character is flawed, Samuel L. Jackson is undoubtedly the perfect actor for this role. He sure knows how to play dirty, and he sure knows how to turn the audience against him. The threatening look on his face and the rough attitude really made me want to punch him at times. This at least proves the film succeeded in making me react to the development onscreen. Wilson’s and Washington’s performances are anything but noteworthy.

Freaky quote: “We gotta figure out a way to deal with this." – Patrick Wilson

The final word: “Lakeview Terrace” is watchable for a while, but the mediocrity of the story line makes it a forgettable film that could have actually been a lot better. It’s certainly worth the investment if you’re a die-hard Jackson fan and would like to see him play a real ass. If that’s not on your list of things to do this weekend, take a trip to “Ghost Town” instead.            

Article by Franck Tabouring