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Lakeview Terrace

Buzz says:   MPAA Rating: PG-13
Current Showtimes: No showtimes available

A racial thriller dealing with both skin color and the right and wrong sides of the law, Lakeview Terrace has the potential to inspire questions, outrage, and praise, yet it never appeals to such strong emotions because it is tired and predictable. Samuel L. Jackson plays an unhappy single father who is also an unflinching racist. When interracial couple Chris (Patrick Wilson) and Lisa (Kerry Washington) move in next door, Jackson’s Abel Turner immediately takes a disliking to them and tries to make their lives hell. Things begin subtly enough, with Abel quietly presenting his displeasure towards the couple through passive-aggressive moves like breaking their air conditioner and installing bright lights that shine into the couple’s neighboring bedroom. Soon things spiral out of control, as the couple find themselves in a battle against a man who is willing to do whatever it takes to drive his new neighbors out of town. The twist is that Abel is a police officer, and thus Chris and Lisa have nowhere to turn when they feel threatened, as Abel sees himself above the law.

The film deals with the barrier between blacks and whites with an uncompromising (and predictable) eye, presenting the audience with a villain who both reinforces and challenges stereotypical views regarding racism. Abel makes side comments towards Chris that reinforce racist ideology, like criticizing Chris’ liking of rap music, and saying that Chris should go home to his “Chocolate Bunny.” Lakeview Terrace presents Abel as a deeply flawed character, as he is his own worst enemy. His personal views regarding race don’t only get him into trouble with the neighbors, he even struggles as a father and as a policeman because of his disturbed thought process. Race is also a topic that cuts deep for Chris and Lisa since Lisa’s uptight father does not accept her white husband with open arms. Abel pushes buttons that unleash the innermost demons of the couple, and race is always in the forefront of every confrontation.

The interesting thing about the film is how it plays with traditional views regarding race and law. If Jackson’s Abel were white, for example, the film would be completely different. A white racist disapproving of an interracial couple would present a deplorable character that would be nearly impossible to like in any way. The fact that the racist is black makes Abel a man who, although he is doing terrible things, seems slightly justified in his anger. That’s not to say that this justification isn’t wrong, it is just easier to understand than if the tables were turned. Also, the fact that Abel is a policeman is intriguing in that his occupation puts him in constant power and he sees his reckless, emotionally-charged actions as “the right thing to do.” Men of the law are meant to serve and protect, and Abel’s abuse of his power makes him an even more frustrating villain as he neglects rules in favor of emotion.

It’s a shame that Lakeview Terrace is so mundane, because its subject matter is sizzling and controversial. The fact that the villain is a black racist and a cop are narrative elements that could have been really interesting to explore, yet the film veers into traditional thriller conventions and essentially has nothing new to say. By the final whiz-bang of a finale, the story has become so convoluted that it would seem at home as a Lifetime Original Movie. Director Neil LaBute is famous for crafting dark films with quirky, interesting characters (his 2000 black comedy Nurse Betty is one of the most underrated films of the past decade), and Lakeview Terrace contains such characters, yet the complexity and darkness of LaBute’s earlier movies are missing. The cast is strong, the director is controversial and smart, and the story has potential, which is why the mediocrity of Lakeview Terrace is truly disappointing. The film is certainly not boring, but its thrills feel cheap in the wake of wasted potential.