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Movie Review - The Loft

I've not seen the original Belgian film or the Dutch remake of The Loft, but the premise and early buzz caught my attention and made me intrigued to see this American remake. 

PREMISE - Five married men, close friends, decide to buy a loft apartment where they can carry on affairs without their spouses finding out. Their plan seems to be flawless, until one morning when they arrive to find a dead woman sprawled on the bed in the apartment with a message on the headboard written in Latin and scrawled in blood. The mystery of the woman in the bed is slowly revealed through flashbacks to the events leading up to her death and the present with the men in the apartment after the discovery of the body.

LIKE - I like the idea of the movie. The premise is intriguing and initially the mystery of the story and the dynamics between the men caught my interest. There are strong character personalities in this group and this keep me tuned in. 

DISLIKE - This film tries really hard to be artsy, but comes off like a "B" movie. Its extreme closeups and lingering shots make it impossible to take it seriously. It tries to be atmospheric, but fails.

I like the cast individually and as actors on other projects, but as a group in this story, it's off. They don't gel. In particular, Eric Stonestreet is woefully miscast as an alcoholic jerk. He is so linked to his role as Cam on Modern Family, that it almost felt like he was cast in this role to work overtime to change the Cam image. He was the most overtly macho of all of the characters and it didn't work.

The film has plot twist after plot twist, I felt like I was walking through a labyrinth and bashing into dead ends. I love a good plot twist, but this film had too many for its own good. It was overly complicated. The story should have been less plot and move character driven. It was impossible to connect with the characters as they were all stereotypes with little to make them sympathetic or relatable. Worst of all, this film was painfully dull. 

RECOMMEND -No. Not even as a rental. The Loft had a lot of potential with its premise, but it didn't deliver.