1BR

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.

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.

The real horror here is going to open rental inspections in a nice area only to find heaps of others are interested in the flat too. And when you do find a place to live there's noises at night that compound the drudgery of day-to-day life. Very relatable stuff. But then the film deviates to a world of enforced anarcho-communism and some hardcore behaviorism is applied. A refreshing application of "torture porn" here and there, bundled into a movie with a story to tell that may not be a masterpiece, is still enjoyable.

I've always have more respect with film that has low budget and did the best they could. It's clear that this film has low budget, and manage to make the most of it, that being said it has an unknown cast, average acting and average production. As of the story, the concept is decent. But it's a bit too draggy with little to no plot development. There are also some dull and dumb moment. The horror thriller is good, considering... . The twist is not jaw dropping, but it's pretty good. All and All, it's watchable but don't get too hyped up.

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.