Disturbia (2007)
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A teenager on house arrest begins spying on his neighbors and suspects one of them is a serial killer.
The story
After being sentenced to three months of house arrest for assaulting his teacher, seventeen-year-old Kale Brecht is forced to wear an ankle monitor and a proximity sensor. While confined to his home, Kale becomes bored and begins observing his neighborhood through binoculars. He becomes increasingly suspicious of a neighbor, Robert Turner, whose vehicle matches the description of a car linked to a local serial killer. Kale begins a clandestine investigation with the help of a neighbor, Ashley, and his best friend, Ronnie, as they attempt to uncover the truth about Turner's activities while Kale navigates the restrictions of his confinement.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Following a car accident that killed his father, 17-year-old Kale Brecht is placed on house arrest for assaulting his teacher. While wearing an ankle monitor, he becomes obsessed with a neighbor, Robert Turner, whom he suspects is a serial killer. Kale, his friend Ronnie, and neighbor Ashley begin spying on Turner. After a series of escalating events, including a confrontation at a party and a dangerous trip to a garage, the truth is revealed. Turner is indeed a killer who has kidnapped Kale's mother, Julie. After a violent confrontation where Turner is incapacitated, Kale finds his mother in a cellar. In a final confrontation, Turner attacks Kale, but Julie intervenes, allowing Kale to defeat him with gardening shears. The film ends with Kale's bracelet being removed for good behavior and him reconciling with Ashley.
- First release year
- 2007
- Runtime (minutes)
- 104
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- D. J. Caruso
- Writers
- Christopher Landon · screenplay; Carl Ellsworth · screenplay; Christopher Landon · story
- Cast and characters
- Shia LaBeouf · Kale Brecht; David Morse · Robert Turner; Sarah Roemer · Ashley Carlson; Carrie-Anne Moss · Julie Brecht; Aaron Yoo · Ronald "Ronnie" Chu; Jose Pablo Cantillo · Officer Gutierrez; Matt Craven · Daniel "Danny" Brecht; Viola Davis · Detective Parker
- Genres
- psychological thriller
- Themes
- surveillance; paranoia; confinement
- Tone and mood
- tense; suspenseful
- Premise and plot tags
- serial killer; house arrest; neighbor mystery
- Source material / true-story basis
- Inspired by Alfred Hitchcock's Rear Window
- Content notes
- violence; sensuality
- Reception
- The film received generally positive reviews from critics and an A- rating from audiences.
- Reported review scores
- Metacritic · score: 62 · scale: 100 · review count: 28
- Production trivia
- Actor David Morse used a method acting approach and did not speak to the younger actors on set.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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