Film

The Rental

Name: The Rental
Genre: Horror, Thriller
Released: 2020
Cast: Dan Stevens, Alison Brie, Sheila Vand, Jeremy Allen White, Toby Huss

A paranoia thriller that traps two couples in an oceanside rental where comfort curddles into dread. Dave Franco's directorial debut mines tension from surveillance anxiety and the casual racism that erupts when strangers share space. It's claustrophobic and nasty in ways that linger.

TMDb rating

2.8

Should you watch it?

Watch it if you enjoy slow-building paranoia where a nice house and friendly hosts gradually feel wrong, and you'd rather sit with unease than be jolted by scares.

Skip it if you want a lot of plot momentum or a fast-moving thriller; much of the first half is two couples talking, bickering and drinking, and the tension arrives in a slow creep.

What it asks of you: Around ninety minutes of patience, with a long setup, a handful of tense stretches, and an atmosphere that stays uneasy rather than letting you off the hook.

Not sure? Find tonight's pick in a minute.

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Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from The Rental

The wildcard

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Memories of Murder2003

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