Willa's Flic Pic: Disturbia * * *

Disturbia
- D. J. Caruso
- Drama/Thriller, 2007
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Ronnie: It reeks in here!
Kale: What's it smell like?
Ronnie: The corps of a rotting hottie.

It's unmistakable that this is a remake of the famous Hitchcock film, Rear Window, and it does an honorable job. With an excellent cast, set, filming and script, this is an all around successful thriller.

The make or break element in remaking this classic was in casting the lead, originally played by Jimmy Stewart. The new script calls for a teenager rather than an adult. Lucky for them, there was Shia LaBeouf, the main reason I wanted to see this film.

We first saw LeBeouf in Project Greenlight about the making of The Battle of Shaker Heights. You may know him from the fabulous film, Holes. He reminds me of a young John Cusack.

In Hitchcock's version, Stewart plays L.B. Jefferies, a freelance photographer who lives alone in an apartment. LaBeouf's character, Kale, is an angry teenager who was at the wheel in the violent car crash that killed his father. The energies of the characters, and actors, are entirely different but they both work. Look for LaBeouf in the new Indiana Jones movie, a great coup for him.

David Morse, another favorite of mine, plays the bad guy in this movie. Morse plays a lot of supporting roles but is a powerful actor and should play lead. I loved his character in Hack in 2002, another brilliant TV show cancelled prematurely.

If you can't see this one in a completely crowded theatre, wait and rent it for a late night movie night with friends.