Certified Fresh Comedy Thriller Has ‘Stranger Things’ Best Star’s Worst Life Situation Ever
Author: Robert Skuch Published
after spending some time stranger things My main takeaway from season five is that Brett Gelman’s Murray is one of the best characters on the show, as he’s a solid character actor who always delivers just the right amount of acerbity on command. Admittedly, I’ve never seen anything other than his work. stranger thingsso I decided it was time to take a look at 2017’s room rentalhe plays a major, antagonistic role rather than a supportive, helpful one. It’s a consummate comedic thriller that thrives on familiar beats, and Gel-Mann does what he does best here, commanding every scene with an infectious sarcastic smile, sharp banter, and a sinister backstory that gradually comes into focus.
Like a comedy version of 2019’s Parasite, room rental Let us witness a family being infiltrated, manipulated and subverted. It works because Herman leans into the charm of a man who seems friendly enough but clearly has something wrong with him. He seems to have a master plan, although not one based on violence. Instead, he tears a family apart from the inside out with an edgy, jarring yet strangely cheerful personality that’s stunning to watch.
Classic lazy setup
Even though I’ve spent the last two paragraphs gushing about my newfound appreciation for Brett Gelman, room rental We are first introduced to its protagonist, Mickey Baldwin (Mark Little). Mickey won a $3.5 million lottery jackpot in high school. He spent his energy on lavish vacations and bad investments, including purchasing expensive patent rights to intellectual property that he thought would pay off. Instead, he ended up bankrupt, unsuccessful, and living with his parents at age 32.
To make matters worse, Mitch’s father, Warren (Mark McKinney), is forced into early retirement at his financial firm because no one needs the advice of a man whose son squandered millions of dollars in record time. Warren decides to sell the house as part of an effort to downsize, but Mitch has a better idea: rent out the unused rooms and use the money to pay the mortgage and keep the lights on.
Enter Brett Gelman
When Mickey advertises a room for rent, Carl Flamel (Brett Gelman) shows up at the door with a wad of cash, ready to move in. Without batting an eyelash, he pulled out enough bills to cover the first and last month’s rent, utilities, and fees. This immediately convinced Warren that he was the ideal tenant. The Baldwins are able to keep their home and even make a little extra money from Carl, who quickly settles in, charms Mickey’s mom Betty (Stephanie Weir), and even helps around the house without being asked.
Mitch, who was already insecure and worried that Carl was trying to outdo him, became defensive and began looking for reasons to evict him so that he could return to his normal, quiet life of squeezing money from his parents. Fully aware of Mitch’s insecurities, Carl reconnects with his ex-girlfriend Lindsay (Carla Gallo), who now works as an event planner. Carl and Lindsay even team up to throw Warren a retirement party, while Mitch desperately tries to dig up dirt on Carl, who is too perfect for his comfort.
In fact, Carl is so perfect that he hires Mitch for a menial job purely to humiliate him. Mitch is angry, but his parents are thrilled, which only makes Mitch feel even more powerless. As things escalate, he becomes obsessed with uncovering Carl’s secret past and figuring out why their seemingly ideal tenant is trying to ruin his life.
lots of chemicals
Thanks to the dynamic between Carl and Mitch, room rental is a dark suspense drama disguised as a laugh-out-loud comedy. An ominous score, clever lighting and visual cues give the film a spooky atmosphere, while the entire film relies on the antagonistic chemistry between its two central characters. Hermann is in his element, although the character is not too far from reality. stranger things‘ Murray. He’s proud, confident, and always smiling, but there’s always something disturbing beneath the surface. Even if you can’t completely predict how he’ll attack next, you can feel the darkness underneath the charm.
room rental It works because it walks the line between comedy and thriller, and Herman clearly understands the task. His confidence combined with Little’s portrayal of a poor boy creates a friction that allows the film to move along easily. The chemistry between them is worth setting off on Tubi next time you want a good laugh at a slow-burn mystery.
