DVD Review: Restraint

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Guests, Ravenswood, Power Surge..

 
Those were all working titles for this little Aussie film at one point. I've always found the process of naming a movie interesting. It's pretty neat to see what they started out with, then ultimately what they landed on.

Restraint follows Ron (Travis Fimmel) and Dale, (Teresa Palmer) a young couple on the run. Ron has just murdered two people, in an attempt to dump their car they happen upon a secluded house. This house belongs to Andrew, (Stephen Moyer) an agoraphobic who becomes their hostage. He offers them a way out, but everything is not as it seems.

Moyer gave a fantastic performance. He's wonderful on True Blood and it was nice to see something else he's done. He has the acting chops to back it all up. Teresa Palmer is lovely as usual, she's one of my favorite up and coming actresses. Moyer plays Andrew with fear and kindness while Palmer's Dale is obviously very conflicted, this leaves us with Ron. Travis Fimmel managed to annoy me so much I almost shut the film off during the first 10 minutes. Thankfully I stuck around, but I absolutely could not stand his character. Your not supposed to like him, so perhaps Fimmel was doing his job just as well as Palmer and Moyer. It's hard to say, but he really almost made me switch it off.

What I liked most about the film was the dark feeling throughout. The ending leaves you wondering of all the possibilities that could happen.

Recommended: Yes

Grade: B-

Memorable Quote: "You could be her." - Andrew (Stephen Moyer)

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