1BR is one of the most interesting movies that I’ve watched in 2020 as I feel like it fooled me at the start and made me love it at the end. I worry that the somewhat goofy beginning of this movie will make people jump ship in the first act, but I really hope they watch it to the end, because it’s got some interesting tricks up it’s sleeve.
@dgoebel00 on Instagram provided this amazing artwork. Follow him and check out his website.
https://youtu.be/IGzb01GrsxQ
Synopsis
1BR is the story of Sarah, a young woman who moves to LA in order to start a new life away from her troubling family.
She finds a great apartment complex that seems strangely kind and welcoming.
Sarah sneaks a cat into her new apartment and soon realizes that’s too much pussy for a one bedroom apartment.
1BR is written and directed by David Marmor and stars Nicole Brydon Bloom as Sarah. This is a somewhat unique movie as it’s a bit of a bait and switch and I fear that will hurt it on a streaming platform like Netflix where people can switch to watching The Office at a moment’s notice.
Strange Start
1BR starts out as a kind of silly, jumpscare-laden spookfest – and a lot of the themes early in the movie left me laughing at what I thought to be a pitiable attempt at a story. The characters felt fake, the scenarios felt unbelievable, and I kept asking, “Yeah, but why would anyone care?”
Solid End
At ⅔’s through, 1BR threw me for a real loop as I realized the movie had played me the same way the characters had played Sarah. The start of this movie felt like a facade to me, and the end left me with a lot of respect for it.
This is really, at its core, a social commentary, or a warning tale meant to alert people to complacently accepting social movements at face value and believing it’s the right thing not to fight back.
Parts of this movie are very similar to one of my favorite thrillers of all-time, The Invitation.
Makes me feel…trapped
That Gas Lighting Feel
I’ve said this before, I’m a big fan of movies gaslighting me, and this one did exactly that, it played me like an instrument. I thought it was a silly little thriller and it ended up smacking me in the face with cold-hard truth.
This is a particularly timely movie to watch right now, and one that I would recommend to anyone who enjoys a solid thriller.
My biggest fear with 1BR is that people will turn it off before it heats up, the start seems intentionally goofy to me, and at the end I think the viewer will appreciate it.
Score
8/10
Final Recommendations
If you enjoy thrillers, or the feeling of being gaslit, this is a wonderfully strong movie for that. 1BR will age very well with time. I just hope people will make it through the somewhat silly feeling start of this movie.
There's a particular kind of conversation that happens after the credits roll on a scary movie, when you're dissecting the jump scares and debating the monster's motives. Horror Movie Talk captures that exact feeling, serving up weekly discussions that are as much about the genuine love of the genre as they are about critique. Hosted by a team whose passion is palpable, this podcast delves into everything from the latest chilling release haunting theaters to those hidden gems-or notorious flops-you can find on streaming services. The analysis is sharp and deeply opinionated, but the chemistry between the hosts often leads the conversation into unexpectedly funny territory. It’s this blend of thoughtful review and spontaneous humor that defines the show. You'll hear passionate debates about cinematic technique, nods to classic influences, and honest reactions to whether a film truly delivers the scares. Tuning in each Wednesday feels like pulling up a chair with friends who’ve just seen the same movie, armed with strong opinions and a willingness to laugh at the absurdities that make horror so enduring. For anyone who lives for that post-viewing breakdown, this is a consistently engaging listen.
Author: Horror Movie Talk: Horror Movie Review
Language: English
Episodes: 464
After multiple patrons and listeners requested, we sat down and watched Tusk on Netflix. We regretted our decision. This film is all blubber and no craft. Kevin Smith proves his limitations with this failure of a body ho…
We saw It Chapter Two, and I have to say, I can make plenty of criticisms about this movie, but on the whole, this is a well done ending to a high budget franchise that has delivered the scares. It Chapter Two Trailer ht…
In preparation for IT Chapter 2 coming out this week, we watched IT (2017) as well as the 1990 Miniseries starring Tim Curry. If you haven’t seen IT and are a horror fan, you are probably in the minority, since it (IT?)…
We saw Ready or Not in theaters, and while my expectations were extremely low, I can honestly say that this is one of the best new movies I’ve seen all year. It’s a dark comedy that has plenty of high stakes and tension…
This week we are reviewing 47 Meters Down: Uncaged. This film took a great premise and solid jump scares, but still bored me for half of the film. It definitely delivers on crunchy shark action, but if you want more than…
We went and saw Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, and it was average with a smile. Those ingrown hairs make for the best pops! Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark Trailer https://youtu.be/A11tX8iu0zQ Scary Stories to Tell…
We re-watched Paranormal Activity 2, and it still holds up. It takes everything that works from the first film and ever so slightly expands on it. It’s not perfect, but it is highly effective. It also happens to be one o…
Did I just do something I’ve never done before and use three exclamation marks to punctuate the title for a post?! I did. Why? Because this week is special, it’s our one year anniversary! David, Bryce, Brennan We go over…
Oof. Seriously though, while watching this movie, I was quoted as saying to Bryce and my poor wife, “I didn’t realize they still made this kind of movie.” Dead Night is a movie that gets lost on it’s way to the end – whe…
The Gremlins are back, and this… new batch…is crazier than ever. Yeah, yeah, yeah it’s barely horror, but it’s horror adjacent and stupid fun. Can you just give us this? Gremlins 2: The New Batch movie poster Gremlins 2…
