The Observer, September 19, 2008
Volume XLI, Issue 4
Terrace presents great ideas, but collapses under their weight
"You're doing that Berkeley thing again, aren't you? Where you say one thing but you mean something else? What's that called again? Irony, right?" Abel, played by Samuel L. Jackson, harasses the male half of the new couple that has just moved in next door in the film Lakeview Terrace, which opens today.
The word irony is the perfect summation of this film. Continuous events work to shock and surprise the viewer into a state of suspense, as does the clever dialogue. A newly wed interracial couple, Chris (Patrick Wilson) and Lisa (Kerry Washington) Mattson has just moved into a new neighborhood. Their new neighbor Abel, is a police officer for the Los Angeles Police Department. The new couple quickly discover that Abel is not the typical police officer that they expected him to be. They are troubled by spotlights shining into their bedroom and find their car tires slashed and house broken into. It becomes clear very early on that the police officer next door is not accepting of the couple's interracial relationship.
Samuel L. Jackson does a fantastic job of playing Abel as an unusually dynamic character. The issue of his wife's death plays a key role in influencing the officer's psychology. His children provide an additional dynamic, symbolizing a challenge to traditional authority.
Aside from the psychological issues this film poses, it also brings up puzzling questions about society. What is one supposed to do when they can't trust the police? Chris and Lisa find themselves the victims of several crimes, but the person committing them is one of the most respected officers in the department. How does one's position in society influence their ideology? Although Abel is a police officer, he clearly has a convoluted view of justice.
The symbolism in the movie is also well done. An uncontrollable fire rages through the neighborhood, its growth paralleling the increasing senility of Abel. Religious symbolism, such as the time of 3 a.m. and the name Abel, is also littered throughout the movie.
Unfortunately, the merits of this film are also its downfall. The film attempts to include far too much and, as such, each facet of the entire work becomes weaker. The psychological deterioration of Abel is evident only in Jackson's acting, and the environmental elements influencing it become secondary. The issue of race, arguably central to the entire film, becomes lost amidst the forest of other themes that are present. The departure of Abel's children, who were a great additional dynamic in the film, leaves an unsolved mystery: their fate is never revealed.
The potential mother-daughter relationship between Lisa and Abel's daughter also never comes to fruition, and the couple's differing views on starting a family also provides an additional - some would argue unnecessary - element to the film. The symbolism, although clear to those looking for it, is difficult to spot for those watching the film simply for entertainment. The humor, although multifaceted and often smartly done, is fairly stereotypical and a series of one liners. The ironic nature of the film, a great potential building point for merit in the film, is never fully realized. A gross overreach in ambition is why the film, although brimming with potential, completely fails to realize it.
