the audience applauded

Good start, but then it gets ruined

This story has more twists and turns than a second-rate soap opera.

One of the worst ways to make a cult movie is to set out to make a cult movie.

I couldn't speak for the ending or even the middle of this wretched "film," because I had to quit watching after the ~20 minute mark. I'm usually someone who gives movies a chance,. However, this one was playing out like a really bad, cheesy, predictable Lifetime TV movie (and I've seen much better of that genre). Bad acting, cliché moments, ridiculous dialogue, etc. I could have seen it as a movie of the week - "Don't Trust Strangers" or something similar. It was painful to watch, and I couldn't subject myself to any more of it. Whether this was intended as a straight-to- video release or a theatrical release, these elements are inexcusable. I can't imagine it got any better after I tuned out.

The movie started out OKAY, well half-watchable at least...The main reason being David Arquette, for some reason I like the guy, he'll probably never win an Oscar but he has a likability about him that is undeniable...Although I suppose in this movie he isn't suppose to be likable at all since he plays a psychopath, now David playing a psychopath doesn't work as bad as one might think BUT it doesn't matter cause no one could save this wreck of a script that I can't see how anyone would give the greenlight too...I'm guessing David needed the money and good for him if he got some but yeah the script goes from halfdecent to fully horrible...The psychopath is not only a psychopath but he also has a stable of young girls at his place hiding for the outsiders and just waiting for him to come home everyday to spend some time with him, and if he's brought someone home help killing them...Cause girls like to have fun like Cyndie Lauper said, and these girls find nothing more fun than killing innocent people and cuddling in bed with their David Arquette all day long...If this sounds sort of exciting to you, it isn't, not even a so bad it's good type of movie...There's also subplots and stuff involving the family that rents out David Arquette's place, various family-issues etc that fail to commute any sort of interest with the viewer...I gave it a 3 I'm not sure why maybe it should be less, but I wasn't annoyed to the point I hated it I just thought it was a movie that was really bad so I'm kind maybe...

This is definitely not the worst movie I have ever seen but not the best either of this genre. My take on this movie was that Rose met a man on the internet and they became lovers. She told him about her family and her Mother's death and how she felt about what had happened with his Dad remarrying so soon after her Mother's death and they had a baby. The man she got involved with was a charismatic psychopath very like Charles Manson. At least, that is who I thought of while watching this movie.It appeared he picked girls who had a lot of anger toward their families and helped them reek vengeance on them and anyone else associated that was felt had done harm to this person. It was like he had formed his own cult of wives who held undying allegiance to him. They would do his every bidding and over time he added to his group of wives. He would abduct family members and others associated to the person to perform a killing ritual at the end of a marriage ceremony. It seemed like some sort of bonding issue to leave the past behind and rid the person of any attachments and take revenge for whatever ills they felt had been perpetrated on them.Therefore after a fight with her family, some of them getting away and some of the girls being killed and David Arquette's character getting badly hurt, you don't know if they really get away or not. The girls, one in particular you never suspected is telling her that Arquette has been hurt worse and will survive and how much he is devoted. They are cajoling Rose to stay with them. They are a family group in their minds. Here you find out his following is well more than three or four but a huge number. It leaves you wondering if they get caught and if the three you see of Rose's family and think survived did indeed survive.This movie really gave me the creeps and with the way they did the soundtrack did cause me to jump a few times even though I knew what was going to happen. The acting was fine and the suspense was there. It reminded me of Hitchcock movies. The antagonist's (Arquette) spaced out way of interacting with the characters is extremely disconcerting. If you like movies that are sheer tension this is a good movie for wondering what he is actually trying to accomplish even with many clues. You knew he was homicidal but not exactly why. He did it for the object of his affection at the time. He seemed to have chosen those that had gone through family trauma and turned out broken.

I must have written that summary a good 50 times attempting to keep a straight face before (somewhat) succeeding.. But even looking past the... inventive casting, this movie about a romance novelist who might not be who he seems, is a hopelessly muddled mess. Poor direction, abysmal writing, nonsensical characters. No character really has any rhyme nor reason to do anything that they do in the film. The movie feels horribly disjointed like they wanted to make a Lifetime-esque thriller but even failed at those 'lofty' goals. It's also one of the tamest movies of the 'bad tenant' sub-genre that I had the misfortune of subjecting my eyes to.