THE GUEST
US, 2014, 100 minutes, Colour.
Dan Stevens, Maika Monroe, Brendan Meyer, Sheila Kelley, Leland Orser, Lance Reddick, Joel David Moore, Ethan Embry.
Directed by Adam Wingard.
An American thriller focusing on a family, the son killed in action in the Middle East, a visit by his fellow soldier in arms. All seems to be well. The guest, David (Dan Stevens) seems nice.
Pier Paolo Pasolini’s Teorema seems to the archetype story for this kind of film, a stranger is welcomed into a family and eventually has all kinds of change effects, some good, some bad, for each member of the family. Some British films of the 70s followed this theme, Something for Everyone, Entertaining Mr Sloane.
So, following this theme, David is welcomed into the family, helps the son, Luke, in his battles against bullies, taking them on in a local bar. Encourages the mother, goes to a party with the 20-year-old daughter. However, strange things happen, the audience knowing but the family mystified, David buying some guns and shooting the dealer and the contact, news of the death of a couple high up in the father’s firm and his being promoted. The daughter, however, is suspicious and rings the military authorities.
The screenplay then introduces themes of the programming of soldiers, especially for violence and successful missions. It would seem that David and the family son were involved in these programs. The authorities are alarmed, come to capture David who, according to the programming, outwits and outshoots all those in pursuit. He also kills a mother and father, with regrets, as well as the daughter’s girlfriend and co-worker.
The climax in this kind of film is a confrontation between the brother and sister, at the school and the preparations for a Halloween labyrinth with a lot of final action in the labyrinth. ((The final moment when David seems to be resurrected as a firefighter seems unnecessary.)
- The title, the stories of the unexpected guest, friendly, mysterious, changing the lives of all the family? Variation on the theme? And the introduction of the programming of soldiers?
- The small town, the family, David and his arrival, his story, relationship with Caleb, Caleb’s death, the photo on the wall? Polite, invited to stay? Helping the mother in the house? Driving the son home from school and discovering that he was bullied, taking the son to the bar, the four bullies and the girls, the drink, the barman, the fight, threatening the barman legally? Going to the party, making out with the girl, noting that Anna was stoned, not telling her parents? His reaction to her boyfriend and their quarrel? The father hesitant, welcoming David into the home, as part of the family, drinks, conversation?
- Anna, 20, dominated by her parents, working at the diner, her girlfriend, boyfriend, concealing this from her parents, inviting David to the party, being stoned, the fight with the boyfriend, David watching? Her suspicions, the phone call, the information? Taking his phone, photographing the phone? Ringing the doctor in Florida? Ringing the military authorities, the information?
- Luke, his age, bullied at school, David helping him, the episode in the bar, David urging him to stand up for himself, giving him the knife, the hollowing out of the Halloween pumpkins? David, school, the taunt, his hitting the fellow student, called to the principal, David coming with his mother, the expulsion, David twisting the situation, the threat of suing, hate crimes, allowing for after-school detention?
- The authorities, panic, flying to the town, the cars, the weaponry, shooting at David, his response, killing all the assailants? Killing the mother? The car, crashing into the father, and shooting him, into the desert, taking of the car, his equipment after buying the guns and killing the dealers, going to the restaurant for Anna, killing the girlfriend, the grenades in the restaurant? The fight with the commander and his death?
- Anna, getting Luke from school, the labyrinth and its intricacies, the death of the commander? Luke hiding, the confrontation with Anna, Luke and the knife, stabbing David? The fire? The escape? The fire brigade, and are seeing David emerging as a fireman?
- The conventions of the stranger transforming the household, American military experiments with the soldiers?
