After the New York World Trade Center attacks of Septemeber 11th, 2001, the climate in America has been one of suspicion of anything that might look as a terrorist threat again. The media and the law enforcement institutions have had a field day every time a new mention of possible aggression by sworn enemies comes out in the news. The danger comes always from people of Arab extraction, invariably, although there are many other groups involved in the same work. Even law abiding citizens of that ethnic background have had to suffer the indignities of being accused, perhaps unjustly, about this type of activity, which, in a way, is what comes out in the film.
Terry Allen, an unemployed accountant, has too much time in his hands. His world is dominated by all recent events that have contributed to make him a man that feels surrounded by the dangerous environment he is bombarded by the media. Living with his photographer wife Marla, he begins spying on a young swarthy man, Hassan, that lives on the ground floor facing an inner courtyard of his apartment building.
Terry becomes obsessed by what he sees Hassan do from his own window. He must try to do something, and what he ideates is to go to the FBI to denounce the irregularity. But alas, the agent he contacts, Tom Hilary, sees nothing wrong with the details Terry brings him. His own relationship with Marla goes from bad to worse. Terry Allen will not stop until he has a confrontation with Hassan, but is this poor man, who Terry believes he is? Is he the fanatic terrorist that will stop at nothing in order to damage the country? Jeff Renfroe, the director of the film, working with the mysterious Andrew Joiner screenplay, makes a case for the collective paranoia most people have lived for many years, where even a small occurrence can be seen as an imminent attack on our way of living.
Peter Krause plays Terry Allen with a keen sense of knowing what makes this man tick. He has been betrayed by the system, so he is not going to stop to reason and let the higher authorities get involved in the danger he perceives. Kari Matchett is good as the suffering Marla. The excellent Richard Schiff is seen as the FBI man. Khaled Abol Naga has some intense moments in his confrontation with Terry.
The film captures the claustrophobic atmosphere with Dylan MacLeod's camera work. The director gives the film a washed out tone that contributes to the mood and the effect the film has on its viewers. We shall look forward to Jeff Renfroe's films in the future and wish him well in everything he does.
Terry Allen, an unemployed accountant, has too much time in his hands. His world is dominated by all recent events that have contributed to make him a man that feels surrounded by the dangerous environment he is bombarded by the media. Living with his photographer wife Marla, he begins spying on a young swarthy man, Hassan, that lives on the ground floor facing an inner courtyard of his apartment building.
Terry becomes obsessed by what he sees Hassan do from his own window. He must try to do something, and what he ideates is to go to the FBI to denounce the irregularity. But alas, the agent he contacts, Tom Hilary, sees nothing wrong with the details Terry brings him. His own relationship with Marla goes from bad to worse. Terry Allen will not stop until he has a confrontation with Hassan, but is this poor man, who Terry believes he is? Is he the fanatic terrorist that will stop at nothing in order to damage the country? Jeff Renfroe, the director of the film, working with the mysterious Andrew Joiner screenplay, makes a case for the collective paranoia most people have lived for many years, where even a small occurrence can be seen as an imminent attack on our way of living.
Peter Krause plays Terry Allen with a keen sense of knowing what makes this man tick. He has been betrayed by the system, so he is not going to stop to reason and let the higher authorities get involved in the danger he perceives. Kari Matchett is good as the suffering Marla. The excellent Richard Schiff is seen as the FBI man. Khaled Abol Naga has some intense moments in his confrontation with Terry.
The film captures the claustrophobic atmosphere with Dylan MacLeod's camera work. The director gives the film a washed out tone that contributes to the mood and the effect the film has on its viewers. We shall look forward to Jeff Renfroe's films in the future and wish him well in everything he does.