A Willem Dafoe Thriller On Broadcast That Will Have You On The Edge Of Your Seat
By Chris Snellgrove | Published
Although many geeks will always remember him best as the Green Goblin, Willem Dafoe has had a long and arduous career full of challenging roles, and he's not slowing down yet. That's really obvious in his thringer Inside now streaming on Peacock: it had us on the edge of our seats and, most importantly, it reminded us that we can stream something on this service without repetition The office.
If you like to sit on the edge of your seat, usually with your hand over your eyes, we recommend you spread it today.
A Classic Setup With a Twist
Part of what you do Inside what's most interesting is that it combines a classic theme with a modern setting. For example, Dafoe himself plays an art thief with a wealth of experience in stealing priceless works of art from the homes of the rich and famous. Based on this first premise, it seems Inside will be very similar to a traditional caper: basically, Getting stuck meets Ocean's Eleven. However, even though he has professional contacts to help him pull off his epic heist, Willem Dafoe's character remains alone when he disguises himself as a handyman to break into the Manhattan high-rise of a very wealthy art collector.
It's meant to be the kind of quick “in and out” he uses exclusively, but an elderly art thief accidentally removes the high-tech security system guarding the residence. This leads to the end result he expected: being trapped in a stranger's house and completely isolated, especially after the contacts abandon him to his fate.
That ending is incredibly scary and incredibly sad for the simple fact that the rich landlord isn't coming back. Soon, it becomes clear that going to prison because of his criminal history is the last thing Willem Dafoe's character should be worried about.
Instead, trapped in a house with no way out, no way to communicate with others, and very little food, the urban art thief soon finds himself fighting for his survival.
The Perfect Survival Thriller
There are many reasons why we love Inside as a film, and one of them is that it is a master at making perfect cinematic food with very few ingredients. For example, apart from Willem Dafoe, there are only two other actors in the entire film.
The film is very limited to one interior, but thanks to the many rooms of this unusual house and the skills of the director, it feels extended like other movies where the characters keep moving from one place to another.
Speaking of directorial skills, special credit must go to director Vasilis Katsoupis: this was his first feature film, and given the overall quality of the film. Insidewe're sure you'll see more of his name in the future.
Internal Reception from Audiences and Critics
The film made a big splash when it was screened at the 73rd Berlin International Film Festival. Although it made a modest box office of $897,190, this ambitious film found new life and a loyal cult following on the Peacock streaming service.
Over on Rotten Tomatoes, Inside it currently has a critical rating of 61 percent. While some critics complained about the film's limited setting (which was not part of the film the point of the film), many of whom praised Willem Dafoe's powerful performance as keeping him glued to the screen.
Since the film is a horror film, many critics were happy to see Dafoe flex the same horror chops he showed in the excellent movie. The Lighthouse alongside Robert Pattinson.
Finally, Inside the perfect film to watch for audiences who have been complaining that every modern Hollywood film is just another lame repeat of what came before. It's a beautiful and exciting film, and it forces us to constantly ask questions about the dynamic relationship between art, technology, and human suffering. A powerhouse performance from Willem Dafoe is the cherry on top of a film you'll be thinking about for a good, long time.
