Disturbia

*** (3 stars)

Disturbia (2007)
Genre: Thriller
105 minutes - PG13 rating
Director: D.J. Caruso
Starring: Shia LaBeouf, Sarah Roemer, Carrie-Anne Moss, David Morse, and Aaron Yoo

Brief Plot: A teen living with his widowed mother has his summer ruined when he is placed under house arrest for assaulting his high school teacher. To pass the time, he begins watching the neighbors from his house, in particular the hot girl who moved in next door. But his spying takes a turn when he begins to think that his neighbor is a murderer.

Best Audience: Disturbia has some very intense and frightening moments and there is a splattering of s-words throughout. Best for teens and up. Don't watch it if you hate thrillers.

My Review: Disturbia is an altered clone of Hitchcock's Rear Window. The plot is simply retooled and reorganized to fit a younger hipper audience for the teen appeal. That said, it doesn't compare in the same sentence of course. Director DJ Caruso plays on almost every teen stereotype in the movie and the characters are mostly average. LaBeouf acting is very competent, however, and this is probably an example of his better work to date. Disturbia does do a good job of keeping you interested and profits from good editing and time flow. It is a great rent and a fun movie to watch with friends, but that aside I wouldn't call it a classic.