one of my absolute favorites!

The plot isn't so bad, but the pace of storytelling is too slow which makes people bored. Certain moments are so obvious and unnecessary for the main plot. I would've fast-forwarded those moments if it was an online streaming. The ending looks like implying a sequel, not sure if this movie will get one

The movie really just wants to entertain people.

The tone of this movie is interesting -- the stakes are both dramatic and high, but it's balanced with a lot of fun, tongue and cheek dialogue.

"It's his word against yours. And he has, let's say, the color issue on his side. And that color happens to be blue."Lakeview Terrace is a thriller that some consider to be underrated. This film has always been on my radar after reading Roger Ebert's four star review, but most critics didn't really dig this film. I wasn't blown away by it like Ebert, but I still enjoyed this suspenseful thriller thanks mostly to Samuel L. Jackson's crazy eyed performance. If someone you know is complaining about their neighbors, then recommend them this film and I guarantee you they will never complain again. Compared to director, Neil LaBute's, previous film, The Wicker Man, this is a masterpiece. The film does manage to maintain a certain level of suspense and the characters are well developed, but the final act is a bit of a letdown. The film lacks some subtlety at times, but it did keep me at the edge of my seat throughout most of its running time. LaBute wasn't afraid to hold back on the racial comments and Jackson's character was very outspoken about it; he definitely succeeds at making the audience feel uncomfortable with several remarks. Chris Mattson (Patrick Wilson) and his wife Lisa (Kerry Washington), arrive to their new home in sunny California despite the news reports of several wildfires across the area. They are a recently married couple and are excited about having purchased their first home together. Lisa's father (Ron Glass) is ready to head back home after having finished helping with all the moving, meanwhile Chris and Lisa meet their new neighbor, Abel (Samuel L. Jackson), who happens to be an LA police officer and so they feel even more secure about their purchase. What they never see coming however is that Abel is a very strict man who doesn't approve of their interracial marriage. Not feeling comfortable with their presence, Abel who lives with his son Marcus (Jaishon Fisher) and daughter Celia (Regine Nehy), begins to bully and threaten them in order to force them to move out of their new home. Abel also happens to be experiencing some struggles of his own back at work for his abusive behavior, so this cop doesn't seem to be the one you want to live close to.Samuel L. Jackson is known mostly for playing a good guy in his movies, so getting to see him in this very different role felt like a breath of fresh air. He gives a terrifying performance here and his presence always made me feel uncomfortable. Patrick Wilson and Kerry Washington also gave strong performances for a thriller like this considering they weren't the perfect couple. They each had flaws and their characters were developed really well. Unfortunately the movie doesn't end on a strong note and that is what ultimately brought it down for me. I still think this film is worth seeing for Samuel L. Jackson's performance, he carries the movie throughout its weak moments. The story may sound familiar considering it is a conventional thriller, but there are moments thanks mostly to the strong performances and well developed characters, that make this film stand above other films in its genre.

Lakeview Terrace is not a bad thriller at all. In fact, it's better than most thrillers that comes out in the fall season. This movie kept me tense the whole time. However, this movie sometimes go out of control and becomes somewhat weird but I did not mind that.This film is about a racist cop who does not approve of his new neighbors and their interracial marriage. He does what he can to make their lives miserable and then some....What made this thriller so good is the presence of Samuel L. Jackson. He practically carried this movie with his left hand. He is a very talented actor and he shows it here. I wouldn't want to mess with his character. Also, Kerry Washington and Patrick Wilson were pretty good as the couple.Overall, this is a tense thriller with some over-the-top moments. It is better than most thrillers out there today. I rate this film 8/10.

That's the second time I see this very good thriller. Four years after the first one, back in 2008. I totally agree with everything the other users say about this film. Yes, yes, yes, Samuel Jackson gives here a wonderful performance. His character as a very ambivalent cop, racist - black racist !! - is absolutely unforgettable. So rare in usual foreseeable topics. It reminds me another movie I saw in 1992 - UNLAWLY ENTRY - starring Ray Liotta as a very sympathetic cop with the hero couple at the beginning of the feature, and very bad one as the story goes on...Except that there was not the racism point of view in the 92 film.The good family man, good father, rough and very effective cop, but racist at the most, and in an exceptional way of showing it.I would recommend it, even to my worst enemy, if I had one.

Abel Turner (Samuel L. Jackson) is a well-respected LAPD officer and the self-appointed watchdog for his upper class California neighborhood. His wife has died, he has two kids, Marcus (Jaishon Fisher) and Celia (Regine Nehy), whom he heavily protects and disciplines, but his cockiness and overpowering instincts runs far outside the lines of his family. It all starts when an interracial couple moves in next door. They are the white Chris and the black Lisa Mattson (Patrick Wilson and Kerry Washington), who are young, spry, and hoping to start a family in their first home.Instantaneously, right after their first interaction together, Chris notices that Abel is subtly hostile towards him, making mildly inappropriate, smarmy remarks about his smoking and his fondness of hip-hop music, and even keenly mentions how "black" he seems to act. Abel's disdain for his new neighbors grows when his kids notice both Chris and Lisa having sex in their swimming pool. This is where Abel begins what will become a long line of events in efforts to provoke and intimidate the couple, as well as make them question their decision to live in this neighborhood cul de sac.His first idea is to reposition his bright security lights to shine right in the Mattson's bedroom window. Another step is by being blunt and ostentatious at their housewarming party to not only them, but their guests and friends. As the abuse begins to increase, so does the couples' level of patience, tolerance, and willful kindness. In the meantime, there is an unmanageable wildfire that is slowly consuming much of the wilderness of the area and is slowly approaching this humble residential area.Samuel L. Jackson gives a brave, unsettling performance as Abel, a clearly unstable man and a selective racist. As the film goes on and his acts become increasingly devious and destructive, Jackson only amps up this role and takes it to new heights. He is an actor of two main screen presences, such as the wise-cracking, no-nonsense handyman (Pulp Fiction) and the nuanced, morally devout individual (Black Snake Moan). Here, he blends both of his iconic and recognizable characteristics together to create a character that is taut, provoking, and chilling in a plethora of sequences.He carries the film, along with the other performances that have more than enough room to maneuver and dodge the predictable clichés, such as Patrick Wilson and Kerry Washington. Wilson's Chris is pushed to actions far beyond the normal ones he usually takes, and this is what makes his performances one that works on multiple levels. Writers David Loughery and Howard Korder push their characters past the normal conventions they tend to operate on, and tests them with dilemmas that stem from another person's response to their relationship and life.But is Abel doing this because he a racist or because he likes to test others patience? Is this is a sick little game that's purpose is to act on more levels than one? The film asks questions and provides itself the ability to be looked at with several different lenses, almost assuring that every person who goes to see this film will see something different. Something like that is not often illustrated with mainstream films, but because of Lakeview Terrace's well-written screenplay, more development and leeway is given to the areas usually confined to one general view.This is immensely better, more creative, and more accomplished and enticing than Paul Haggis's Crash, the film that won Best Picture in 2004. Crash was a cookie-cutter film, attempting to establish one big anthology film that would "introduce us" to dense characters, pulling the race card and acting as a pot of water seconds away from over-boiling. Its characters were thin, underdeveloped stereotypes, its screenplay was heavy-handed and formulaic, and its ending was almost complete and tonal banal.Lakeview Terrace centers on a story that could've been added to Crash's line of thin story lines, but like few of the ones from that particular film, has the many levels of complexity and depth that could easily spawn a feature-length film in and of itself. The film progresses along with sharp dialog, character relations and interactions that are devilish and raw, notable suspense as well as stylish art direction, and it is all placed inside a pot where moral issues and questions surround the entire picture.Starring: Samuel L. Jackson, Patrick Wilson, Kerry Washington, Ron Glass, and Jay Hernandez. Directed by: Neil LaBute.