[vc_row][vc_column][vc_video link=”https://youtu.be/1bJZYqGfYGE” el_width=”90″ align=”center”][vc_column_text]Four years ago, The Loft hit the theaters and it had been a movie that I had the fullest intention on going to see, but unfortunately; never got a chance. Fast forward to tonight, the film comes across my feed, and I decided to take a look. Starring Karl Urban, Wentworth Miller, James Marsden, Eric Stonestreet, and Matthias Schoenaerts. The premise of the picture is five men who pitch in for a loft where all have keys and can use the apartment to bring back women to cheat on their wives with. Their fun time takes a turn when they find a young woman dead in bed, with no man knowing how she got there.
This film is all about the drama and is less of a thriller than it is an expression of decadence, overindulgence, and some really dumb decisions. The film plays in bits and piece of the present, along with flashbacks scattered throughout the movie. It is easy to follow along despite that, but the concept of it is just a little extravagant. Were these men really that eager to cheat that they would go in together on a place for the sole fact of being a bachelor pad. Regardless of the fact of there being five of them, I still believe they must be paying a huge chunk of rent per month; enough for their wives to notice and questionable bill charges were the justification Urban’s character gave as to why they needed the loft in the first place.
We are given little glimpses into each one of the lives of the men who own the loft, but Urban’s is clearly the leader, although his story is really one of a pompous rich man who is confident enough that everyone in any room is his for the taking. Probably the most likeable in the group are Marsden’s character, as well as Miller’s. Marsden’s does toe the line of being a cliche, the one who only got the key to the loft, not necessarily to cheat with someone random; but only as a place to take a woman who he loves, so it’s pretty innocent, right? No. Miller’s character doesn’t actually ever bring a woman to the loft and is the rock for his diabetic wife. We would have liked him more if at the end you didn’t find out he’s the quintessential “nice guy” aka if I can’t have her, no one can, kind of guy.
Despite that, Schoenaert’s character is a loose cannon and although not utterly pompous as the rest, he’s over the top, extremely at some points. Stonestreet’s character was the most unlikeable and the most opposite from the role he’s most known for, Cameron Tucker on Modern Family. Obnoxious, but ultimately self-conscious; he was really hard to get used to and there were some pretty cringe-worthy scenes with him involved, but I think that’s good to see the range the actor has.
While there were times where the movie wasn’t moving fast enough, the twist that finally transpires at the end, and the layers of how deep the lie goes really makes the film interesting. As soon as you see the beginnings of the real reason and way that girl ended up dead in that bed are everchanging until finally the last layer is peeled away, revealing something I originally never saw coming. Wentworth Miller and James Marsden are so masterful at the craft of acting that I really wish they’d work together again, as their chemistry feeds off each other, and is a real treat to the audience.
While Urban’s character really wasn’t all that interesting and slowly become disinterested in his storyline, I believe the film is worth it to see what happens at the end and to see Miller and Marsden on screen together. Overall, I would probably give this movie a six out of ten. All I want to say is, next time you think about going in on a cheating pad with your buddies, maybe rethink.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]