Common Sense Media Review
By Jeffrey M. Anderson
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Sharp horror-thriller about human behavior and technology.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 15+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
The Rental
What's the Story?
In THE RENTAL, Charlie (Dan Stevens) runs a successful tech company with his partner, Mina (Sheila Vand). Mina is dating Charlie's brother, Josh (Jeremy Allen White), who has a troubled past but is trying to do better. To celebrate a milestone at work, Charlie and Mina decide to rent a vacation home for the weekend for the three of them, plus Charlie's wife, Michelle (Alison Brie). Trouble comes right away when Mina is turned down for the rental but Charlie is approved, suggesting racism on the part of manager Taylor (Toby Huss). But the foursome try to have a good time anyway by taking some Ecstasy. Michelle goes to bed early, and Josh passes out, leaving Charlie and Mina alone. They unwisely act on a drug-fueled impulse and have sex. In the morning, they agree to forget all about it but are then horrified to discover cameras planted all around the house that certainly captured the act. How can they get out of this mess?
Is It Any Good?
Marking Dave Franco's directorial debut, this sharp, engrossing horror-thriller gets by with no supernatural elements, relying entirely on scarily believable human behavior and intrusive technology. Working from a screenplay co-written by Franco, Joe Swanberg, and Mike Demski, Franco creates tension right away in The Rental with his human tableaus. Even the (sometimes dark) humor is designed to throw things off-balance. The very first shot shows Charlie and Mina leaning together over a computer monitor in such a familiar, comfortable way that we may immediately assume that they're a couple.
Everything in the movie is staged in a way that creates tension and dislocation, from Taylor's underlying racism and his sly way of deflecting it, to Michelle being out-of-step with the other three. Michelle is the only one interested in going on a hike, and she takes Ecstasy alone on Saturday night, becoming a kind of quirky comic relief and also a catalyst for more disaster. Brie and Franco are married in real life, and he's given her a rich role here that plays to her talents. Plus, Franco manages to comment on technology in a way that's subtle and not overbearing. He doesn't go easy on his characters, and he finds an ending that clicks into place with a true shudder. In essence, The Rental is a must-see thriller, both smart and unsettling.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about The Rental's violence. How much is shown, and how much is implied? How does sound play a role in the violence? How did it all make you feel?
How is sex depicted? What values are implied? Why does it hurt so much when a partner is cheated on?
Is the movie scary? What's the appeal of horror movies?
Are drugs or alcohol glamorized? Are there consequences for using or drinking? Why does that matter?
What are the pros and cons of secret surveillance? What do we gain, and what do we give up with hidden cameras? What is the movie saying about technology?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming : December 1, 2020
- Cast : Alison Brie , Dan Stevens , Sheila Vand
- Director : Dave Franco
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : IFC Films
- Genre : Thriller
- Run time : 88 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : violence, language throughout, drug use and some sexuality
- Last updated : January 13, 2022
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