DVD Review: Restraint
Restraint (2008)
Studio: Lions Gate
DVD Release Date: August 19, 2008
Directed By: David Denneen
Cast: Stephen Moyer, Teresa Palmer, Travis Fimmel
Brutal As Hell Rating: 3 ½ out of 5 stars
Review By: Marc Patterson
Murder, lies, deceit. Count these as just a few of my favorite things in a horror/suspense film. Lions Gate brings us an underscored thriller from Australia that while highly unassuming from the outside, packs some serious punches and proves to be one heck of a joyride.
Ron (Travis Fimmel) and girlfriend Dale (Teresa Palmer) are a couple of not so nice individuals. When the film opens these common street criminals already have a small body count racked up and it only gets bigger within moments. With a dead body in the trunk of their car, and a slaughtered gas station attendant not too far down the road behind them Ron and Dale need to quickly duck for cover, find some cash, and lay low for a spell. They come across a gorgeous estate off the main road that suits them, even if it is a bit worn over. Upon breaking in they realize the home is that of Andrew (Stephen Moyer, True Blood), a peculiar recluse who amongst other things is agoraphobic. He doesn’t have much money, but after some abuse from Ron he manages to come up with a plan for which he can get $40,000 from a trust fund. The catch is that Dale must play the part of Andrew’s ex-fiancé. With the televisions blaring images of both Ron and Dale the pressure is on for Dale to transform herself into an elegant, upscale woman in order to pull off her ultimate job.
The plot thickens when Dale sinks into her character and starts to enjoy being this new sophisticated woman. Her loyalties to her lover Ron begin to fade as Andrew pulls her under his charms. Ron, who apparently turns out to be smarter than he appears, pieces together that Andrew’s story about his ex-fiancé don’t quite add up and the film turns into a cat and mouse game with tensions between the three building and spiraling near the brink of disaster.
This at first Restraint might seem like a film focused on a macho battle between the two strong male characters, as they assert their dominance over each other and character of Dale. But it becomes clear that the story has little to do with the two men. It’s about Dale, her transformation, and the idea that ultimately her choice between the two men should alone determine the outcome of this head game. The concept of choice turns to be little more than a fleeting illusion and the director sends a clear message that Teresa’s character might be able to choose to whom she will belong, but ultimately is unable to be anything but a mere possession to another man.
Plot wise the film suffers from a few minors errors, but are easy enough to overlook thanks to the talented cast of these relatively unknown actors, who propel the suspenseful action forward superbly. Without a doubt I must mention the extremely hot Teresa Palmer (The Grudge 2), who not only nails the role of Dale, but also provides some sumptuous eye candy to this taut thriller. Lucky for us she’s not afraid to disrobe on multiple occasions. Not only was Palmer absolutely stunning to watch on screen, but she also played out her role convincingly, and created some real suspense to the effect of the film. However I think Stephen Moyer stands as the best example of the “Restraint” theme in the film. At first his character seems wimpish and weak, but within his domain he is anything but. Why “Restraint”? What meaning does this word take? Look closely. The answer is within Moyer’s character. He certainly held back with that shovel and he certainly held back as he slowly and deliberately revealed the ace up his sleeve. And while Travis Fimmel might have been relegated the most understated, and underdeveloped role as the lunatic Ron, don’t let the character fool you. This no-name actor (and former Calvin Klein model) made for one heck of a villain. Together the three of them allowed the film to remain cohesive, whereas a weaker cast would have only made those plot holes more glaring.
As a note, you’ll want to make sure to check out the alternate ending as well. Certainly we can’t go into details but providing this second ending within the extras wraps up a couple key items that were left open-ended in the original chosen conclusion. That being said, I still agree with the choice to have concluded the film the way as was done, and am glad that this alternate ending was relegated to the extras.
This b-grade thriller from Australia makes for an excellent flick to veg out to on a weeknight when there’s nothing better on television. Hardcore horror buffs will likely be turned off by the lack of blood and overt violence, but for Christ’s sake, broaden your horizons a bit. Our recommendation is to snag this one up today.
