1BR is a 2019 American horror thriller about a girl who rents an apartment in a complex where unexpected things happen.
From Fantasia Festival 2019: 1BR is one of those horror movies where it’s all about knowing as little as possible before going in so that it can show its cards one-by-one in keeping secret it’s big surprise. That so, there’s a lot to like about it, the simple premise centered around a girl named Sarah (Nicole Brydon Bloom), who has a dream that she wants to pursue, working as a temp to support herself while dealing with conflicts with her father.
Everything starts when she surprisingly gets chosen out of many during an open house event for an apartment complex to fill a vacancy. She soon learns that her conversation with the building manager and one of the guests gave them the right impression. While her apartment seems great, there is a list of strict rules for the residents, and her unit seems to have some serious plumbing issues. Her neighbors range from friendly to downright stalker-creepy and there is a very solid sense of encouragement to read about “The Power of Community.” There’s more to this apartment complex than meets the eye and there’s one twist down crazy lane that takes its audience into some truly disturbing places.
Without revealing too much, David Marmor‘s directorial debut is a well-executed and thrilling 90 minutes. While there are some horror tropes and obvious bits of familiar in the beginning, this is an effective psychological thriller that doesn’t play into the expected. Its themes are in your face and the Marmor’s script is tight and well-paced, keeping the audience guessing throughout. Marmor doesn’t hold anyone’s hand, letting the story unfold with purpose, and the L.A. setting, where people go to pursue their dreams (and often lose them) leaves this a telling story about the strength needed to fight for your life.
With creepy background music and sound effects mixed with a slew of good performances, including charming neighbor Brian (Giles Matthey) and building manager Jerry (Taylor Nichols), the story pushes forward with urgency. It breaks some of the predictability now settled in the genre, the movie unsettling enough you might think a little more about the next place you rent … and the power of community.
You can catch the encore presentation of it at Fantasia International Film Festival on July 22 at 11:45am at the Salle J.A. De Seve.