The 4th Floor - A Movie Review

What do you mean nobody lives on the top floor? I hear noise up there.

Moving into the apartment in 1999, The 4th Floor is about a woman who inherits a rent-controlled apartment in a run-down old building. Tormented by whoever lives in the apartment below her, Jane gets threatening messages, warning her to end the noise.

I laughed a lot while watching The 4th Floor. I’m not sure if it was supposed to be a dark comedy or if it just ended up like that in the final edit. The 4th Floor is a mix between a film that has no idea what it wants to be, instills the corniest of atmospheres, and yet it makes a good choice in one twist.

Juliette Lewis is an excellent character actress. Jane is a headstrong woman. That’s what I like about her. Except, she has not studied the rules of what not to do in a horror film. If you get threatening letters to keep the noise down in an apartment building, I wouldn’t go about in a chaotic dance party. That was the funniest scene of the film, though.

I have only seen Shelley Duvall in her iconic appearance as Wendy Torrance in The Shining. I was curious to see what her performance would be like here. Aside from appearing out of thin air like a ghost to talk to Jane, she doesn’t do much. She deserved a much better role than what she was given. By the end, Martha never returns to the story.

That goes for most of the characters in The 4th Floor. Credits include the late Wiliam Hurt, Tobin Bell, Artie Lange, Sabrina Grdevich, Robert Costanzo, and an ensemble of characters. Most just got the direction to act as suspiciously as possible.

Once again, this is another film that abides by the storyline of Rear Window. Spying on the neighbors across the street, an assortment of characters are seen. But even this angle is dropped because the film was not done figuring its own plot out.

The best character award goes to Austin Pendleton. I have seen him in a handful of films. Playing the usual character; kind and gentle, this film proves that he is a good actor. The 4th Floor is worth watching for his performance.

Copying most elements from Rear Window, Josh Klausner's direction was so cluttered that The 4th Floor turned into a dark comedy. I was laughing at the inconsistencies, the sloppy editing, the bizarre character reactions, and this silly reference to Jaws in the climax. By that point, there was no need to take the film seriously anymore.

One of my favorite parts of his direction was the way he dictated one scene. As Jane is crazily dancing around, the neighbors who she has been spying on look in on her. The tables have turned. I was laughing out loud!

The film forgets what it is about half the time. First, Jane thinks she has witnessed a murder at the apartment across from her. And then she is so caught up on who is tormenting her in the downstairs apartment that the murder segment is just dropped!

Still, I’m not calling it a bad film. I was surprised by the twists. It kept me guessing who was stalking Jane. Even after the film ends, one line stays with you. Pay attention to all the little details closely.

The 4th Floor is not a masterpiece, but it is a film that you should check out. Remember, don’t take it seriously and you will have a good time.