The Ones Below

the film was good in ways. the main plot summary was very interesting and tense but the only downside was the ending. i did not understand what happened in the end as many different observations and stories came together and to me didn't make sense. so i did not find out what happened in the end of it, if i knew what happened it would of been a very good movie. you feel tense and surprised throughout of the movie , especially near to the end. it starts off normal and you don't suspect anything but it takes a sinister turn at the end and leaves you shocked, this thriller is great but just warning u that u might not get what happens at the end. i recommend it if you like cliff hangers though...

I thoroughly enjoyed this movie. In the first 20 mins of the film, I was wondering what was up with the weirdness of it all. I just felt weird watching it, but it was a good kind of weird. The two female actors stole all of the scenes. They were fantastic. About halfway into the movie, I was wondering what was going to happen. I felt so inclined to skip to the end to see because sometimes I'd rather not wait. It was so intense, but I stuck it out and I was not disappointed. Great film. The movie overall was unsettling and dismal, but I liked the feel of it. Psychological dramas are my favorite. I would definitely watch The Ones Below again in the near future and it is definitely recommended.

Parents-to-be Kate and Justin bond with the expectant couple who live below them in a London apartment complex. But when tragedy strikes, the relationship between the two pairs turns sinister, leaving Kate to fear for her sanity and the safety of her newborn...... It's refreshing that for once a film that would initially sounds like a paranormal type film, turns into something quite significantly sinister, a film that could actually happen to any couple. The film has many red herrings from the upstart, shoes outside of the door could indicate that there could be some witchcraft/satanic rituals going on in the flat below, after all, the film has a very 'Rosemary's Baby' feel to it. Everything appears to be fine, both couples are upper middle class and have their own opinions on subjects, but the titular couple are just a little too covert, her a secret drinker, and him not really conversing or making eye contact. After the accident, things take a darker tone, the titular family leave, although their presence is still felt around the apartment, and once the baby is added to the family, things start going wrong for Kate. The baby isn't sleeping, her relationship with Justin is breaking down, and then the couple return. What makes the film work so well is that the writers keep their cards firmly covered right up until the final scene. Is Kate going bananas, or are the ones below purposely making their lives a living hell? When we see signs that foul play is afoot, Kate is on her own, and obviously when she confronts people, it's gone. But if you've seen films like Pacific Heights, Unlawful Entry, Single White Female, or Consenting Adults, you know deep down that she isn't crazy. The film isn't as extreme as the ones mentioned, in fact, it's not cinematic at all, it's the kind of thriller that would suit a two parter on the B.B.C. on a Sunday night, which isn't a criticism. So all in all, it's a very interesting thriller, with some very tense, albeit rather familiar sequences, with a belter of a final act.

This film can swing either way under both gender viewing. Men might not be able to relate to the vibe this movie tries to put out. Women will more likely get the feeling the producer tried to create. The acting isn't Jack Nicholson and Shelly Duval worthy but it holds your attention to transport you to the meatier substance: namely the engaging mystery of incredulous coincidences. Unfortunately these coincidences has little to do with the actual plot and or ending. There are also other non plot related elements thrown in for atmosphere. Speaking of plot, there's a huge plot hole which comes at the end that the writers may have forgotten about. Let's just say it wouldn't cause Colombo a nights sleep figuring it out. Overall this is a good mystery drama that both genders can enjoy together particularly at home curled up on the sofa.

I'm not naming actors by name. You have the couple expecting a child and the couple who lose one in the apartment below. Female below is dominated by an older man, who's full of himself to the point of nausea, who goes berserk after wife falls down steps after dinner "party". Said fall blamed on couple expecting's cat but truth is female below is freaking out due to dominants behavior, and try's to hurry out due to hiding wine consumption. Those below lose child. But the words yelled by dominating male WOULD INSURE NO FURTHER CONTACT WITH THOSE BELOW. But these are times when one must be positive regardless of behavior. Which leads to an unbelievable acquiescence by the couple expecting for these two dysfunctional and possible dangerous people below to be intertwined with them to the point of letting the woman below to "watch" baby of couple expecting, essentially a complete stranger, for hours on end. There's enough red flags yet father goes along with the ones below machinations even after mother gets wise....These are times when altruism is the norm. Where the phrase "don't be a hater" originated. The result is earned. Disturbing ending.

A part of me wonders if the evil couple faked their pregnancy and planned to do what they did all along or are they really that sadistic that they would go so far to kill someone else, destroy a family and then steal their baby. I was so super hoping for them to get caught...so I will admit, I was bothered by this as I went to sleep and then for the rest of the day after. What bothered me the most is how there seemed to be no real trust between the good couple. The husband seemed to immediately think in adverse to his wife and not believe her when she felt something was off about their neighbors. The wife, also should have headed her husband's intentions to ignore them and not involve them in their lives again, but she ignored his wishes as well. The acting was on-point and the directing was done very well. Kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time wondering what was going to come of this story.

I'm a big fan of cult classics such as Rosemary's Baby so when I saw the trailer to this movie, I was intrigued. The first third of the movie was quite well done; the mood was creepy and weird as intended, the actors were marvelous; the suspense really drew me in and I wanted to find out how this movie would pan out. Then it got reeeeeally slow. It dragged on and the repetitiveness made it very hard to push through. Midway through, the mystery of the plot has already become quite obvious and predictable as it has been constantly spelled out to us over and over again. So by the end, the only way to save this movie is for an unexpected twist instead of the predictable ending. But no twist. Just a creepy, linear story with ok acting.

It is a below average thriller if you consider the theme. I mean most of those TV movies of the 90's covered this topic, or at least a similar one. A pretty modern take on a "classic" topic, with good acting, pretty good script and some nice camera-work and composition. Not bad for a debut film, it keeps you guessing throughout, makes you think what twist will it be in the end. As far as character development is concerned i think the director did a pretty good job in delivering close to 3 dimensional characters that you might care for.

This film could have been great if the makers would have just paid a little attention to detail. I had a question for almost every scene, for instance why was Kate's husband so money hungry? It almost seemed he was always in a hurry to get away from his wife because of one thing or the other but in the scene with his mother-in-law when he described his successes at work before the updates on the child he was about to have with his wife, I just deduced that he's a money hungry d-bag. Kate for all her many flaws was too trusting and needy but why? Okay so we know that her brother died tragically (this is not explained, audience is left to figure it out) and there is a rift with her mother but hasn't the writer given us enough to at least feel sorry for Kate when the story begins to unravel? Anyhow, here is one thing I know for sure...this film was made on an approximately 3.5 million dollar budget and only returned $42,951 at the box office (that's not even a flop it's a disaster) and the reason probably being its little audience walking out in anger, demanding their money back and warning others not to waste their hard earned cash on this turkey.

"The Ones Below" is a decent enough little chamber piece on the perils of parenting, particularly if you suspect the neighbors downstairs covet your new-born baby. It marks the directorial debut of writer David Farr, (he wrote "The Night Manager" for television), and it's nicely done but in the end it's just too unpleasant to be entertaining. Basically a four-hander and well played by Clemence Poesy as the new mother convinced her neighbors are up to no good and by David Morrissey and Laura Birn as the neighbors, (personally I would have moved out five minutes after they moved in). It's let down only by Stephen Campbell Moore as Poesy's partner. Considering his outing in a similar role in the nasty little horror picture "The Children" some years back I would suggest Mr Campbell Moore get the snip sooner rather than later.