“The Guest Room,” or “La Stanza” as it’s known in its native Italian, is the latest feature from Stefano Lodovichi. The psychological thriller is an intense, emotional journey filled with several unique twists and some decent enough horror packed into the third act to appease those thirsting for violence.
The film wastes no time getting things going and opens with the film’s lead, Stella, played by Camilla Filippi (“The Trial”), standing on a window ledge in a wedding dress as it pours rain. Clearly troubled, you quickly realize that Stella is pondering taking her own life, but just as she starts to step off of the ledge, she is literally saved by the bell, as the bell at her front door starts ringing.
She opens the door to find a man named Giulio (Guido Caprino, “Il commissario Manara”), who claims to have secured a room at the residence through an online rental site. Stella assures him it must be a mistake as she no longer rents out the room, but his persistence enables him to initially make his way into the home for a glass of water and ultimately to stay.
It’s here that the film really sucks you in, as the frailty of Stella up against the assertiveness of Giulio really has you questioning his motives. Giulio has a charm about him, but his actions and perceived familiarity with Stella and her family make the situation progressively more uncomfortable. When Stella’s estranged husband Sandro (Edoardo Pesce, “Dogman”) arrives, things quickly descend into chaos, and the true reason for Giulio’s arrival becomes more apparent.
A good bit of the film from here on out unfolds at Stella’s dinner table, where Giulio holds Stella and Sandro captive as he slowly peels back the layers to unveil his true intentions and why he is there. Giulio exposes a web of secrets and lies the family holds before dropping a bombshell of a revelation on Stella that I can’t reveal without getting into spoiler territory.
For a film with just three characters and contained entirely in one house, “The Guest Room” manages to hold your attention thanks to a captivating narrative and standout performance from Caprino, who somehow balances being both compassionate and psychotic as Giulio.
The horror of the feature arrives in the third act as Giulio shows just how far a damaged man will go to try to better his life, but not without Lodovichi hitting you with another twist that leads you to believe it was all for non.
Underpinning the feature is an allegory for how toxic relationships hurt not only the people in them but those around them. It also explores the complexities of these kinds of relationships and highlights how they often seem one-sided but may, in fact, be equally troubling once you dig a little deeper.
Overall I enjoyed “The Guest Room,” and it’s a quick watch at just an hour and twenty minutes. The film definitely finishes with a few unanswered questions, but the heart of the story finds its resolve. If you enjoy character-driven psychological thrillers and don’t mind subtitles, “The Guest Room” is worth checking out.
The feature is available now in North America on several digital and cable platforms, including iTunes, Amazon, Google Play, iNDemand, and DISH.
