Charlie (Lake Bell) and Andrew (Jason Clarke), a married couple with issues (but which one isn't) plan a summer vacation by the lake. On the way to their hideout they almost run over Jacob (Clifton Collins Jr.), a biker run out of gas and attempting to hitch a ride. The pair soon invite him over to their residence to pick up a cannister of gas, but the stay prolongs itself and inexorably tension starts building up between the distinctive trio.
Clifton Collins Jr. does pull off an assured performance as the odd man out with his frisky cocksure persona, this, coupled with reliable output from his other two co-actors, does well to allure for the full length of the movie. Nonetheless, after an engaging start, the movie fails to take charge of the story, instead submissively forgoes its promise to deliver a seductive well-devised psychological thriller, instead whisking away into pretty standard territory in an uninspiring fashion. It ends up as usual fare, but with some glaring flaws, which degrade the overall potential. Several scenes attempt to construe a looming tension, a thrill factor, but end up with some appalling misfires, especially one slow motion sequence, where Jacob 'fires' an at Charlie. Rife with flashbacks, each of them fails to build non-pretentious back-story, but succeed in derailing suspense. After this indescript build-up we move on to the final act, where a rushed pay-off thwarts remnants of potential leaving viewers unengaged and ultimately laugh-prone.
The key problem seems to lie fully on the shoulders of an underdeveloped script, which gives a propitious outline devoid however of elaborate or conscientious dialogue capable of lifting the end result above your average Tuesday night fare.
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