[REC] (#111) is one of the top Horror/Thrillers, often in the Top 3 for found footage Horror. That film was directed by Paco Plaza and Jaume Balagueró, two directors who often work separately and who have made nice careers on films outside of the [REC] series. We’ll get to Plaza much later with 2017’s Veronica, this is about Balagueró’s best solo work. Sleep Tight is about a concierge at a high-class apartment building (Luis Tosar) who gets overly involved with some of the building’s tenants, including an unhealthy fixation on a beautiful woman (Marta Etura).
Unlike the handheld immediacy of [REC], Balagueró opts for a more classic presentation. César the concierge becomes more of a pest, like the talented Mr. Ripley, able to nimbly get out of tricky situations. The tone is closer to black comedy, but his actions and Tosar’s performance don’t leave out a high amount of creepiness. The acting here is uncommonly strong, while events become more dangerous and transgressive. Keeping the focus on character interaction rather than plot mechanics make what’s happening more squirm-inducing.
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