‘The Intruder’: A nightmare in Napa Valley
The Intruder Rated: PG-13. Running time: 102 minutes. 66 out of four
“The Intruder,” a B-movie with a few thrills and plenty of inane dialogue, is the latest in a long line of horror stories about ill-fated home purchases. But instead of angry ghosts or dreadful tenants or evil neighbors, the culprit here is a demented house seller who can chew scenery with the best of any apparitions.
Scott (Michael Ealy) and Annie (Meagan Good) want a dream house in California’s Wine Country, though there is no sign of the real Napa Valley anywhere, except for a few drone shots of the countryside. By luck, and not of the good kind, the photogenic couple discovers an idyllic home being sold by widower Charlie (Dennis Quaid), who greets them by shooting a deer that’s right next to them. It’s a memorable entrance, the first of many for Charlie, who knows his way around the house, even if he’s supposed to be long gone after the quick sale.
At the first sight of the wild-eyed Charlie, most folks would be running as fast as they could toward Sonoma, but Scott and Annie don’t seem that concerned. Annie is particularly trusting, even as Charlie — who is palpably weird and creepy — shows up around the house at odd times and an increasingly suspicious Scott warns her of Charlie’s sketchy past. This doesn’t stop Scott from leaving Annie alone at the house, one of many actions from these new homeowners that don’t make any sense.
Beyond its catchy concept — a Realtor from hell — “The Intruder” is pretty much by the numbers and highly predictable. Scott and Annie are ho-hum characters, and their skimpy backstories don’t ring true. The same goes for Charlie, but Quaid is a deceptively versatile actor, and he seems to relish the B-movie trappings, letting loose and going over the top from the first frames. Whatever we think of his manic performance, he makes us uncomfortable and gives this movie some much-needed life.
These character issues don’t make the competently made and decently paced movie unwatchable. There are some inspired bits, particularly after Annie makes a shocking discovery near the linen closet. And in a movie with a lot of dumb lines, the final one is pretty clever – a sly commentary on our current gun debate. Yet the main takeaway here is: Beware when you see a sign that says: “For Sale by Owner.” And don’t forget to use something called Google, too.