Penthouse North (2013) Reviews

• A smooth Thriller without any Surprises

  simon-d-cesair2013-06-27

  You might like this movie if you enjoyed: Columbus Circle (1996), Brake (2012) Long Story Short: Sarah (Michelle Monaghan), a former Military photojournalist, has lost her sight due to an incident in Afghanistan. She lives in a penthouse with her boyfriend Ryan (Andrew W. Walker) and feels safe there even though her sister (Kaniehtiio Horn) and brother-in law (Trevor Hayes) constantly tell her that they don't trust Ryan. It turns out that Ryan does have a secret and, which gets Sarah in great danger. Review: I have never heard of that movie before but I thought I give it a shot, and it was not a bog let down, but I wasn't blown away either. The beginning is very strong and has a few "Edge- of- your- seat" – moments, but it doesn't keep this pace up, especially since there aren't any twists besides one tiny one at the beginning. I am not sure how her past of being a photojournalist in Afghanistan helped developing the story either, as far as I am concerned they didn't even have to mention why she was blind. All these flashbacks from her past seemed like fillers to me. The acting was decent, I saw a few nice skyscraper shots, but I was hoping for a big reveal at the end which didn't happen. Penthouse House is definitely a one- time watch but not a bad one. Rating: 5.5

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• Mediocre movie but Michelle Monaghan is good as usual

  Seth_Rogue_One2015-11-25

  Almost came close to giving it a 6 but I don't really think it has much replay value so I'll just leave it at a five. Got interested in watching this after being pleasantly surprised by Michael Keaton's performance as a hit-man in MERRY GENTLEMAN so I was a little let down when he hadn't shown up in the first 25 minutes, but once he pops up (closer to the 30 minute mark), he becomes one of the key characters in the film. Has a bit of a rough start in terms of truly getting going and feels slightly amateurish but once it gets going it gets decent enough to keep watching, Michelle Monaghan initially felt a little miscast during the war-segments but once she goes blind she feels more natural. And even though Michael Keaton never feels truly threatening his screen-presence speaks for itself and makes it work somehow, it helps that Monaghan portrays her characters fear very well. Barry Sloane is the third lead in the film and he's just okay, not bad but he doesn't come across as terribly menacing either and doesn't have the same star-power charisma that helped Keaton to make his role a bit better than it was. As far as the story goes, we've kinda seen it all before although minor details feel fresh but they could have done so much more with it. Yeah overall not a great movie, but not a complete disaster either. Decent to watch on a slow Sunday afternoon perhaps.

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• Would have been better if a blind wrote the script

  OJT2014-02-20

  A blind reclusive war photographer is living in a penthouse in New York, when she is experiencing that someone has come into her apartment. Too late she senses that there's someone there. Well it doesn't take long before the action gets going, that's the good thing. Also the actors are doing an OK job. Nothing extraordinary, but OK job. Michael Keaton is always good in these kind of roles. Director Koseph Ruben is experienced, and has directed "Sleeping with the enemy", "The forgotten" and "The good son" amongst others. Quite good films. I don't like the war time flashbacks though. The cutter hasn't done a favorite job here. This is very mediocre filmmaking, and has troubles in engaging me, mainly due to the script. Strange, because David Loughery, the man behind, had done good scripts like "Lakeview Terrace" and "Passenger57". What's evident, is that blind people sense more than it's the case here. It's simply impossible to imagine a blind person being this motionless, and not even being able of smelling blood when it's out in ounces on the kitchen floor. And also another thing, when she takes out her white stick long after going out in the streets. And then a penthouse window which can be broken with throwing a chair!? Come on! This film would gave been much better if a blind had been involved in the script writing, do that stupid things could be avoided. If you want to watch a similar themed move, seek out "Blind" by Eskil Vogt instead, which is a completely profound experience compared to this. (Blind was a selected movie, and later prize winner at Sundance Film Festival in 2014.) The film is very predictable. So predictable it actually hurts. But if you don't mind, it's an OK watch. But if you don't wasn't to use time on mediocre films, you'll find much better!

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• Tense and keeps your interest as long as it lasts

  chrichtonsworld2015-01-06

  Penthouse North is a thriller that has slipped under the radar because it wrongly has been branded as unoriginal and generic. Most thrillers are unoriginal. However there are several elements one can focus on to keep things fresh. And I, like many can't get enough of twists and turns especially ones you don't see coming at all. This one does not rely on twists and turns. In a way that is going against the norm. Many thrillers these days are build around surprises which I like. But what I don't like is how they forget to build up to it. Often it comes out of the blue mostly just to shock you without actually having put real effort to make good use of scenery and atmosphere. One of the criticisms towards Penthouse North is that it uses a concept that has been done many times in the Seventies and Eighties. I don't see any reason why it can't be reused in this decade. It's a simple mechanic to limit our main character's movements. And therefore very effective. I am not going to say what it is. And I suggest you don't read about the premise or watch the trailer since the viewing experience will be so much better when you don't know anything. However that does not mean that this film is a little predictable. But what it lacks in surprises it compensates with very good buildup of tension. It's not always evenly paced but it's not boring. On top of that we have some decent to good acting. Michael Keaton for example might not give it all his best in this one. But he is one that never disappoints. At least I have yet to see one where he does. And here it is no different. He brings what is needed to the table convincingly and that is what matters. Penthouse North may not contain real surprises but it is one that is filled with tense moments and keeps your interest as long as it lasts.

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• Slick little thriller. Benefits greatly from Michael Keaton

  NateWatchesCoolMovies2016-03-08

  Penthouse North is a vicious little 90's inspired slice of thriller fun, which sadly seems to have gained zero marketing and promotion, so unless it catches your eye on US Netflix or Shaw On Demand (which is where I watched it), you'll probably never even know you missed it. It's nothing groundbreaking, and sometimes is very predictable, but as I found myself calling plot twists on the dime, and figuring out story beats before they happened, I didn't find myself frustrated or feeling cheated out. I got a burst of nostalgia for the 80's/90's time period when these type of thrillers were in full bloom. Michelle Monaghan throws herself into the role of Sara, an ex-war photojournalist who was blinded in an incident. She lives in an ornate NYC penthouse with her boyfriend now, only just beginning to adjust to her new condition and emerge from reclusiveness. On New Year's Eve, that auspicious time of year that buzzes with possibility, trouble comes knocking in the form of homicidal criminals in search of something hidden within the apartment. We are then treated to the archetypal game of cat and mouse as she fights tooth and nail for her survival. The film benefits greatly from a frenzied performance from Michael Keaton as Hollander, the lead criminal and a real piece of work. Keaton rarely plays in the bad guy arena (check out Pacific Heights for a more restrained yet equally dastardly turn), but he's got a reptilian ferocity that's equally scary and amusing, sometimes both at once. His Hollander is a royal prick, and oodles of fun to watch. Mark Mancini composes a solid score of jangly apprehension, and the film makes great use of its setting, with several clammy moments that didn't sit well with my fear of heights. Good stuff.

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