Removal (2010)

Gothic horror meets industrial-strength cleaning products in this spine-tingler about a pill-popping cleaning service employee and a sprawling mansion with secrets of its own.

Director:

Nick Simon

Writers:

Daniel Meersand, Oz Perkins,

Stars:

Billy Burke, Mark Kelly, Oz Perkins

Cast

Credited cast:
Billy Burke	...	Eric Kershe
Mark Kelly	...	Cole Hindin
Oz Perkins	...	Henry Sharpe
Emma Caulfield	...	Jennifer
Kelly Brook	...	Kirby
Elliott Gould	...	Dr. Segal
Sharon Omi	...	Sandra
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Sarah Burkhardt	...	Estranged Woman
Bronwyn Cornelius	...	Susan Sharpe
Kim Estes	...	Phil
Evan Helmuth	...	Todd
Ned Hosford	...	Estranged Man
Breanna Pine	...	Liz (voice)
JR Reed	...	Mike (voice)
Florence Regina	...	Nurse Chapel

Storyline

Cole is a likeable regular guy. Except that ever since he witnessed a gruesome murder-suicide, things haven't been quite right. His wife left him, he is tormented by hallucinations and his career has nosedived into a blue collar job with a carpet cleaning service. Just when it seems his life has reached bottom, Cole is called out on an all-night cleaning job in an Italianate mansion far from the city. For company he has Henry, the rich, condescending homeowner who seems to take sadistic pleasure in letting Cole think he has just murdered his wife. A reddish stain on the carpet, a knife hacking into baked rabbit, a cell phone that won't stop ringing - does it add up to murder or is Cole losing his last handhold on his fragile sanity?

---

Plot Keywords:

hallucination | suicide

---

Genres:

Thriller

---

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for violence/bloody images and language

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

7 November 2010 (USA)

Also Known As:

Shadow Play

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Silvatar Media

Technical Specs

Runtime:

91 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Soundtracks

"Got No Time"
Written Kalen Nash
Performed by Ponderosa
Courtesy of S1 Songs America

User Reviews

Well Crafted Psychological Thriller... Certainly worth more than it's current 4.4

I'll never fully understand exactly how people rate films here; try as I might, the reasoning eludes me...

Anyway, DEFINITELY better than it's current 4.4 rating (especially if graded on the curve with so many other garbage films out there) Well written and acted; especially well directed. Very engaging and suspenseful. YES, we've seen this kind of thing before and NO, it's not the absolutely most original story out there, BUT, a well done film is a well done film, and that is SUPPOSEDLY why we rate and review films here, right...?

The primary actor does an excellent job as the calm 'Cleaner' Cole. There is very nice use of photography and editing and excellent use of sound design to add to the strong psychological mood of the film (with the very minor exception of unfortunately one of my personal neurotic irritations where pouring drinks and other consequential sounds are SO bloody loud, MUCH louder than they should be - GOD I hate that!)

So, if you like solid, competent, Psychological thrillers either with or without 'Twists' and as long as you appreciate good film making, then you should definitely enjoy this movie. BTW, that was the first time I've ever seen Oz Perkins (Anthony's son) who also co-wrote the excellent screenplay, and I felt that he carried the 'disturbed' torch well where his father left off. I would LOVE to see him do more Horror films, but he hasn't really done very many at all.

Overall the movie is strong on mood if a bit lighter on substance. Not anything earth-shaking, but a decent, well done, enjoyable Thriller...