Happy Monday guys! This is my last wacky post, before I get back on my normal posting schedule on Fridays.
So as I’ve talked about before, I absolutely love watching movies, especially with friends, and I really enjoy scary movies. A couple weeks ago I watched 1BR with my friend Ashleigh, it recently came out on Netflix, and my mind was blown. This movie was not at all what I was expecting. Recently, I’ve been adding movies to my list on Netflix without even watching the trailer, so I’m clueless when it starts but it makes for a better experience because I have no prior thoughts or predictions ready.
Overview
When I first saw the poster for the movie, I honestly thought the girl was getting haunted in her apartment and was intrigued how this would play out. Boy was I wrong, this movie had me on the edge of my seat the entire time. I never knew what was gonna happen next or how the ending would play out. It’s fun being able to guess how a movie will end and being right, but it’s even better when you’re wrong and you’re left speechless. That’s how I felt after finishing 1BR.
Sarah, the protagonist, moves to Los Angeles for a fresh start. She begins looking for an apartment to officially get settled into her new life and comes across a 1 bedroom within a surprisingly friendly and welcoming community. Sarah discovers this community is frighteningly too close-knit and there are consequences for rule breakers.
Breakdown + My Thoughts (Spoilers!)
The movie opens up with a look into an apartment complex, panning over the faces of people that live there. The neighbors are all friendly- waving and welcoming you. The next scene is a young girl, Sarah, attending an open house at this same apartment complex. She’s looking to make a new life for herself, moved across the country and is starting over. She doesn’t have much, only her cat, no friends or family, and is staying in a motel for the time-being.
Her application for the apartment gets approved and she moves in. She quickly finds out it’s not all it seems, the plumbing keeps her awake at night, she hears noises, and she gets a threat about her cat (which she secretly has, because of the “no pet” policy) saying she needs to get rid of it.
She befriends a coworker at her temp job and she comes over for dinner. They talk about the possibility of moving in together and how “this is your fucking life,” and not to let anyone take advantage of you or make you feel less than.
This is when the movie takes a turn, but mind you it’s only 30 minutes in so you can only imagine how crazier it gets. It’s slowly revealed that the complex and neighbors are a part of a cult and they begin to brainwash Sarah through physical torture. Eventually, she continues to move through the screening and process of becoming an official member. At one point there’s a scene of the neighbors smiling faces, reflecting the opening scene, but this time you know the horrors of why they’re so happy- a contrast to what it appears to be.
Sarah eventually finds a way to escape, but when she leaves, it’s almost as unsettling as being inside.
After Sarah escapes, setting off the alarm within her building, she stares down a long road of other apartments with red alarms also buzzing- announcing her escape. This shows how many other complexes are a part of the cult. Once this realization sets in, Sarah begins to run down the road (presumably to her freedom) and the movie ends.
Very similar to the ending in The Invitation– in the beginning of this movie, the people involved in the cult light a red lamp outside in their backyard. Once the main couple escapes their cultic encounter, they see on the hills of the city many red lamps in backyards- signaling all the different people involved in the cult.
I liked this movie a lot because it doesn’t end in complete resolution, it leaves you to wonder a little- does she eventually get away and find help, or does the cult find her and bring her back? Sometimes I don’t like when movies end this way, but in this case, you have more room to imagine.
10/10 I would highly recommend seeing this movie. It’s scary without the jumps and spikes of adrenaline. It’s unsettling, and makes you think about how people can be so easily brainwashed into a life like this. You aren’t able to guess the ending, which keeps your attention throughout the film, and there’s always something happening that keeps you intrigued.
Even though I did give away the ending, I hope you still watch it! There’s plenty more detail I didn’t include, and the cinematics bring everything together in an intense way that can only be truly experienced by watching.
Have you watched 1BR? What were your thoughts? Did you like/dislike the ending?
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The Variety Files 