The Definitive Guide to Living in the Capital , Cairo , Egypt

After searching for an affordable apartment, young
doctor Juliet Devereau (Swank) finally comes across a Brooklyn loft that is too
good to be true. As she settles in, she begins to feel attracted to landlord
Max (Morgan). However, when it doesn’t work out, things become awkward between
the two. As the story develops, Juliet learns that Max has become obsessed with
her and won’t accept that their relationship is over.

The Resident‘s basic story is that of an average woman seeking a low-rent flat in NYC. So the story doesn’t have much to offer –
it’s the consequences of this average story that the film focuses on.

In any normal setting, it’s usually the landlord who
gathers personal information on the tenant. The
Resident may have some audiences wondering if we should also check up on
the landlord before moving in.

Swank is a great actress, with an outstanding career
and two Oscar wins. Unfortunately, her talent as an actress is not demonstrated
in this film. As Juliet, she plays the confused young woman who tries to settle
into a new home and balance her tough job with her love life.

Morgan does a good job as the nice guy with the
sinister side, but he doesn’t quite connect with the audience. Pace stars as
Jack, Juliet’s ex-boyfriend who’s in the picture briefly, trying to give the
relationship a second chance – his presence is purely there to make Morgan’s
character jealous and enraged. Lee stars as August, Max’s sick father who’s not
proud of his son, but the fact that he never explains their past or why he has
such a strange relationship with his son weakens the plot.

There are two kinds of predictable plots. The first
one leaves audiences feeling angry and cheated at the below-par performances.
The second type is when audiences start laughing at a horror film because of
its cheesy acting and plot. The Resident
combines both of these factors. The film lacks creativity, the acting is boring,
and the supposedly thrilling sequences towards the end might even offend you.

In the last
scene, Juliet is faced with no other option but to fight Max for her life. The scene
fails drastically because what should be a life or death situation waters down
to two main stars hitting each other and running around in a very poorly executed
production.

The fact that The
Resident was not released in Egyptian cinemas could be due to its poor
quality. Even as a rental, it’s a waste to watch.