The Fear Inside is a home invasion horror/thriller with a twist: the woman who is attacked in her home is agoraphobic and therefore unable to leave, even when the opportunity arises. It's a neat idea, and director Leon Ichaso tackles the story with a fair amount of style (albeit early '90s style), but it's made-for-TV origins means that it holds back when it would have benefitted from pushing the boundaries. While watching, I couldn't help imagining what what the film would have been like had one of my favourite Italian directors from the '70s been in control: Ruggero Deodato or Joe D'amato would have brought a much needed exploitative and gritty edge to proceedings.
Strong performances help make the movie watchable despite its frustratingly anodyne approach: Christine Lahti is excellent as children's illustrator Meredith Cole, whose fear of the outside has caused a rift in her marriage; Dylan McDermott impresses as handsome but psychotic criminal Pete Caswell; and Jennifer Rubin plays crazy to the hilt (think Juliette Lewis from NBK crossed with Sheri Moon Zombie in The Devil's Rejects), a little too over-the-top perhaps , but it certainly adds interest. Even the obligatory kid (played by Thomas Ian Nicholas, Kevin in American Pie) is watchable - I guess if this HAD been directed by an Italian, the child would most likely have been extremely irritating.
Strong performances help make the movie watchable despite its frustratingly anodyne approach: Christine Lahti is excellent as children's illustrator Meredith Cole, whose fear of the outside has caused a rift in her marriage; Dylan McDermott impresses as handsome but psychotic criminal Pete Caswell; and Jennifer Rubin plays crazy to the hilt (think Juliette Lewis from NBK crossed with Sheri Moon Zombie in The Devil's Rejects), a little too over-the-top perhaps , but it certainly adds interest. Even the obligatory kid (played by Thomas Ian Nicholas, Kevin in American Pie) is watchable - I guess if this HAD been directed by an Italian, the child would most likely have been extremely irritating.