The Tenant Reviews

[Highly rated reviewer]

Brilliant

Lost the thread of this film the first time I watched it and had to go back and watch it again. I'm glad I did because it's a tremendous piece of work. I'm still not exactly sure what exactly happens and it'd be interesting to hear what other people thought of this because it was flipping fantastic. Completely thought and discussion provoking.

Luke-warm re-hash

As others have observed, this film has a strong affinity with Repulsion, and also some nods in the direction of Rosemary's Baby (without the demonic element). Sadly it is vastly inferior to either. One of the biggest weaknesses his Polanski's decision to cast himself in the lead role. As a director he has produced some fine work (and the occasional dire trash - the vampire hunters springs to mind), but as an actor he is too light-weight to carry the lead role in a film - he is acted off the screen by most of the supporting players, even those in minor roles. The direction and the quirky plot are sufficient to earn it a third star - but only just. Worth watching as part of the Polanski directorial cannon, but he has done far better.

Superb!

Yet another terrific horror film from Roman Polanski. (Director of Rosemary?s Baby)

The pace starts out slow but the tension builds more and more

as the movie progresses.

Polanski must have been influenced from

Rear Window on this one.

You rarely see a thriller that works so well these days.

Just be careful 1

'The Tenant' was the first horror movie I saw as a young person, when it first came out many years ago. It gave me nightmares and put me off the genre for life. There is something deeply creepy and personal in there that just made me afraid. Maybe it's just a personal thing. But I would never watch that film ever again. Not that it's bad - far from it, when judged on artistic merits - but please be careful if you are unused to the 'Horror Movie' genre. It's a real pity because one of my favourite female French actresses, Isabelle Adjani, played in there, when she was still young. But still, be careful.

Weird but worth the effort

***WARNING - CONTAINS SPOILERS!***

Starts off rather slowly and a bit ponderous, but draws you in. Having every person speaking in an American accent, despite clearly being in Paris, gives the film an off-kilter accent from the start, and as the main character spirals into madness there are some truly inspired moments - my favourite being the moment where he walks up to a whiny child while the mother's back is turned, snarls 'Stupid spoilt brat' or words to that effect and slaps the kid round the chops before running off. One to check out, definitely!

Aaaaaaaah!

REPULSION meets ROSEMARY'S BABY (meets TOOTSIE)

i LOVED THIS FILM WHICH HAS TO BE AN ALL TIME GREAT WITH ROMAN POLONSKI PLAYING THE LEAD ROLE- LOTS OF TWISTS AND THE END WAS GREAT- A TRUE CULT FILM - YU SHOULDNT MISS.

This is Polanski at its best

The film is rather slow but an excellent study of mental illness or a horror film if you see it that way.

Rent it.

Can't give it 0 stars unfortunately!

Dire!

I wasted over 2 hours of my life watching this amateur, illogical, poorly acted rubbish.

If you're looking for something to do for 2 hours, drink a bottle of whisky and saw off your fingers because it would be less agonising that sitting through this dross!

Polanksi fans wont be disappointed.

This film has intensity, intrigue and perversion. I enjoyed seeing 1970s Paris and a young Isabelle Adjani. The other older 'tenants' in the building exhibit very well a kind of French mentality which I think is rare these days. This is despite that all dialogue is in English!