The Ones Below

2015

Action / Drama / Thriller

34
Rotten Tomatoes Critics - Rotten 47% · 49 reviews
Rotten Tomatoes Audience - Spilled 47% · 5K ratings
IMDb Rating 6.1/10 10 11609 11.6K

baby pregnancy neighbor expecting

Plot summary

A young affluent couple expecting their first child hits it off with the new couple that moves in downstairs, until a dinner party between them ends in a shocking accident.

Director

David Farr Photo
David Farr

Top cast

David Morrissey Photo
David Morrissey as Jon
Grace Calder Photo
Grace Calder as Kate's Friend
Anna Madeley Photo
Anna Madeley as Abi
Clémence Poésy Photo
Clémence Poésy as Kate
720p.BluRay 1080p.BluRay
627.07 MB
1280*682
English 2.0
NR
Subtitles us  
23.976 fps
1 hr 27 min
Seeds ...
1.3 GB
1920*1024
English 2.0
NR
Subtitles us  
23.976 fps
1 hr 27 min
Seeds 3

Movie Reviews

Reviewed by Sidney101 6 / 10

Average thriller

Reviewed by elicopperman 7 / 10

WARNING: This Movie will Make you Lose Trust in New People

In 2016, a British thriller entitled The Ones Below was released, though it originally first screened at the Toronto Film Festival the previous year. While it did sweep under the radar, there is a good chance that this film will go on to be a cult classic in the near future. As for what I think, while it did leave me horrified the first time watching it, I will admit that it isn't without its flaws. That being said, what does make the film intriguing to watch is how it tackles the frustrating anxieties of early motherhood, and subverts these themes with paranoia.The film revolves around a married couple named Kate and Justin who have recently had a baby. However, when new neighbors named Theresa and Jon have moved into the flat beneath theirs, tensions begin to rise with their friendship regarding said newborn. Writer/director David Farr succeeds very well at showcasing the hormones and emotions of a mother during a time like this. Although if you may be ecstatic that you've made a human being of your own, it doesn't necessarily mean you automatically know what you're doing in a situation where your life could be at risk. In addition, given Kate and Theresa's friendship, Farr manages to make even the simplest conversations feel innocent albeit awkward and unsettling.With two suspicious neighbors comes idiosyncratic character traits, and compared to the more seemingly light hearted Theresa, Jon is more abrupt, making Kate and Justin's interactions with them become all the more disturbing. In fact, after the baby Billy is born, odd occurrences and disturbing noises keep on arising, which nearly drive the couple nuts: from car honks, to muffled baby monitor sounds, to even a cat slinking underfoot. With tense moments like these, there are definite comparisons to be made with Rosemary's Baby, let alone by the subject matter and the lean and brisk tone. Not to mention, it's great to see a horror movie nowadays without a single jump scare, or even gore for that matter; nice change in age.In terms of negatives, while the twist is very well structured and horrifying, the climax does drag on at points to get there, and after a while it does become a little too obvious what the outcome will be. Also, even during the film's second act, Theresa and Jon's intent becomes pretty obvious if not inevitable, and even with all the stakes that occur, the narrative really starts to reveal how straightforward it really is. Nonetheless, I still recommend The Ones Below for its unsettling atmosphere, subversive mix of parenthood and paranoia, and its traumatic twist that will give you trust issues for the rest of your life. The truth is that there are plenty of people out there who will end up causing you suffering for the sickest of reasons, and this film understands just how risky raising a child can really be.
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