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We’ve all had times in life when we’ve fallen into a rut—when our daily life just starts to feel like an endless cycle of the same old thing. But when the bored housewife in Private Property finds something new and exciting, it causes more trouble than it’s worth.
Private Property searches for a little excitement with Kathryn Carlyle (Ashley Benson), an aspiring actress and Hollywood housewife. Kathryn’s life is filled with auditions and household chores until her new gardener, Ben (Shiloh Fernandez), comes along and pulls her out of her rut. Ben is sweet and attentive and respectful, and he takes an interest in her career. Kathryn can’t resist the extra attention—because it’s something that she doesn’t get from her successful producer husband (Jay Pharoah). But the closer they get, the more dangerous this relationship becomes.
The rich and beautiful but neglected housewife has been a common character for decades—this film, in fact, is a remake of a rather scandalous thriller from 1960, which helps to give it a classic, old-Hollywood feel. Because the character is so familiar, though, Kathryn requires very little development. We’re already supposed to know all about her. So when the handsome, attentive new gardener shows up, it’s not hard to see where this is going. Ben gives her everything that she’s been missing. While her husband focuses on his own meetings and projects, barely listening to her, Ben sees her.
Still, this budding relationship seems to build a little too quickly—even for a predictable one. It takes very little time for Kathryn to go from bossy and superior to interested to asking him to fix the dining room table and help her rehearse the lines for her next audition.
And, of course, it’s no big surprise that things here take a sinister turn—that not everything here is as it may seem. What plays out is dark and seductive and also eerie and troubling—though, again, not entirely surprising. There are definitely moments when the film could have benefitted from more development and more action—because when it comes to an end, the conclusion feels rather rushed.
From the classic feel to the classic characters, Private Property definitely feels familiar. And it certainly captures the tabloid-worthy Hollywood style while building an eerie sense of foreboding. But while it sets a great tone with its slow-building dark suspense, it doesn’t really offer anything new or memorable.
You can watch Private Property in select theaters and on demand beginning on May 13, 2022.
Listen to the review on Reel Discovery:
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