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Have you ever bought a Mr. Pibb because you wanted Dr. Pepper? It sometimes tastes better than Dr. Pepper, and no one would be mad at you for buying it. Most of the time, it’s just a decent replacement for the inability to get a quality product. Disturbia is just that, a decent replacement for a real quality product. It’s not something you’d feel bad about paying for, and generally you’ll leave pretty satisfied. Honestly, a quality performance for what looks to be a power actor in the next few years, really helps move the story. However, a few days later, it’ll leave you hoping for something a little more scary, and not so much love story.

The plot is much like Rear Window from Alfred Hitchcock, which is been re-hashed by every want to be critic on the planet. Honestly, keen eyes will pick up actual odes to Hitchcock in the movie, though far be it for me to spoil the end of the movie. The story is about Kale (Shia LeBeouf) whom early in the movie has a tragedy which forms his next few months leading to his own house arrest. During house arrest, Kale starts to get a little stir crazy and watch the neighbors. Love, Murder, and Intrigue aren’t something he expected to see through his binoculars.

Shia LeBeouf plays Kale, and honestly he does a good job. If you compare his first real step out as a lead character with the rest of the recent Disney kids, you’ll see he’s by far the most equipped to be an actor. He evokes genuine emotion through out the movie, and in a quality way. I went in with a cautious eye, and didn’t expect a lot. When the entire plot is formed through binoculars it really can handcuff a script. In the next 5 years, Shia LeBeouf will be one of the biggest new actors around. You’ll honestly look at him in a different light after this.

David Morse has to be brought in with Carrie Ann Moss to really be quality in the movie. Carrie Ann really has a smaller part, but for what she plays she does alright, even though she’s almost an after thought, and a leverage to just get more out of Shia in the movie. David Morse though, is downright excellent as the creepy neighbor. His hair, his mannerisms, his voice… everything he does makes this guy believable. As he evolves through the movie, your skin will crawl with the way he’s acting. He’s a lot more subtle than a lot of other antagonists in movies, but it’s arguable that he’s more quality in the movie than anyone.

Sarah Roemer plays Shia’s love interest. She plays the typical, almost easy next door neighbor. I don’t know if it was the writing or the acting, but it is apparent she could do better. She’s smoking hot, and could have my babies. Her performance is by no means Oscar worthy, but I think that was as much script as it was anything else. Her part in the movie is much more Teen Drama/Love story, and has nothing to do with the thriller part of it, in the end, Which is the odd part to this movie. Aaron Yoo almost steals the entire movie with 5 minutes of comedy. Shia’s Chinese partner in crime is hysterical. He’s honestly a quality lift for the darkness of the movie. His jokes are timed well, he’s a little physical but a lot funny. He has some genuine laugh out loud moments. He’s really only brought in for a few minutes each time for that kind of thing. Sad, but true. I’d like to see him in something a little longer.

In summary, Shia will be an amazing actor in the future with Transformers coming. David Morse will be haunting my dreams, but.. I can’t help but feel that writing a script over one piece of a prop, is a hard thing to do. You’ll get scared, yes. It’s just not a THRILLER in the sense you’d think, and there hasn’t been a good one for years. I wouldn’t blame it on this movie. Honestly, in the past 4 years it’s really a quality movie for what it is. It doesn’t reinvent anything, but it does make it worth the 8 bucks you’ll pay to go see it. But, like I said. It’ll have the fizz of Dr. Pepper, but just not the satisfaction of it.