SLEEP TIGHT (/Slashing Europe 2012)

SLEEP TIGHT

Original Title:
Mientras duermes

Spain, 2011
Director: Jaume Balagueró

10/10

Despite my low expectations (I expected this to be as lame as the similarly plotted "The Resident", an abysmally poor piece of dreck), "Sleep Tight" turned out to be absolutely outstanding. "[REC]" director Jaume Balagueró created a gripping, intense and unsettling horror-thriller that totally got under my skin.

Luis Tosar (what an AMAZING actor!) plays the suicidal janitor Cesar who only feels kinda happy when he can emotionally destroy the lives of others, in this case the life of the naive young girl Clara, a happy and cheerful person (wonderfully played by Marta Etura). Every night Cesar hides under Clara's bed, waits until she's asleep, and then...

Due to Balagueró's incredibly strong direction and a very well conceived script, the movie is stunningly tense, stunningly thrilling from the very first to the very last minute, including a shitload of scenes that are so effin' suspenseful, it almost makes you forget about Hitchcock. The one scene where Cesar tries to sneak out of Clara's apartment is sooo nerve-rackingly suspenseful, I sat there wide-eyed, biting my fist...
gee, I was a complete and utter wreck, long before the movie ended.

The cinematography is beautiful and the "[REC]"-like apartment complex looks simply cool. Every character is believable and sympathetic, every actor gives a great performance. The soundtrack is excellent and the dialogue is entertaining. It's full of breathtaking moments/scenes (cockroach invasion, slit throat, Cesar on the roof) and the ending is just plain shocking.

"Sleep Tight" is a masterpiece!

Wiki ~ Imdb