Hogar / The Occupant (2020)

Hogar / The Occupant (2020)

Hogar means Home

A Spanish psychological thriller written and directed by Àlex and David Pastor

When an unemployed advertising executive decides to spy on the new occupants of his former home, the situation quickly turns into a nightmare.

I had to watch this movie twice. Even though I think it’s pretty bad, I needed to watch it again to pick up on its subtleties. I find the story really unsettling… but at the same time, it’s still well-made.

Among the great movies that depict that one shitty day too many are Joker (2019) and Falling Down (1993), which I keep coming back to. Here, too, it’s a story of the straw that breaks the camel’s back.

Eagerly trying to find a job, only to be turned down by arrogant young people, can have a huge impact. Especially if the descent into hell begins right after: losing your job, which means no more money, and having to move out of your dream apartment. Add to that the revelation that a former neighbor is sexually attracted to children but manages to blackmail you because he also knows things about you that you’d rather not have exposed to the public.

As you can easily see, this movie is very twisted! Its main character, Javier Muñoz, is played by someone whose real name is actually Javier! Yes, Javier Gutiérrez. And this actor is truly excellent.

So, okay, the characters’ reactions are way too predictable, and these characters are either completely crazy or completely dim-witted. They have no survival instinct whatsoever. There’s no real plot twist to speak of, since the psychopath is given free rein to do whatever he wants, without any resistance…

Yeah, I could easily say, “Another completely idiotic Netflix movie! I regret wasting an hour and a half of my life. The beginning of the movie seems okay, but the ending leaves a lot to be desired. The plot is far-fetched and there are zero plot twists. A classic Netflix flop, as usual. Pointless characters who serve absolutely no purpose—you have to wonder what the hell they’re doing in the movie. Just terrible, completely uninteresting. A disgusting ending!”

Except that the key themes of the movie are:

• Addiction to comfort
• Manipulation
• The influence of advertising

Indeed, the film begins with an ad depicting a perfect life. As the creator of an advertising campaign, Mr. Muñoz Javier presents his vision of what a perfect life looks like (a nice car, a nice house, a good job, and a family) through the ads he’s created himself. This film shows that behind the advertisements we see, there are sometimes truths and lies that we are unaware of. And this opening has an incredible connection to the ending. As a result, the ending is not pleasant, but it is far from meaningless, as mentioned above.

I read this review: “The screenplay is awesome! Suspense from start to finish. It’s a low-key film—very low-key—with incredible actors. I recommend it to anyone who loves unconventional thrillers—very different from Hollywood thrillers.”

There you go! Yet another person who thinks American movies are just Hollywood! Kudos to these people who think they’re smart and very clever, when in reality they just have a grotesque lack of cultural knowledge!

I was blown away by the reviews—both positive and negative—that I read! Like: “INCREDIBLE.
This film is a little masterpiece reminiscent of Alfred Hitchcock’s meticulous direction.
The Spanish have truly become masters of the thriller and crime film genres.
No idea what the film’s budget was, but if you like to torture your mind and senses, go see it without hesitation.
It’s really not far off from the kind of work David Fincher can deliver, so it’s a sure bet.”

WOOOW! Wait… are you serious???
Here we go again! I’ve heard it all now! A masterpiece, no less! Compared to Hitchcock and Fincher, no less! Tell me: are these people just throwing around big names for the sake of it? Have they actually seen the works of these incredible directors?
The Spanish also have a knack for raw, gritty, and unsettling films, just like certain Asian countries or other European nations such as the Netherlands or Italy. But to call them the masters of the genre, the masters of the crime thriller? No, that really remains to be proven!

Here’s someone who takes the opposite view: “Good for a thriller. But I’m very disappointed with the ending. I think it’s terrible, for my taste.” Well! Make up your mind: is it good or is it terrible??

A horrible movie, to be sure! Beyond the uninteresting direction, the characters may seem poorly chosen, the roles implausible and fabricated from scratch to feed the directors’ fantasies. I’d also like to point out the glaring lack of humor and flair. On the other hand, I can’t say it lacks intelligence toward the end of the film. Sure, there’s no positivity, but there’s also no hint of self-criticism or even sarcasm: just a sort of sordid unfolding of events. This is not a feel-good movie! It’s not the kind of film that will lift you out of your seasonal or chronic depression.

A thoroughly unsettling film that makes you feel deep hatred toward the main character. His immorality and the total lack of consequences for his actions make the story frustrating and unbearable. A twisted and unfair ending that leaves a bitter aftertaste. This thriller is worth checking out for those who, in fact, hate Hollywood happy endings!

I’ll wrap up with this final, concise negative review: “A bad and boring movie. I was expecting a gripping thriller with compelling characters, but instead we’re stuck with ‘Javier,’ a bland and uninteresting character.”

There you go! Once again, I’ve tried to present several different points of view. So now you have all the information you need to decide whether you want to give this feature film a try… or not!