Review | Inheritance film review: Lily Collins, Simon Pegg in ludicrous shocker with twisted morality
- This thriller does at least manage to keep viewers guessing about the truth until the end, but the denouement leaves a bad taste in the mouth
- Collins’ character is presented with moral choices, though the film never explores them. A madly grinning Pegg channels Klaus Kinski, but it’s all to no avail
2/5 stars
Today’s thriller movies usually give the game away quite quickly. Ludicrous as it is, Inheritance – which is more of a thriller than a horror – at least manages to keep viewers guessing about the truth until the end.
The story takes place among Manhattan’s ultra-rich set, although budget limitations mean that few of the filthy rich are displayed on the screen. Lauren (Lily Collins) is peeved when her mean-spirited father only leaves her a million dollars in his will, especially as her would-be politician brother inherits a cool 20 million.
Dad also leaves her a video message about a secret he has kept in the garden. That turns out to be a hidden cellar which contains the dishevelled Morgan (Simon Pegg), who’s been chained up there for 30 years because he witnessed her father accidentally kill a boy in a car accident, then bury the body.
Lauren, who just happens to be the District Attorney for the city of New York, isn’t sure what to do with the poor guy – should she follow her code of ethics and let him go, or should she leave him banged up to protect the good name of her family?