Left Bank (film)


Left Bank is a 2008 Belgian horror film directed by Pieter Van Hees, starring Eline Kuppens and Matthias Schoenaerts.

Plot

Marie, an aspiring track star on her way to the European Championships, suffers a devastating setback when she is diagnosed with an immune infection and forced to rest. To pass the time, Marie moves in with Bobby, her charismatic new boyfriend who lives in a deluxe apartment in Antwerp's stylish Left Bank.
After learning the apartment's previous tenant mysteriously disappeared, Marie becomes obsessed with the mystery, all the while suffering from headaches, nausea, tension and insomnia. As Bobby dismisses her theories and fears, Marie delves deeper into her investigation, growing suspicious of her loving boyfriend and the ritzy building, whose long-hidden secrets have nightmarish consequences.

Cast

, the film holds a 83% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, based on six reviews with an average rating of 7.17/10. Leslie Felperin from Variety wrote, "Pieter van Hees’ feature debut demonstrates promise, especially in its spooky, suggestive first half, and nicely showcases the talents and chiseled physiques of leads Eline Kuppens and Matthias Schoenaerts; shame that script's last stretch is derivative and borderline silly." Film Threat gave the film a positive review, commending the film'ch characters, finale, and for its blend of "passion, creeps, and head-scratches". Neil Young of The Hollywood Reporter wrote, "Overloaded with disturbing hallucinations and disorienting, wannabe-Lynchian dream-sequences, “Left Bank” gradually spirals from intriguing chilliness to mood-killing, murkily-plotted silliness. The last scene is a real head-scratcher." HorrorNews.net called the film " A remarkable dark tale of the supernatural, which incorporates black magic along with the bizarre"' praising the film's atmosphere, authentic feel, provocative story, finale, and acting.