Lakeview Terrace

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Lakeview Terrace

PG-13

2008

1h 46m

Mystery & Thriller

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

44%

Tomatometer

160 Reviews

39%

Popcornmeter

100,000+ Ratings

An uptight cop (Samuel L. Jackson), the self-appointed watchdog of his neighborhood, strongly disapproves of the interracial newlyweds (Patrick Wilson, Kerry Washington) who just moved in next door. He becomes increasingly hostile toward the innocent pair, going to great lengths to force them out of their home. The situation changes when the young couple decide to fight back.

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Critics Consensus

This thriller about a menacing cop wreaking havoc on his neighbors is tense enough but threatens absurdity when it enters into excessive potboiler territory.

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Deborah Ross

The Spectator

Feb 1, 2018

Alas, LaBute loses it entirely in the third and final act, when he yields entirely to genre convention and allows it all to explode into a shoot-out of the utmost silliness.

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Kim Newman

Empire Magazine

Dec 5, 2008

4/5

As a thriller it's solid three-star tension. As a Samuel L. Jackson showcase it proves a man can only coast through so many motherfuckin' or milquetoastin' turns before having to display his full and overpowering talent.

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Trevor Johnston

Time Out

Dec 5, 2008

2/6

The yawning chasm between the film's aspirations to social significance and its cheese-o-licious straight-to-video construction make it a chucklesome guilty pleasure.

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Brian Eggert

Deep Focus Review

Sep 5, 2023

3/4

Until the last fifteen minutes of the film when LaBute ceases to challenge us, but rather aggravates circumstances to the predictable nature of Hollywood potboilers, there’s much to admire.

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Mike Massie

Gone With The Twins

Nov 28, 2020

5/10

Jackson portrays the primary antagonist with a truly gleeful menace.

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Jason Best

What's On TV

Nov 15, 2020

Jackson is much more menacing when he is quietly insinuating than when he reaches for his gun, and Lakeview Terrace is much more disturbing before the film's corrosive racial resentment and hatred spills into actual violence.

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Jay L.

@Jay.Livin Jun 12, 2026

Fairly entertaining movie about a creepy neighbor but I feel like it could’ve been executed a lot better. It started out great and the plot/sub plots weren’t bad but I feel like something was missing from the film. The actors all did an amazing job but the writers had the characters making questionable choices especially the husband.

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Angelina B.

@angelinabud Mar 12, 2026

This always has been my favorite movie. It's fire. Samuel is such a good actor and he made this movie perfect

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MAURICIO M

@Macedomj Feb 9, 2026

Samuel L. Jackson é melhor vilão que mocinho

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Lee W

@L0301 Jan 20, 2026

I don’t understand the hate, as a casual watcher it’s not bad. S.L.J. performance good as ever albeit a bit toned down to people who like Tarantino films he’s featured in like me. Not amazing, probably won’t watch again but it cured an evening of boredom. If you haven’t watched it, it’s worth it. If you have, you probably won’t watch for a second time.

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thiago s

@Thiagostone Jul 31, 2025

Filme mais ou menos para fraco, o roteiro é fraco, as cenas são mais ou menos, a história é fraca, o elenco é bacaninha, mas ninguém ajuda a melhorar o filme, os personagens são fracos, e o filme deveria ter cenas bem melhores e relevantes, para fazer o filme ser bom

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AD 3

@RT11830953 Feb 15, 2025

The writing is terrible. I turned it off with a hr to go, it was too phony and stupid i just couldn't fake interest anymore

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Neil LaBute

Director

Samuel L. Jackson

Abel Turner

Patrick Wilson

Chris Mattson

Kerry Washington

Lisa Mattson

Jay Hernandez

Javier Villareal

Ron Glass

Harold Perreau

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Synopsis

An uptight cop (Samuel L. Jackson), the self-appointed watchdog of his neighborhood, strongly disapproves of the interracial newlyweds (Patrick Wilson, Kerry Washington) who just moved in next door. He becomes increasingly hostile toward the innocent pair, going to great lengths to force them out of their home. The situation changes when the young couple decide to fight back.

Director: Neil LaBute
Producer: Will Smith, James Lassiter
Screenwriter: David Loughery, Howard Korder
Distributor: Screen Gems, Sony Pictures Entertainment
Production Co: Overbrook Entertainment
Rating: PG-13 (Language|Intense Thematic Material|Sexuality|Some Drug References|Violence)
Genre: Mystery & Thriller, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Sep 19, 2008, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Jul 1, 2012
Box Office (Gross USA): $39.3M
Runtime: 1h 46m

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