‘Twisted’ Review: Lauren LaVera Carries an Uneven but Compelling Thriller

Twisted is a movie that wants to be invasive, confrontational, and uncomfortable to watch. And, honestly, at times, it succeeds. A complex mystery rooted in classical tropes, it plays out like a dark Roald Dahl tale or even a lost Twilight Zone premise staged by Herschell Gordon Lewis. Other times, it collapses under the weight of its own big ideas, buckling beneath the sloppiness of its under-resourced execution. While the end result is definitely uneven, it still frequently presents a compelling horror-thriller that earns attention through commitment and performance, with the all-star talent working in tandem to make it happen.

Directed by Darren Lynn Bousman, Twisted centers on a young woman (Lauren LaVera) pulled into a violent psychological tailspin rooted in control, manipulation, and bodily violation. In the movie, a pair of millennials make money by scamming renters, posing as brokers for luxury New York City apartments they do not own. The hustle falls apart when they cross paths with an apartment owner who has plans of his own. It’s hard out here for a millennial trying to make it out alive with a buck or two.

In terms of plot, Twisted moves quickly in the screenplay by Jonathon Bernstein and James Greer. Sometimes, this works to its detriment. Ideas and themes pile up fast, often before the film has time to fully explore them. Character motivations are hinted at more than explained, and big turns can arrive suddenly. The movie has momentum to spare, and there is a strong core idea here, but it gets buried under excess. It is a thoughtful script for the most part, but it may have benefited from another pass to cut the gristle. With Djimon Hounsou, LaVera, and Bousman in charge, the DTV energy of Twisted results in something made quickly, but with craft and a sense of precision.