It started as a family story. Troy Armitage played the role of Kale, a high school student who seemingly had everything going for him. He got decent grades, was a local MMA champion, and had two loving parents. This part of the film was presented beautifully through a montage of the three together, set to a very recognizable song—one Rod had just heard the day before: We Are Young.
[We Are Young – Fun]
~Tonight
We are young
So let's set the world on fire
We can burn brighter than the sun~
The film didn't use the entire song—just about a minute—but it served its purpose: the thumping beat and infectious chorus pulled the audience into the story immediately.
Then, without warning, things took a dark turn. Kale and his father were returning from a fishing trip when their car was involved in a major accident. The sequence was so sudden and jarring that Rod nearly jumped out of his seat.
In that tragic accident, Kale lost his father—and with him, his sense of purpose. He fell into a deep depression, stopped turning in schoolwork, and quit MMA altogether. A year later, during Spanish class, a minor provocation from his teacher caused Kale to snap. He punched the man in the face.
The teacher sued, and Kale was sentenced to three months of house arrest—just in time for summer break.
As the punishment was being handed down, Troy's portrayal was gut-wrenching. His eyes were hollow, expression unreadable. For a moment, Rod forgot this was a popcorn thriller. Troy brought the weight of an awards-season drama to the screen. Even in a genre film, he never dialed it in.
Some critics liked to joke that Troy "acts the hell out of his films." And they weren't wrong. He always found a way to portray emotion that was authentic, precise, and never over-the-top.
In the following scene, Kale decided to waste his summer indoors—playing video games and watching TV. His mother, played by Carrie-Anne Moss, grew frustrated with his apathy and canceled his Xbox and iTunes subscriptions, even cutting off the cable.
Watching Kale, completely isolated with no one to talk to, was bleak. And the emotional weight was amplified by the second song from Troy's album that began playing in the background.
[Lonely - Justin Bieber, Benny Blanco]
~What if you had it all
But nobody to call?
Maybe then you'd know me
'Cause I've had everything
But no one's listening
And that's just fuckin' lonely
I'm so lo-o-o-onely
Lo-o-o-onely~
The beautiful song made the scene even more heartfelt. Much like We Are Young, Lonely played for less than a minute—just long enough to establish Kale's state of mind. Maybe it was also Troy's subtle way of promoting his album? It was also strange to see their one and only F-word being used in a song, of all things.
Just when things seemed to be spiraling, a new family moved into the neighborhood. Among them was a girl Kale's age—Ashley, played by Scarlett Johansson. Due to a prank by the neighborhood kids, Kale forgot about his ankle monitor and stepped outside the boundaries of his house. As a result, he was detained by police in full view of everyone, including Ashley.
Embarrassed, Kale marked a perimeter around his home so he wouldn't accidentally cross the line again. As he did, another track played in the background:
[Titanium – Sia, David Guetta]
I'm bulletproof, nothing to lose
Fire away, fire away
Ricochet, you take your aim
Fire away, fire away
You shoot me down, but I won't fall
I am titanium
The music faded as Kale found a new pastime: spying on people through his windows. He even showed his friend Ronnie, played by a newcomer, how he passed the time. When Kale noticed Ashley swimming in her pool in a bikini, his expression turned soft, admiring. And as the familiar opening notes of Golden Hour began to play, it was clear this wasn't about lust—it was about real affection.
Then, one night, Kale noticed something odd. His neighbor, Robert Turner, was acting suspiciously. He was driving a car identical to the one mentioned on the news in connection with a serial killer.
Ashley eventually caught Kale spying on her. To avoid seeming like a creep, Kale explained the situation with Turner. Intrigued, Ashley joined in. While the idea of catching a serial killer added excitement, it was obvious that the real draw—for both of them—was each other.
Later that night, Kale saw a young woman at Turner's house, shouting for help. Then Turner noticed Kale watching, and moments later, the same woman was seen driving away. Suspicious.
The whole sequence was edited masterfully—tense, escalating, never letting up.
The next morning, Kale came down for breakfast—only to find Turner standing casually in his kitchen. Kale was visibly tense and confrontational, but Turner remained polite, calm, even disarming.
Rod found himself wondering if Turner was a red herring. It would be just like a film like this to mislead the audience, only to reveal the real killer was someone else.
Later, Ashley threw a party at her house. Kale decided to be petty, blasting dull music from his roof in protest. Ashley came over to confront him, only for neighborhood kids to dump water on Kale—leaving him shirtless.
Rod had to resist the urge to roll his eyes. Troy always found a way to sneak in at least one shirtless scene in every movie he did.
The next scene turned sensual as Kale finally confessed his feelings to Ashley. As he spoke, the soft piano melody of Golden Hour began playing in the background once again. When Ashley leaned in to kiss him, the song jumped right into its soaring chorus.
Their kiss deepened into a passionate make-out session, the music swelling alongside them. It seemed, for a moment, that things were about to escalate—until the song cut off abruptly, giving the audience emotional whiplash as the tone shifted dramatically. Ashley's eyes widened in horror as she looked past Kale and saw Turner, their neighbor, dragging a heavy, blood-stained body bag down the stairs.
With renewed urgency, Kale, Ashley, and Ronnie began hatching a plan to uncover the truth. Ronnie's task was to break into Turner's car, while Ashley would tail him at the supermarket. The plan unraveled quickly. Turner cornered Ashley, threatening her in a chilling moment of veiled menace, and Ronnie accidentally left his phone behind in Turner's car.
When they tried to retrieve it, Ronnie ended up trapped inside Turner's house. Kale, desperate to save his friend, broke his house arrest and rushed over. The police arrived just as he attempted to intervene. Kale insisted they check the garage, certain they'd find a body. But when they opened it, all they found was a dead deer.
To smooth things over and prevent Kale from facing jail time, his mother went over to Turner's house to apologize. Ronnie eventually returned, bruised and shaken, but alive. Everything seemed to settle.
For a moment.
And then, chaos.
Kale discovered a videotape—on it, the unmistakable image of a girl's lifeless body. One of Turner's victims. He screamed for Ronnie, but it was already too late. Turner had abducted his mother and taken Ronnie down.
What followed was a tightly wound, perfectly executed sequence of tension and action. Turner bound Kale and left him trapped, but Ashley burst in just in time to help free him. The fight that ensued between Kale and Turner was brutal and visceral. Unlike most stylized Hollywood fights, this one felt raw and real. Every move Kale made showed his background in MMA—controlled, desperate, and effective.
From the fear in his eyes to the gritted determination in his body, Troy gave a performance that sold every punch, every gasp. The camera never flinched, capturing the fight in a way that was both cinematic and grounded. The climax of their battle ended in a gasp-worthy twist: Kale, cornered, reached for a pen and plunged it into the side of Turner's neck, finally ending the nightmare.
Afterward, the story wound down. Kale was granted early release from house arrest. Peace, finally, returned.
In the final scene, Kale stood with Ashley once again. They shared a quiet, heartfelt kiss—and as their lips met, Golden Hour played one last time. The sunset behind them mirrored their golden moment, bringing the film to a breathtaking close.
As Rod walked out of the theater, he found himself weighed down by mixed feelings. He wasn't sure if he could fully shake the impression that Disturbia was a step backward in Troy's career. Sure, it had its moments, but it lacked the depth and nuance that the actor usually brought to the screen. Rod had seen Troy in far more complex roles, and in comparison, this film felt almost like a distraction. It was a commercial thriller designed to appeal to the masses, but from an artist's perspective, it lacked the sharp edges that made Troy's other works so compelling.
As he exited the theater, he spotted the same female critic from earlier. She was standing by the entrance, her arms crossed in a self-satisfied manner. She looked at him expectantly as he approached.
"So, did you like it?" she asked, her voice almost a challenge.
Rod paused, considering his response carefully. He didn't want to be dismissive, but he also didn't want to praise the film too much. "It was not bad," he said, his tone measured. "It's okay for a one-time watch. What about you?"
The woman scoffed, a sharp edge to her tone. "It's one of the worst films I've seen this year. I don't understand why a superstar like Troy would waste his time on such a forgettable film with a predictable storyline. He could have done so much better."
Rod knew that Disturbia wasn't going to win any awards or leave a lasting cultural impact, but the woman's reaction felt overly harsh. Still, he couldn't deny her point: in the grand scope of Troy's career, this film wasn't exactly memorable. That's why he had decided not to give a positive review, if only to stop Troy from making more such films in the future.
He sighed and shrugged. "No actor has a perfect track record. Troy finally made his first average movie."
The woman's eyes gleamed with an almost vindictive satisfaction as she nodded eagerly. "I guess he did."
Rod couldn't help but notice how pleased she seemed by the idea of Troy not living up to the sky-high expectations. It seemed almost as if she was reveling in the fact that his film had fallen short, taking pleasure in his misstep. He found it odd—unsettling, even. It wasn't just about reviewing the film for her. She seemed to have a personal stake in Troy's failure, and that made him uncomfortable.
He gave a noncommittal grunt before walking away, trying to shake off the strange feeling that lingered.
(Break)
The New York Post – ★★☆☆☆
– Rod Meyer
"Troy Armitage might be Hollywood's golden boy, but even he can't save this muddled mess of a thriller. 'Disturbia' tries to be edgy and suspenseful but lands somewhere between teen angst and recycled Hitchcock. Scarlett Johansson does her best, but the script gives her little to work with. It's a mystery why an accomplished actress like her would take such a vain and forgettable role. The songs, which seem to be added last minute, are good, but you don't need to watch this movie for them; buy Troy's album instead, which is infinitely better than this stylish misfire."
The Daily Screen – ★☆☆☆☆
– David Byrne
"Watching 'Disturbia' feels like being trapped in your own house—but for two hours, and without a working remote. Armitage acts the hell out of the movie and is the only reason the film deserves even one star, yet his chemistry with Johansson is disappointingly nonexistent. A missed opportunity wrapped in glossy packaging."
Empire Magazine – ★★★★☆
– Stella Brock
"Troy Armitage delivers a surprisingly mature and layered performance as a troubled teen under house arrest. While the plot isn't groundbreaking, the tension builds nicely, and Scarlett Johansson brings a grounded presence to the screen. A sleek, entertaining thriller for the popcorn crowd. The music used by the film from Troy's latest album sets the mood of the film perfectly."
Variety – ★★☆☆☆
— Felicity Evans
"Despite flashes of potential, 'Disturbia' leans too heavily on its influences, offering little innovation of its own. Troy Armitage gives another great performance, but he's clearly more comfortable in heartthrob roles than psychological thrillers. Scarlett Johansson is underused, and the pacing could have used a nuanced approach."
The Complete News – ★☆☆☆☆
–Jane Scott
"It's 'Rear Window' with training wheels. The only thing more distracting than the derivative plot is the script's obsession with moody close-ups of Armitage brooding by the window. Johansson appears to have wandered in from a better movie. Dull, predictable, and boring. I would rather watch paint dry than go for a second viewing of this movie."
Rolling Stone – ★★★★☆
– Chris Winstone
"Armitage shows he's more than a teen idol in this stylish, if familiar, thriller. His performance carries surprising emotional weight, especially in the film's final act. With Johansson's steady support, 'Disturbia' rises above its clichés to become an enjoyable, nail-biting ride."
The Hollywood Reporter – ★☆☆☆☆
– Craig Dickson
"More like Distur-boring. It's a shame to see a cast this stacked stuck in such a paint-by-numbers plot. Troy Armitage pouts, Scarlett Johansson reacts, and nothing remotely scary happens until the last ten minutes. This isn't suspense—it's cinematic sleepwalking."
Roeper and Ebert – ★★★☆☆
– Richard Roeper
"This is a cool little thriller with big scares and fine performances. Troy Armitage shows everyone that there is no genre he cannot tackle. Steven Yeun was great in his debut role. Scarlett Johansson and Carrie-Anne Moss were underutilized, yet the final product is exciting and thrilling. The editing was particularly noteworthy, driving tension up perfectly."
(Break)
I stared at my computer, the bright screens of Rotten Tomatoes and Metacritic mocking me. A 45% rating on Rotten Tomatoes with an average score of 6.1? A measly 57/100 on Metacritic? I couldn't believe it. This was the lowest score of any of my movies, by far. If I was being honest, it felt worse than anything I'd experienced before. I suspected that this score was even lower than in the original timeline.
What went wrong? I couldn't help but replay the entire process in my head, trying to figure out where I made a mistake. Was it my performance? I mean, I had put everything into it, just like I always did. I thought I nailed it, but maybe I was wrong. Or maybe the script was the problem. Was it too predictable? Too formulaic?
Or maybe it was something else. Was it my decision to get involved in the production process? I had to admit, I pushed for more creative control this time, tried to get my voice in there. But maybe I overstepped? Maybe I had undermined Caruso's authority too much and he didn't give his 100% as he would have otherwise.
It could be something as simple as Evan's involvement in the editing. I shot a glance at him, and saw that he, too, looked just as worried. I hadn't read the reviews—I made it a point not to—but I couldn't ignore the compiled scores. But from the looks of it, Evan was actually reading all the reviews in detail.
"My career is over," Evan announced. "It is over before it even began. Oh my fucking God! Who else will ever give me work in Hollywood now?"
"Will you stop being so dramatic?" I called out with irritation clear in my voice. "These things happen in the business. It's nothing new."
"Yeah?" Evan raised a challenging eyebrow. "Which of your films have received similar ratings, huh? Even your worst film has only received a 76%. Now, because of me, your perfect track record has been tarnished."
I held his shoulder tightly, "I have watched the film, Evan. It wasn't as bad as they are calling it out to be."
And that was true. I had seen this version of the film a few months ago, and I honestly felt that this version of film was much superior than the Shia LaBeouf version. Paramount had held internal screenings for two versions of the film, and this version that was edited by Evan had received rave reviews from the test audience. But the professional critics seem to say otherwise.
"Then why do they call it forgettable and boring?" Evan asked challengingly.
I had no answer to that question.
"I'll tell you why."
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AN: Visit my Pat reon to read ahead, or check out my second Hollywood story set in the 80s.
Link: www(dot)pat reon(dot)com/fableweaver