The Perfect Host *** (2010, David Hyde Pierce, Clayne Crawford, Nathaniel Parker, Indra G Wilson, Helen Reddy) – Classic Movie Review 13,693

Nick Tomnay’s entertaining, creepy 2010 American black comedy psychological thriller film The Perfect Host stars David Hyde Pierce and Clayne Crawford.

Director Nick Tomnay’s entertaining, creepy 2010 American black comedy psychological thriller film The Perfect Host stars David Hyde Pierce, Clayne Crawford, Nathaniel Parker, Indra G Wilson, and Helen Reddy.

Clayne Crawford stars as John Taylor, a crook on the run, who, claiming to have been mugged, cons his way into to the expensive house of Warwick Wilson (David Hyde Pierce), who is preparing a smart dinner party. John Taylor thinks he has found a temporary safe haven, but the host Warwick is anything but ordinary and not the person he seems to be, and a dangerous cat and mouse game ensues.

The script by Nicholas Tomnay and Krishna Jones is satisfyingly teasing and twisty. There’s a nasty rancid tone in the air. It’s claustrophobic and misanthropic, all rather ugly as well as a guilty pleasure. That normally nice David Hyde Pierce seems to be having a ball, he certainly doesn’t hold back at all. Clayne Crawford has quite a good time too, as the fugitive. Both performances are full on and full blooded.

There’s nothing wrong with the pacing of the film, it is brisk and crisp, even if is does run a like a filmed stage play.

Helen Reddy plays Warrick’s neighbour as Cathy Knight and Megahn Perry plays John’s girlfriend Simone Demarchi, 

It was shot in Los Angeles in 17 days in the autumn of 2008.

Runtime: 93 minutes.

It premiered at Sundance in January 2010 and was released in the US on July 1, 2011.

Nicholas Tomnay is making his feature directorial debut, remaking his short film The Host (2001).

Hilariously, it was voted the Best Feature at the 2011 Abertoir festival, Wales’s international horror film festival.

Nick Tomnay is also the director of the 2023 film What You Wish For.

The cast are David Hyde Pierce as Warwick Wilson, Clayne Crawford as John Taylor, Helen Reddy as Cathy Knight, Megahn Perry as Simone Demarchi, Joseph Will as Detective Valdez, Nathaniel Parker as Detective Morton, Brooke Anderson as Thief, and Indra G Wilson as Monica.

© Derek Winnert 2025 – Classic Movie Review 13,693

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