‘The Saviors’ review: Adam Scott and Danielle Deadwyler delve into suburban paranoia in hilarious thriller

We all tend to think of ourselves as the hero of our stories. The problem with that is that it takes a bad person. That way of thinking can be dangerous if it falls into our sources of prejudice, paranoia, and need for validation. From this source of mind-bending emotions comes forth Saviors, it’s a clever genre thriller with a lot to say under its slippery surface.

Following in the footsteps of eavesdropping-centric thrillers like Rear window again The ‘Burbs, The saviors it begins with an elderly white man with too much time on his hands. In middle-class America, Sean Harrison (a brilliant actor Adam Scott) is unemployed and about to divorce his wife, Kim (UntilDanielle Deadwyler). He is hungry for purpose when he meets Muslim brothers Amir (Theo Rossi) and Jahan (Nazanin Boniadi), who rent the Harrisons’ guest house for a few days. So, when Sean notices strange things in his home after their arrival, his suspicious eye moves to the guest house door.

What follows is a provocative story with sharp humor and an ending that will make you want to watch it again — immediately.

The saviors combines sci-fi spookiness with comic paranoia.

Written by Travis Betz and Kevin Hamedani, and directed by the latter, The saviors begins with a triple dream sequence. Sean and Kim are awake in a cool, white room, whispering sweet things to each other like this is the last act of a Nancy Meyers rom-com. Then a strange noise pulls them away from the comfort of their bed.

Suddenly, the tone changes from calm to nervous. Sean is bleeding. The future is uncertain and threatening, and he wakes up in reality. This time he’s on the couch. He’s boisterous, real, and really annoying his wife, who’s prepared to welcome their Airbnb guests back home.

Dressed well, Amir and Jahan are polite and warm, expressing their appreciation for two strangers giving them a place in their home. In sign language, Jahan praises Sean’s cooking, the smell of chili lighting his face with a wide smile. But as they eat, Sean catches some of their strange comments, like their ignorance of the sound of a cricket. Soon, a humming song (“Seven Nation Army”) makes him suspect that Jahan is not as deaf as his brother claims. Then there’s a tremor that shakes their house, and mysterious green lights burst through their windows. Things are getting undeniably weird, by The Twilight Zone way.

Still, Sean is uncomfortable talking about the subject with a wife who already finds him ridiculous. But he also doesn’t want to confide in his parents (Colleen Camp and Ron Perlman), who have fallen down a conspiracy rabbit hole. His construction worker sister, Cleo (Kate Berlant) isn’t much better, and eagerly fan the flames of Sean’s paranoia. Isn’t the president coming to their cozy town for a visit? And why not visit a historic site near Sean and Kim’s home?

Although Kim initially dismissed Sean’s accusations, demanding that he think outside of his “white bubble,” the TV news teased increased security and fear of terrorist threats. Before long, he also becomes nervous about their guests. From there, the couple play auteur spies, and the adventure of it all has renewed their connection – and their sex life. But what is the cost?

The saviors he gives an amazing illustration without being preachy.

Hamedani doesn’t shy away from modern American politics in a vague way. While he avoids name-dropping real-life politicians, his characters speak candidly about neo-Nazis, Islamophobia, and white privilege — especially when it comes to life in the suburbs. However, the film never devolves into feeling like a talk, because of the intensity of its main mystery: What are these visitors doing?

Some clues are unusual, but may be dangerous. However, a second act sequence that reveals what even Sean and Kim cannot see allows the audience to discover Sean’s suspicions for themselves. After all, the film is tied to his vision, placing him as a hero The saviors. But this movie would be boring if things weren’t like that. Anyway, even if you can guess that, I doubt you will predict where Hamedani and Betz’s sci-fi story ends. I was not only surprised, but pleasantly surprised. Watching the clues pile up, I was confident – shy, even – that I would solve the mystery The saviors reaches its peak. I was wrong, so I wanted to see The saviors and to see where I, like Sean and Kim, went wrong.

First of all The saviors works as a solid genre thriller. A deceptively simple story about a couple torn apart by ennui, only to be reunited through an adventure built on voyeurism and paranoia. But sci-fi thrives on unearthly glories, strange objects, and mysterious visitors raising the stakes beyond divorce to life and death. Our imaginations are attractive, tempting us to seek out the exotic, and thus we can ignore the red flags at home.

Like a big whodunnit, The saviors it opens with reflection, blossoming into clues we didn’t notice the first time. The story changes as we understand Amir and Jahan. So, in a sense, you’re getting two movies in one, just watching The saviors the second time. Better yet, concerts work both ways. The four leads – Scott, Deadwyler, Rossi, and Boniadi – have a role playing games that work in two situations. Some scenes that were once funny, turn dangerous, and vice versa. It’s all about perspective.

A true find of SXSW, The saviors it is a miracle. Hamedani and company have carefully crafted a film that is part dark comedy, part sci-fi thriller, part cautionary tale. But through it all, it never feels cluttered or messy. It works smoothly and powerfully, The saviors a must see.

The saviors reviewed for its world premiere at SXSW.