Girl on the Third Floor (3/5) – Movie Review

GIRL ON THE THIRD FLOOR is a new horror movie that features a leading man who is both charming and very unlikable. Also, it takes place in a creepy house with a lot of weird stuff going on. Read our full Girl on the Third Floor review here and check it out on Netflix!

Girl on the Third Floor is a new horror movie that works really well on just about every level. The rating may be 3 out of 5, but it is actually pretty close to a 4 star (or blood splatter) rating.

The story works surprisingly well because even when somewhat stereotypial stuff happens, the characters react very differently than you would expect. Sometimes it doesn’t take more than just having real characters with faults and weaknesses to keep your audience engaged.

Read more in our Girl on the Third Floor review below and watch it on Netflix.

C.M. Punk stars in Girl on the Third Floor 

The main protagonist in Girl on the Third Floor is Don Koch. We never know exactly what he did before buying a house with his very pregnant wife. We do, however, know that she’s busy running her own company while Don renovates the house. Also, we know he was known as “King Don” in Chicago, which is where they used to live.

Don Koch is played by Phil Brooks who most might know better under the name C.M. Punk. Whatever you call him, I did not know him prior to watching this movie. All I can say is that I thought he did a damn fine job of portraying Don Koch. 

The character of Don Koch is pretty much an a**hole in most respects. He’s not supposed to drink, yet he drinks all the time. Also, his wife isn’t there with him and he clearly can’t control himself in pretty much any regard. He’s charming in some ways but also extremely unlikable in most other ways.

It’s refreshing and works really well for this story. Especially in terms of the final act which almost feels like an entirely new movie – in a good way!

Trieste Kelly Dunn is a total badass

While Phil Brooks (aka C.M. Punk) has the most screen time by far in Girl on the Third Floor his wife in the movie is portrayed by the brilliant Trieste Kelly Dunn. Her character’s name is Liz and we see her mostly via Facetime or Skype calls until the house is ready for her to arrive.

Trieste Kelly Dunn has a very different job compared to Phil Brooks, but she works extremely well in this movie. Basically, you can look forward to her scenes. If you don’t know who Trieste Kelly Dunn is, then you might still recognize her face if you’ve watched the TV series Banshee or Blindspot.

Finally, I should mention Sarah Brooks who plays the role of Sarah Yates. I can’t say too much about her character in Girl on the Third Floor since it’s a huge part of the plot. However, I will say that I think Sarah Brooks did a stellar job in this movie.

Watch Girl on the Third Floor on Netflix now

Travis Stevens wrote and directed Girl on the Third Floor and it really does come across as a true passion project. It has a sharp runtime of 93 minutes and the plot is both familiar and quite new. The movie felt a bit too long for me, but maybe that’s just because I was impatient before the final act.

While Travis Stevens wrote the script, the story it was based on was written by Trent Haaga, Paul Johnstone, and Ben Parker.

This is the feature film debut for Travis Stevens as a director. He has worked as a producer on numerous movies such as Adam Wingard’s A Horrible Way to Die (2010). Also, he produced Cheap Thrills (2013), Starry Eyes (2014), We Are Still Here (2015) and even a segment of the horror anthology XX.

Basically, he’s quite familiar with the art of filmmaking and finally put himself in the driver’s seat as both writer, director and producer. Also, the effects work really well because a lot of really simple choices are made. Gooey stuff coming out of the sockets is more than enough to make an impact on most viewers. It’s downright brilliant.

If you’re in the mood for a horror movie with some truly interesting characters, then be sure to give Girl on the Third Floor a shot.

Girl on the Third Floor is out on demand and Netflix in the US now!

Details

Director: Travis Stevens
Writer: Travis Stevens
Cast: Phil ‘CM Punk’ Brooks, Trieste Kelly Dunn, Sarah Brooks

Plot

Bursting pipes, rotting walls, and unidentifiable slime were not what Don Koch (Phil ‘CM Punk’ Brooks) expected when he convinced his wife Liz (Trieste Kelly Dunn) that he could rehab their new Victorian home himself. In over his head, under duress, and tempted by his old weaknesses, Don soon discovers that the house has its own dark, sordid history and won’t be so easy to renovate after all….