THE PERFECT HOST
3 out of 5 stars

what a strange, strange movie... but david hyde pierce EXCELS as the perfect host AKA warwick wilson. ;)

you would think that this is a burglary gone wrong, but it’s a little bit more than that... john taylor (clayne crawford) robs a bank in downtown LA out of $300K, and with a bleeding foot, he tries to find a house to hid out in, and comes across the home of...warwick wilson. (david hyde pierce) john finds a postcard from sydney from a woman named julia, and cons his way into warwick’s home, stating to him that he’s lost his luggage at the airport + got mugged just now... warwick is hesitant about letting a complete stranger into his home, but then feels compelled towards helping this poor guy out. turns out that warwick is planning on hosting a dinner party, as he’s got a duck roasting in the oven, wine bottles out, and even offers john to stay for dinner. john accepts....and boy, WHAT A MISTAKE. john’s plan to rob/kill warwick goes awry when john’s wine is drugged. he wakes up to warwick having a dinner party by HIMSELF, talking to HIMSELF, dancing by HIMSELF, even playing chess by HIMSELF. but in warwick’s mind, he’s got all his guests and is throwing a smashing party... john quickly realizes that warwick is PSYCHO, but when warwick shows him his scrapbook of his past murder victims...john realizes he may not survive the night... :O

i guess this is what they call a black comedy, and the results are alright... i wish they didn’t do the secondary storyline of why john robbed the bank and his realization that he was set up because it took the focus off warwick, who made this movie worthwhile. (otherwise, it’s just another bank robbery gone wrong sort of deal) in fact, it would have been better if we were shown why warwick suffered from his mental condition... THAT would have quite the plot, def... still, it’s not everyday you see DHP doing the conga line with a unconscious person or singing/dancing to 70s disco on top of his dinner table... ;)