The 2020 Spanish-language thriller drama The Occupant (also known as Hogar), streaming on Netflix, has left viewers spellbound, with fans hailing it as an 'underrated' and 'brilliant' hidden gem that keeps them guessing until the final moment.
Written and directed by brothers David Pastor and Àlex Pastor, the film landed on Netflix on March 25, 2020, just as the world entered lockdown amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
Plot and Cast
The movie centres on Javier Muñoz, a former executive who is compelled to sell his flat following a spell of unemployment. Once the property changes hands, Javier takes on an unsettling, stalker-like quality, becoming fixated on the new occupants of his former home and gradually worming his way into their lives in deeply disturbing ways.
The thriller drama features Javier Gutiérrez, Mario Casas, Bruna Cusí, Ruth Díaz, David Ramírez, David Selvas, David Verdaguer, and Vicky Luengo. It was originally scheduled for a March 2020 world premiere at the Málaga Spanish Film Festival, though the event was delayed due to the coronavirus lockdown, resulting in a direct international release on Netflix.
Critical and Audience Response
Critics have been entranced by the thriller, with one writing: "Writing from the confinement of a global pandemic gives The Occupant a strange atmosphere of unease." Another reviewer said: "With an excellent cast led by Javier Gutiérrez, the Pastor Brothers have returned to feature films with serious conviction." One critic described it as "Brilliant and cruel," while another added: "Javier Gutiérrez knows how to give his character touches of ambiguity and confusion, to generate uncertainty in the viewer."
Audiences have been equally captivated, with one fan drawing comparisons to Best Picture-winning Parasite: "Spanish Parasite. The Occupant / Hogar has a stellar lead performance, who drives an exciting thriller with a strong story and interesting characters." Another viewer noted: "Brilliant film noir. A very well done Spanish film meant for an adult audience. During part of the film, I was filled with anxiety; it is the intention of the director to make the viewer feel uncomfortable, think about what's going to happen and how it's going to end."
One audience review reads: "This is my kind of movie. A grounded and realistic film, with surprisingly dark undertones and a feeling that anything could happen. The pacing was also pretty good for the most part. I found myself hooked from minute one and it never relented. 'The Occupant' is a quality little Netflix release that I would recommend searching up if you haven't already. 8/10." Yet another impressed fan said: "Not bad movie. Pretty impressive I would say. I like that type of movies. It reminded me of 'Parasite' a lot thematic but the plot was absolutely different. I don't know why people give bad ratings to this film. That was the best movie of 2020 so far."
The Occupant is available to stream on Netflix.
