Lakeview Terrace is a 2008 thriller film directed by Neil LaBute, produced by Will Smith, and starring Samuel L. Jackson. A taut thriller that is loosely based on an actual case of a black cop harassing two interracial couples in his neighborhood. It is a slick, technically adept and will no doubt come across as provocative for audiences.



It stars Samuel L. Jackson who is at his Pulp Fiction best, a menacing preacher no one wants to listen to. However, what makes this film exciting is not in what happens but in how it happens. Jackson plays an LAPD police officer who is the self-appointed watchdog of the neighborhood and loves to dominate others. Including his resentful 15-year-old daughter Celia (Regine Nehy), his son Marcus (Jaishon Fisher), one low-life he catches and delivers enough blows to break three of his ribs, and especially his new neighbors, Chris Mattson (Patrick Wilson) and his wife Lisa (Kerry Washington). They are a mixed race couple who move into a nice hilltop home in Los Angeles only to find a forest fire roaring their way and LAPD cop Jackson living next door, just waiting to act on his racist feelings. Wilson manages to hold his own against Jackson for the most part and works well as a liberal-type character being pushed to his limits. Wilson and Washington's characters make matters worse when they become privy to a sub-plot involving an "unintentional" pregnancy. To further inflame the situation Jackson has a sub-plot of his own with him screwing up on the force.

The acting and the plot make this a much better movie than its B-movie title suggests and it has boosted the interest in Samuel L. Jackson and Chris Mattson for the industry and the fans.

In fact, Jackson memorabilia has reportedly been flying off the shelves of memorabilia shops and the hot new autograph to attain is a Chris Mattson autograph.

One Samuel L. Jackson collector is Ray Townsend. Whose collection includes autographs and memorabilia from most of Jackson's career. Including his best films like Iron Man and Home of the Brave, as well as, his lesser films like Snakes on a Plane. Townsend is now looking for two autographed photos from Lakeview Terrace and hopes to get them before the holidays so that he can give one as a gift.

All in all, Lakeview Terrace is a very good film, with great performances, a story that does a pretty good job of staying away from the generic thriller, and some excellent dialogue. For thriller fans or Samuel L. Jackson fans the film is must see.