Shia LaBeouf's Acclaimed Hitchcockian Thriller Is A Global Netflix Hit 17 Years Later

Shia LaBeouf’s acclaimed Hitchcockian thriller, Disturbia, becomes a global Netflix hit 17 years later. Directed by D.J. Caruso, with a script co-written by Christopher Landon and Carl Ellsworth, the 2007 film follows a teenager who, after being placed under house arrest for assaulting his high school teacher, starts spying on his next-door neighbor, convinced he is a serial killer. Other than LaBeouf in the lead role, the cast also includes David Morse, Sarah Roemer, and The Matrix‘s Carrie-Anne Moss.

Now, 17 years after its release, LaBeouf’s acclaimed Hitchcockian thriller has become a global hit on Netflix. For the week of May 13-19, Disturbia was the third most-watched movie on Netflix worldwide with 13.5 million hours viewed and 7.7 million individual views. This is the film’s first week on Netflix’s Global Top 10 chart, finishing below Madame Web in second place and Mother of the Bride in first.

Why Disturbia Remains A Hit

It’s Inspired By Hitchcock’s Rear Window

As a modern-day retelling of Alfred Hitchcock’s Rear Window, one of the greatest films ever made, Disturbia provides timeless enjoyment for audiences. In fact, the film is so similar to Hitchcock’s thriller that Disturbia‘s producers and studio were sued for infringing on the rights to “It Had to Be Murder,” the 1942 short story on which Rear Window was based, though the claim was rejected by the courts. However, the fact that Disturbia feels so similar to Rear Window is partly why it has been such a success.

Disturbia was well-received by critics who, despite the film’s predictable ending, praised it as a gripping and understated thriller with a standout performance from LaBeouf. The lead star especially earned praise for his performance, with many noting his ability to convey many different facets of his character at once. On Rotten Tomatoes, Disturbia holds strong 70% and 77% scores from critics and audiences, respectively. The movie was also a box office hit, grossing nearly $120 million on its mid-sized $20 million budget.

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Shia LaBeouf: His 5 Highest Ranked Roles (& His 5 Lowest)

Shia LaBeouf has quite a wide range as an actor, and, while he’s starred in some major successes, he’s also had a part in a few complete flops.

Disturbia has become a Netflix hit during a time when LaBeouf has been absent from the spotlight for several years due to abuse allegations, which have prevented him from being cast in new roles. During this time, audiences are evidently craving his past performances, as The Peanut Butter Falcon was just a hit on Netflix last week, as was Fury earlier this year. In fact, LaBeouf will return to the spotlight with a lead role in Francis Ford Coppola’s self-funded, epic sci-fi movie Megalopolis, which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival and is still seeking distribution in the United States.

Source: Netflix

Disturbia (2007)

Director

D. J. Caruso

Release Date

April 4, 2007

Studio(s)

DreamWorks Pictures , Cold Spring Pictures , The Montecito Picture Company

Distributor(s)

Paramount Pictures

Writers

Christopher Landon , Carl Ellsworth

Cast

Shia LaBeouf , David Morse , Sarah Roemer , Carrie-Anne Moss , Aaron Yoo , Viola Davis , Jose Pablo Cantillo

Runtime

105 Minutes

Budget

$20 Million

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