The Roommate Synopsis & Review: Plot Summary

🎯 Quick Overview

😅 Plot Summary – Badly Explained

College freshman just wants a chill roommate, but gets a stage-five clinger who’s *really* into identity theft and aggressive friendship maintenance.

🍿 The Roommate: Detailed Plot Synopsis

Freshman Year Begins

Sara Matthews, a fashion design student from Iowa, arrives at a Los Angeles university. She quickly makes friends with Tracy and starts a relationship with Stephen, a drummer. Sara also meets her roommate, Rebecca, who seems sweet and supportive at first. However, Rebecca’s behavior soon becomes increasingly possessive and controlling.

Rebecca’s Obsession Escalates

As Sara spends more time with friends and Stephen, Rebecca’s jealousy intensifies. She sabotages Sara’s relationships, attacking Tracy and manipulating Professor Roberts. Rebecca’s actions become more erratic, leading Sara and others to suspect something is seriously wrong. Rebecca’s behavior becomes dangerous and threatening.

Discovering the Truth

Sara uncovers Rebecca’s prescription for medication used to treat schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Discovering the untouched medication, Sara realizes Rebecca’s mental state is unstable and that she has been deceiving everyone. Sara decides she needs to move out for her own safety, planning to move in with Irene.

⚠️ Spoilers and Ending Explained

🎬 Cast & Characters

• Sara Matthews (Minka Kelly): A fashion design student and college freshman who becomes the target of her roommate’s obsessive behavior.
• Rebecca (Leighton Meester): Sara’s roommate who develops a dangerous obsession with her, leading to increasingly erratic behavior.
• Stephen (Cam Gigandet): Sara’s love interest who becomes entangled in the escalating conflict between Sara and Rebecca.
• Tracy (Aly Michalka): Sara’s initial friend at college who becomes wary of Rebecca and ultimately becomes a target.
• Professor Roberts (Billy Zane): Sara’s professor who displays inappropriate behavior towards her and becomes a victim of Rebecca’s manipulations.

💬 Memorable Quotes

• Rebecca: “I just want to be your friend.” – Repeatedly said by Rebecca to Sara, highlighting her desperate need for connection and foreshadowing her obsession.
• Rebecca: “Now you can think of me as your sister.” – Said after Rebecca gets a tattoo identical to Sara’s, revealing the depth of her obsessive desire to replace Sara’s deceased sister.
• Sara: “I was never your friend.” – Sara’s final line to Rebecca before the climactic fight, marking her complete rejection of Rebecca’s twisted friendship.

💰Box Office

• Budget: $16,000,000
• Domestic Gross: $37,300,000
• Worldwide Gross: $40,492,652

💥 The Roommate Reviews

Personal Review

Okay, so I went into this movie expecting a cheap thriller, and that’s pretty much what I got. Leighton Meester is genuinely creepy as Rebecca, and you can almost feel bad for her, but the whole thing feels like a glossy remake of ‘Single White Female’ for the college crowd. I did jump a couple of times, though, especially that scene in the shower – yikes! The whole thing just felt a little underdeveloped. Minka Kelly was a little bland for my tastes, but together they created a movie that was alright. If you want a movie to not have to think, this may be it.

• Who would enjoy:
  • “Fans of psychological thrillers.”
  • “Viewers interested in college-themed movies.”
  • “Those who enjoy Leighton Meester’s performances.”
• Content warnings ⚠:
  • “Violence”
  • “Animal cruelty (kitten is harmed)”
  • “Brief sexuality.”
  • “Mature themes related to mental illness”

Professional Reviews

• Rotten Tomatoes: “Predictable and derivative, ‘The Roommate’ offers little in the way of thrills or surprises, relying on tired genre tropes and uninspired performances to tell a familiar story.
• Common Sense Media: “Creepy college stalker flick has violence, language. It has suspenseful moments, but it’s not very original.
• IMDb: “The Roommate is one of those films, that when you first the trailer, you think to yourself, “This is gonna suck”. But only when you actually see the film do you realize that you were only partly wrong.

Audience Reactions

Meester’s performance as the unhinged Rebecca earned praise, even if the overall plot felt familiar.: Leighton Meester’s portrayal of the crazed roommate is considered a standout element, while the movie provides cheap thrills.

Overall Consensus: A predictable thriller with a few decent performances, but ultimately unoriginal and underwhelming.

Awards

🛠️ Behind the Scenes

• “Leighton Meester was originally considered for the role of Sara, but she preferred to play the more complex character of Rebecca.”
• “The film draws inspiration from ‘Single White Female’ but aims for a more contemporary, college-setting thriller.”
• “Filming took place primarily at the University of Southern California (USC), adding to the film’s authentic college atmosphere.”

🖥️ How to Watch The Roommate?

The Roommate is available for streaming on platforms such as Prime Video, and Apple TV for rental or purchase. Check your local listings for cable on-demand options. For physical copies, look for the DVD or Blu-ray at major retailers and online marketplaces like Amazon.

🎥 Similar Movies

If you enjoyed The Roommate, you might like these similar films:

• Single White Female (1992): Direct comparison: Both films explore the dangers of obsessive relationships and identity theft between women.
• Fatal Attraction (1987): Thematic Similar: Explores the terrifying consequences of obsession and a disturbed individual’s relentless pursuit of another person.
• Obsessed (2009): Modern Equivalent: Similar theme of a younger woman’s dangerous obsession with a married man, leading to stalking and violence.
• Swimfan (2002): Thematic Similar: Centers on a high school swimmer stalked by an obsessive fan, showcasing the destructive power of infatuation.

🛒 The Roommate Related Products

• Single White Female [Blu-ray]: Experience the thrilling original that inspired ‘The Roommate’, featuring Jennifer Jason Leigh and Bridget Fonda in a suspenseful tale of obsession and identity theft. A must-have for fans of psychological thrillers.
• College Dorm Room Essentials Starter Kit: Everything a college freshman needs to create their perfect dorm space, from cozy bedding to essential storage solutions. Start your college journey prepared and in style!
• The Roommate (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) [Digital Download]: Relive the suspense with the official soundtrack featuring eerie and atmospheric tracks that underscore the film’s tension and drama.
• Obsessed: The Ultimate Stalker Movie Collection [DVD]: A curated collection of classic and modern stalker films, offering hours of suspenseful viewing. Dive into the world of obsession and unravel the minds of captivating but dangerous characters.

🎧 Soundtrack

The Roommate features a captivating soundtrack that enhances the movie’s atmosphere and emotional impact. Here are some notable tracks:

• “Fader” – performed by The Temper Trap

You can find the complete soundtrack on Amazon Music and Apple Music.

🤨 FAQ

🔥 Bonus Content

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Ever had a nightmare roommate? Smosh hilariously nails all the classic roommate problems in this sketch. I swear, it’s like they’ve been spying on my life!

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CinemaSins picks apart ‘Us’ in their signature style, pointing out all the plot holes you probably missed. Some points are spot on. Prepare to question everything you thought you knew about Jordan Peele’s masterpiece!

✨ Rate