‘The Saviors’ Review: A Psychological Thriller That Has Its Characters Asking “Am I the Problem?”

Adam Scott and Danielle Deadwyler star in the Kevin Hamedani’s new thriller The Saviors. The film, which premiered at SXSW earlier this year, takes us into the life of a couple who are falling out of love with each other. But when AirBNB guests test their trust, it brings the two closer than ever.

Sean (Scott) is an unemployed computer software engineer and his wife, Kim (Deadwyler), have to rent out their guest house to help pay the mortgage. A brother (Theo Rossi) and his sister (Nazanin Boniadi) named Amir and Jahan are trying to make a new life in a new town. But when Sean’s parents (played by Ron Perlman and Colleen Camp) put into his head that Amir and Jahan could be terrorists, The Saviors becomes a thriller that forces Sean and Kim to unpack their own bias.

Elements of The Saviors constantly have the audience guessing. Not like Sean and Kim and their problematic jumping to conclusions. But there are signs that something is up and Hamedani and Travis Betz’s script allows us to try to figure out exactly what is wrong while Sean and Kim dig themselves further in a whole.

Jim Clemente (Greg Kinnear) and Sean’s sister Cleo (Kate Berlant) make it that much worse. For all the tension in Sean and Kim’s marriage, The Saviors allows its audience to feel the same way but through its main character’s distrust of people. Even Jahan and Amir do not trust their hosts and the back and forth brings a delicious uneasiest to the film.

Jumping to conclusions makes a mess of things

We’re told that making an assumption is a reflection on you and the person involved. Jumping to conclusions is a similar situation, at least when it comes to The Saviors. Mr. and Mrs. Harrison convince their son that there is something to worry about with the people staying in their home. Part of what makes The Saviors more than just two people being racist and xenophobic is the constant check in for Sean and Kim with the side of their brain that knows their fear is rooted in those two things.

Time and time again, Sean apologizes for how he’s sounding, recognizes that his family’s racist thought process has messed with him. But then The Saviors gives both him and Kim pause, allowing Jahan and Amir to be up to “something” but no one knows what.

It is what makes the inclusion of Jim Clemente so funny because both Sean and Kim know he’s not helping the situation. Even when it becomes clear that they both honestly believe that Amir and Jahan have plans to bomb the president’s visit to their town, it is still made beyond clear to the audience that the “something” they’re up to is not as Hollywood stereotypical as Sean and Kim believe.

Adam Scott and Danielle Deadwyler are electric

The fear that both Kim and Sean have is completely of their own creation. Sure, Amir and Jahan did lie to them at first but once they give them their “truth,” it should be enough to get the two off their back. Instead, both Sean and Kim allow their bias lead the way and it ends up being such a twisty ride that when the twist is finally revealed at the end, you’re so caught off guard that it really works.

The Saviors is a fascinating take on a thriller and one that really shows the prowess of both of its stars. Without Scott and Deadwyler’s ability to bring nuance to their characters, The Saviors could have fallen into a dangerous pitfall. Instead, you can see the layers to every choice both Kim and Sean make and it is captivating to watch.

(featured image: Highway 10)

Have a tip we should know? [email protected]