The Loft (film)

The Loft

Company type	Film
Industry	Motion picture
Founded	2014
Founder	Erik Van Looy (director)
Key people	Erik Van Looy (director), Bart De Pauw (writer), Wesley Strick (screenplay adapter)
Products	Erotic thriller film
Parent	Open Road Films (distributor)

The Loft is a 2014 erotic thriller helmed by director Erik Van Looy, serving as a remake of his 2008 Belgian original, Loft. The script was penned by Bart De Pauw and later adapted by Wesley Strick. The film features performances from Karl Urban, James Marsden, and Wentworth Miller, with Matthias Schoenaerts reprising his role from the initial version.

Production took place in mid-2011, but the movie’s release encountered delays linked to changes in distribution. Originally, Dark Castle Entertainment secured US distribution rights through Warner Bros., but these shifted to Universal Studios following Joel Silver’s move to that company. Universal had slated the film for an August 29, 2014 premiere but replaced it with Legendary Pictures' As Above, So Below. Eventually, both Universal and Dark Castle relinquished the project, which was then acquired by Open Road Films and released on January 30, 2015. Despite this, Universal maintained US home entertainment distribution rights via its ancillary agreement with Open Road. Dark Castle did not produce another film until 2017's Suburbicon under Paramount Pictures.

Plot

Five married men jointly own a luxurious loft intended for secret rendezvous with their mistresses. When Sarah Deakins’ corpse is discovered inside the loft, suspicion arises among them since only these men possess keys. The narrative unfolds through flashbacks interspersed with current events, gradually unveiling the full story.

The characters include:

• Vincent Stevens: the architect responsible for designing the building and married with children; he initially suggested using the loft and becomes a key suspect.
• Dr. Chris Vanowen: a psychiatrist who is married and half-brother to Philip; although hesitant at first, he accepts a key due to his attraction to Anne, a prostitute who cautions him against emotional involvement.
• Luke Seacord: married to Ellie, he finds the body and informs the others; he also secretly records the men’s activities within the loft.
• Marty Landry: known for heavy drinking and womanizing; his affair leads to separation from his wife Mimi.
• Philip Williams: Chris’s half-brother, married to Vicky—the daughter of his affluent employer; he struggles with drug use and has a troubled past but is protective of his sister Zoe, warning others to avoid entanglement with her.

Production

Filming commenced on June 6, 2011, in New Orleans before relocating to studio work in Brussels, Belgium. The shoot wrapped up on July 27, 2011.

Release

Following multiple postponements, Open Road Films launched The Loft across the United States on January 30, 2015, with a wide release spanning 1,841 theaters.

Reception

On Rotten Tomatoes, the movie holds an approval rating of 14% based on 42 critic reviews, averaging a score of 3.1/10. The critical consensus describes it as "filled with characters as disagreeable as its seedy plotline," making it unappealing except for the most undemanding erotic thriller enthusiasts. Metacritic assigns it a score of 24 out of 100 from 11 critics, indicating "generally unfavorable reviews." Audience polling by CinemaScore yielded a grade of "B−."

J.R. Jones from the Chicago Reader remarked on the story’s broad resonance among cultures acquainted with unfaithful businessmen. Jim Lane of the Sacramento News & Review found the film’s conclusion straightforward yet gratifying. Jason Best of Movie Talk commended Rachael Taylor and Isabel Lucas for their performances and described it as a polished and stylish mystery despite occasionally convoluted plotting. Frank Scheck from The Hollywood Reporter praised the cinematography and suggested that the film might spark interest in both extramarital affairs and luxury loft purchases. Joe Leydon of Variety recognized the suspense built during opening scenes thanks to director Van Looy and writer Strick. Roger Moore of Tribune News Service highlighted strong casting choices and noted Schoenaerts’ theatrical portrayal could attract fans of Hitchcockian cinema.

Box office

The Loft generated $6 million in the United States market and an additional $5 million from overseas, bringing its global revenue to $11 million.