Disturbia Causes Both Laughs and Screams

Long gone are the days of Shia LaBeouf playing Louis Stevens, a bumbling, terrorizing little brother on Even Stevens from the Disney Channel. In the movie Disturbia, opening in theatres nationwide Friday, April 13, Shia takes on the role of Kale Brecht, a grieving teenager put under a three-month-long house arrest. A bit of fate combined with his forced summer at home causes him to become mixed into the murderous lifestyle of his neighbor, Mr. Turner (David Morse).

The death of Kale's father spurs an angry outburst, landing him into his predicament of summer to be spent inside his house. Fitted with a tracking ankle system that lets him go within 10 feet of his house, Kale is forced to remain inside with his TV, XBOX 360, laptop, desktop, and 30-plus gigabytes of music. When the novelty of technology wears out, Kale reverts to building Twinkie towers and spying on the neighbors.

To make his spying game a little more interesting is the addition of new neighbors, in the form of parents and their hot blonde daughter, Ashley (Sarah Roemer). If there wasn't a reason to be hateful towards his restriction of not being able to leave the confines past his own yard, there would be one now. Joined later by his best friend Ronnie (Aaron Yoo), they continue to spy on the surrounding houses - with particular interest on the next-door-neighbor who loves to take a swim in the pool and lay out to tan while clad in a bikini.

Through the clever use of retrieving mail that is just feet out of reach for Kale, Ashley is introduced to her neighbor. Harmless flirting ensues, creating the romantic interest all scary movies apparently need.