Spine #: N/A
One of the few made for television movies in the criterion collection directed by the Australian filmmaker Peter Weir, The Plumber could be described as a psychological thriller/dark comedy, but as a whole I would say it is the definition of 1970's cult horror. Following his other three criterion thrillers; The Cars That Ate Paris,The Last Wave, and Picnic at Hanging Rock, Weir takes us into the cosy apartment of Jill Cowper (Judy Morris) an Anthropologist, and her husband Brian (Robert Coleby).
What begins as a normal day takes an unexpected turn when while her husband is out at work, Jill answers a knock at the door. The man at the door claims to be the plumber responsible for all of the pluming duties in the entire apartment complex, the plumber informs Jill that he was sent there to check her pipes and introduces himself as Max (Ivar Kants). Jill hesitantly allows him in the house and this is where The Plumber's relentless reign of terror begins.
Ivar Kants delivers a brilliant performance as a mentally unstable (borderline psychopath) stalker that does everything in his power to make every scene uncomfortable and at times horrifying.It seems that no matter what Jill does to try to get rid of him she does not succeed, even when she reaches out to her best friend and husband she cant rid herself of this maniac. The Plumber is quite obviously the origin of The Cable Guy (Jim Carey, 1996) but is done better and much more effective.
The film will give you an uneasy feeling in your stomach from beginning to end due to a pair of outstanding performances from the terrified Judy Morris, and the relentless Ivar Kants.
IMDB: ******** 8/10
NETFLIX: **** 4/5
