History Film / LakeviewTerrace

* IronicEcho: After a heated argument about the bushes on the property line that nearly devolved into violence and resulted in Chris storming off after he and Lisa yelled at one another, Chris goes to a dive bar to have a drink and cool off. By chance, it's the same bar Abel frequents when he wants a drink, and they have a frank conversation, where Abel reveals that [[spoiler: [[FreudianExcuse his issues with Chris and Lisa's marriage]] stem from the fact that his own wife died while having and affair with her boss, a White man, with the heavy implication that she was running off with him]]. At the very end when Chris discovers that [[spoiler: Abel ordered the break in in his house to scare him and Lisa away]] and the cops are called in because [[spoiler: Chris is pointing a gun at Abel, and when the cops order Chris to drop his gun and Lisa pleads with him to comply]], Abel mockingly tells Chris to [[spoiler: "listen to your wife," which is when Chris remembers their conversation at the bar and tells Able the reason his wife cheated on him with a White man is because [[ItsAllAboutMe Abel ignored and refused to listen to any of her issues at all]], [[BerserkButton which is when Able becomes enraged]], pulls out his own gun and gets shot by the other cops]].

* CrankyNeighbor: Abel, turned UpToEleven. He will stop at nothing to get rid of the new couple in the neighborhood.

** This isn't [[[[VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoSanAndreas the first time]] Samuel L. Jackson has played a Black police officer who abuses his authority for selfish and violent means, and is shown throughout the story to ultimately be an irredeemable villain.

** [[VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoSanAndreas This isn't the first time Samuel L. Jackson has played a Black police officer who abuses his authority for selfish and violent means, and is shown throughout the story to ultimately be an irredeemable villain.]]

* TheSociopath: Abel is definitely this. His first reaction to seeing Chris and Lisa skinny dipping is to [[DisproportionateRetribution cut the cord to their air conditioning]]. [[SmugSnake He also leaves clues as if to imply that he wants them to know he is responsible for their trouble]], which is a classic trait of a Sociopath. Nor does he show any true remorse or guilt for his actions, and also has a hard time understanding a different moral perspective from his own. But his worst trait is his persistent hostility and [[LetsGetsDangerous TRULY aggressive side]], [[spoiler: which ultimately ends up getting himself killed]]. In all, it seems that his motives stem from nonconforming views regarding what he sees as unacceptable social standards getting in his way.

* TheSociopath: Abel is definitely this. His first reaction to seeing Chris and Lisa skinny dipping is to [[DisproportionateRetribution cut the cord to their air conditioning]]. [[SmugSnake He also leaves clues as if to imply that he wants them to know he is responsible for their trouble]], which is a classic trait of a Sociopath. Nor does he show any true remorse or guilt for his actions, and also has a hard time understanding a different moral perspective from his own. But his worst trait is his persistent hostility and TRULY aggressive side, [[spoiler: which ultimately ends up getting himself killed]]. In all, it seems that his motives stem from nonconforming views regarding what he sees as unacceptable social standards getting in his way.

* TheSociopath: Abel is definitely this. His first reaction to seeing Chris and Lisa skinny dipping is to [[DisproportionateRetribution cut the cord to their air conditioning.]] [[SmugSnake He also leaves clues as if to imply that he wants them to know he is responsible for their trouble]], which is a classic trait of a Sociopath. Nor does he show any true remorse or guilt for his actions, and also has a hard time understanding a different moral perspective from his own. But his worst trait is his persistent hostility and TRULY aggressive side, [[spoiler: which ultimately ends up getting himself killed.]] In all, it seems that his motives stem from nonconforming views regarding what he sees as unacceptable social standards getting in his way.

* TheSociopath: Abel very much seems to be this. His first reaction to seeing Chris and Lisa skinny dipping? To [[DisproportionateRetribution cut the cord to their air conditioning.]] He also leaves clues as if to imply that he wants them to know it was him (which is a classic trait of a Sociopath), nor does he show any true remorse or guilt for his actions, and he also has a hard time understanding a different morality mindset from his own. But his worst trait is his persistent hostility and TRULY aggressive side, [[spoiler: which ultimately ends up getting himself killed.]] In all, it seems that his motives stem from nonconforming views regarding what he sees as unacceptable social standards getting in his way, hence his disgust that [[spoiler: he couldn't stop his wife cheating on him, and the fact that it was with a white man.]]

* TheSociopath: Abel very much seems to be this. His first reaction to seeing Chris and Lisa skinny dipping? To [[DisproportionateRetribution cut the cord to their air conditioning.]] He also leaves clues as if to imply that he wants them to know it was him (which is a classic trait of a Sociopath), nor does he show any true remorse or guilt for his actions, and he also has a hard time understanding a different morality mindset from his own. But his worst trait is his persistent hostility and TRULY aggressive side, [[spoiler: which ultimately ends up getting himself killed.]] In all, it seems that his views stem from nonconforming views regarding racism.

* AdultsAreUseless: There is hardly any screentime and only 1 or 2 scenes with characters beside Abel and the Mattsons. It seems as if the writer or director wanted to focus on the Mattsons with no outside support. They are quite stupid in their own ways after all, not complaining to anyone else but Lisa's father, who is the most prominent supporting character only having 5 minutes in 2 scenes in the film.

* ActorAllusion: [[Series/{{Chips}} Robert Pine]] plays a cop.
** Also, [[VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoSanAndreas This isn't the first time Samuel L. Jackson has played a Black police officer who abuses his authority for selfish and violent means, and is shown throughout the story to ultimately be an irredeemable villain.]]

--> '''Lisa''': Get off of my property!
--> '''Abel''': Or '''what'''? You'll call the cops? Here, use my phone. I can tell you exactly who is on duty.

* {{Hypocrite}}: Abel casually mentions to Chris about his dead wife and uses the fact that she cheated on him with a white man to justify his hate. But during the final scene, when Chris taunts Abel about his wife, Abel becomes enraged at Chris for "mentioning [his] wife's name" and [[Villainous breakdown tries to shoot him with his concealed weapon.]]

* {{Hypocrite}}: Abel casually mentions to Chris about his dead wife and uses the fact that she cheated on him with a white man to justify his hate. But during the final scene, when Chris taunts Abel about his wife, Abel becomes enraged at Chris for "mentioning [his] wife's name" and [Villainous breakdown tries to shoot him with his concealed weapon.]

* {{Hypocrite}}: Abel casually mentions to Chris about his dead wife and uses the fact that she cheated on him with a white man to try to justify his hate. But during the final scene, when Chris taunts Abel about his wife, Abel becomes enraged at Chris for "mentioning [his] wife's name" and tries to shoot him with his concealed weapon.

* {Hypocrite}: Abel casually mentions to Chris about his dead wife and uses the fact that she cheated on him with a white man to try to justify his hate. But during the final scene, when Chris taunts Abel about his wife, Abel becomes enraged at Chris for "mentioning [his] wife's name" and tries to shoot him with his concealed weapon.

* Hypocrite: Abel casually mentions to Chris about his dead wife and uses the fact that she cheated on him with a white man to try to justify his hate. But during the final scene, when Chris taunts Abel about his wife, Abel becomes enraged at Chris for "mentioning [his] wife's name" and tries to shoot him with his concealed weapon.

* FreudianExcuseIsNoExcuse: Despite the fact that his wife died in a car accident with her white boss (whom she was having an affair with) was tragic, none of this justifies Abel's vindictive behaviour towards the Mattsons as he becomes more unhinged. Given his conservative attitudes, his lack of accountability, and the fact that he brings up the man she was cheating on was white, it's somewhat implied he was already like this from the get-go.

** Abel himself, in the final scene. He was a bit unhinged at the time, but lying to the cops about not having a weapon was idiotic, even before he drew it. As a career cop himself, he should know that when the police show up, the best thing to do is to follow their instructions and put his weapon down, and let them sort it out afterwards.

* FreudianExcuseIsNoExcuse: Despite the fact that his wife died in a car accident with her white boss (whom she was having an affair with) was tragic, none of this justifies Abel's vindictive behaviour towards the Mattsons as he becomes more unhinged. Given his tyrannical behaviour, it's probably what drove his wife to cheat on him. And given his conservative attitudes, his lack of accountability, and the fact that he brings up the man she was cheating on was white, it's somewhat implied he was already like this from the get-go.

** Clarence gets one when he realizes Abel actually **is** about to shoot him.

* UltimateJobSecurity: Downplayed. When he's being questioned by Internal Affairs agents, it's clear that he has a long history of very questionable behavior and it's catching up to him, as they make it clear they're pushing him towards "involuntary" retirement.

* JerkassHasAPoint: Abel's annoyance about his kids witnessing Chris and Lisa making love in their swimming pool. As well as his lingering anger at his wife, who repaid his working like a dog to give her a good life by cheating on him. Although given his authoritarian and controlling ways, it's probably what drove his wife to cheat on him.

* NeverMyFault: Abel never even seems to consider at all that he is taking things the wrong way and just prefers to blame others for not respecting his power and "authority".

* VillainHasAPoint: For Abel's many faults, he had every right to be upset about Chris and Lisa having sex outdoors in their swimming pool despite knowing that young children lived right next door. Even if he took it [[DisproportionateRetribution way, way too far.]]