10 Horror Movies Where The American Dream Becomes A Nightmare

9. Beneath Us

Beneath Us
Vital Pictures

Beneath Us is a film whose message would have resonated during most periods of American history, but felt particularly relevant during the Trump presidency. We open with an introduction to our protagonists, a group of undocumented labourers from Mexico, who are hired to work at a mansion way out in the country.

The class tension crackles from the off; the Rhodes family’s palatial spread has big plantation vibes, and the polite welcome affected by the wealthy homeowners - particularly Lynn Collins’ Liz - is all too clearly fake. Then things take an unsurprising but effectively scary turn.

The labourers quickly realise that they’re trapped, the Rhodeses preying upon their undocumented status. One worker gets injured, but can’t go to the hospital; the entire property is surrounded by an electric fence, and the gun-wielding residents patrol vigilantly.

Its political standpoint isn’t subtle, with Collins particularly hamming it up in an enjoyable fashion, but director Max Pachman is careful not to let his protagonists, leader Alejandro especially, descend into straw men. The search for the American Dream turns into an American Nightmare, appropriately enough, at the Rhodes residence.

Contributor
Contributor

Yorkshire-based writer of screenplays, essays, and fiction. Big fan of having a laugh. Read more of my stuff @ www.twotownsover.com (if you want!)