The Roomate - A Barren Canvass

Bunking in with a stranger is a tricky proposition. In my opinion, there has to be a checklist to satisfy a criteria before I'd be able to come to terms with a roommate. But Sarah Matthews (Minka Kelly) would eventually learn her lesson when new roommate Rebecca (Leighton Meester) starts obsessing on her.

It was, at first, a peachy situation, with smiles and concessions laid down a common habitat, but Sarah's friends eventually gets the ire of Rebecca's resentment, including her best friends Tracy (Alyson Michalka) and Irene (Danneel Harris), ex boyfriend Jason (Matt Lanter), and the stray kitten who ends up getting thoroughly "bathed". When Sarah complains of her Design professor (Billy Zane) coming on to her, Rebecca exacts his comeuppance. Only boyfriend Stephen (Cam Gigandet) escapes Rebecca's furtherance, or does he?

There isn't much into the development of these cardboard characters. They were written with in-your-face conventionality and predictability. In fact, you could chronologically annotate with precision the exact events happening on screen - as they happen. There was no hint of going beyond this trite roommate-from-hell scenario. Some details are in fact triflingly thrown into the narrative: Rebecca's a pill popper; her parents are circumspect around her; she's jealous of everyone's attention on Sarah; she acts like a lesbian in heat. The character sketch is too undiscriminating to discern there's not much talent from the writing board.

The only good news: the cast is a beautiful ensemble. Otherwise, there's nothing in its barren canvass.

Leighton Meester is next seen in the rom-com "Monte Carlo" with Selena Gomez and Glee's Cory Monteith. She's still in "Gossip Girl" as Blair Waldorf.

Minka Kelly will be seen next as a kickass angel in the new TV remake of "Charlie's Angels".

Minka Kelly

Cam Gigandet

Matt Lanter was recently seen in the execrable "Vampires Suck" portraying Edward Cullen's alter ego Edward Sullen. He'll be seen next alongside Burt Reynolds and Cary Elwes in "Ruby McCollum".

Matt Lanter portrayed Anakin Skywalker in the animated film, Star Wars: The Clone Wars. When he's not acting, this 5'10" Ohio cutie enjoys being outdoors, playing golf and relaxing at the beach.

Matt Lanter (above and below)