Kevin Spacey’s latest film, “Peter Five Eight,” fails to revive his career as the once-popular actor struggles to regain the spotlight. The movie, a dark thriller directed by Michael Zaiko Hall, premiered to an empty theater in Los Angeles, with Spacey’s performance falling short of his previous villainous roles. Despite his legal battles and attempts to rebrand himself, Spacey’s reputation remains tarnished due to the numerous allegations of sexual misconduct and assault that emerged during the #MeToo movement.
In 2017, actor Anthony Rapp accused Spacey of making a sexual advance towards him when Rapp was just 14 years old. This accusation led to a cascade of allegations from more than a dozen others, spanning from the 1980s to the present. As a result, Spacey faced severe consequences, including being dropped by his publicist and talent agency, losing his role in the hit series House of Cards, and being edited out of the film All the Money in the World.
Although Spacey managed to avoid the most serious legal consequences, with two potential U.S. criminal cases falling apart and a U.K. jury finding him not guilty on nine charges of sexual assault or misconduct, his reputation has been irreparably damaged. His attempts to address the public through creepy Christmas greetings videos and his recent embrace of right-leaning grievance politics have only further alienated him from the Hollywood spotlight.
“Peter Five Eight,” which Spacey promoted in a bizarre video comparing it to classic film noir, received poor reviews. The film, set in the California mountain town of Dunsmuir, follows a real estate agent named Sam, played by Jet Jandreau, who is haunted by her past. Spacey’s character, Peter, stalks Sam, but his mission remains confusing and poorly executed. The movie’s garish lighting, cloying score, and nonsensical plot make it a disappointing and forgettable experience.
