The Wrong Door (1990) 6/10 ⭐"The Conversation" meets "Blow Out" film school style

January 23, 2026

The Wrong Door (1990) 6/10 ⭐"The Conversation" meets "Blow Out" film school style

"The Wrong Door" 1990 6 out of 10 stars ⭐

Time to read: 2min

"The Conversation" meets "Blow Out" film school style

Synopsis:

Ted, a college student who's studying to be a sound engineer, moonlights as a singing telegram jester. Yes that's right, I said it, he pays his tuition by dressing up as a jester and singing. Ted's your typical underestimated everyman. The prettiest girls ignore him, and the jocks push him around, but he has real friends, and a cool girl name Stephanie who's into him. He has his whole life ahead of him, until one night after a gig, he opens on the wrong door....

What Works:
Matt Felmlee as Ted

I didn't have much hope going into this, but boy was I pleasantly surprised! The overall look screams low budget (at first), it definitely looks like a 90's film that hasn't been restored (which is exactly what it is). But I soon forgot about the scratchy film and blurry sections. It sucked me in, and in a great way.

Matt Felmlee as Ted

Perfect Casting:

I don't know who casted this film, but it couldn't have been done better. Matt Felmlee is perfect as Ted, the consummate underachiever, who's been coasting through his college years without much fanfaire. Likewise, Jeff Tatum is perfect as the murderous douche-nozzle jock, Jeff Ranslic, who is all brawn and no brains. Even Chris Hall as Vic, Jeff's braindead friend, is perfectly cast. Rare to see this level of casting brilliance coming out of college kids.

Chris Hall & Jeff Tatum

Lots of Surprises:

Rarely do I get a movie that surprises me, and then surprises me again, and then again! But this movie did just that. Usually in movies, the everyman may win, but he usually has a really hard time doing it. Also, he may be victorious, but just barely, and usually comes out worse for the wear when it's all over. Not Ted, he did exactly what I would do in this situation (something I NEVER see in movies or on TV), he thinks three steps ahead, and thwarts the bad guy using his cunning, not just his brain.

Matt Felmlee as Ted

Cool Artwork:

Both the original artwork, where Ted has tape for eyes, and the newer DVD artwork, are excellent! Also rare for a low budget movie!

VHS Cover

DVD Cover

What Doesn't Work:

Some of the acting is lacking:

I'm sorry to say, Jeannine Bourdaghs performance as Stephanie just didn't work. She never acted before in her life (or after) and it shows. She's a costumer, and if she was responsible for Ted's jester costume, then bravo! It works! It's the right amount of creepy and silly (the staff is terrifying), which is just as it should be.

That staff is just creepy

Some of the pacing is off:

Today, where people have no attention spans, some might find a few scenes lagging. The scenes where Ted is digging through Jennifer's apartment, I thought could have been sped along, but I think that was just my worry for Ted getting caught, not actually bad pacing. That's actually a good thing, as I was genuinely concerned for the character, my suspension of disbelief had fully engaged. But to be fair, there were a few scenes that dragged.

Chris Hall & Jeff Tatum

To recommend, or not to recommend, that is the question:

I would definitely recommend this movie to those who love quirky neo-noir's, or those who love seeing the little guy not just win, but conquer. If you're going into this looking for blood and guts, look elsewhere. This is a thinking man's film. If you need big budgets, and perfectly executed productions, then this is not for you. But if you can overlook a lot of the pitfalls that come with a micro-budget, and just like a good story, then pop that corn 🍿, and enjoy!

Jeff Tatum as Jeff Ranslic

Closing Notes:

I HAVE NO CONNECTION TO THE FILM, or production in ANY way. I am just an honest viewer, who wishes for more straight forward reviews. Hope I helped you out.

No part of this review was written by AI. I write my own reviews, and don't rely on robot overlords to do my thinking for me.