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Collaborator is a psychological thriller directed by and starring Martin Donovan. It tells the story of a failed playwright, Robert Longfellow (Donovan), who is forced to confront his past in his childhood home after a series of events leads him to take refuge in the apartment of his childhood friend and drug addict Gus (David Morse). What starts off as a tense stand-off between the two men slowly reveals layers of complexity as the narrative unfolds.

The film opens on a frustrated Longfellow, whose play has been panned by critics and whose career seems to be spiraling downwards. He returns to his childhood home in Los Angeles, hoping to find solace with his mother. However, the peace is short-lived as his past begins to creep up on him. While at the grocery store, he runs into an old classmate, Emily (Olivia Williams), who invites him to her book club the following evening. Longfellow reluctantly agrees, and while at the club, he takes a phone call from his wife, who is away on holiday. Their conversation quickly turns sour, and she hangs up on him.

Feeling dejected and alone, Longfellow gets drunk and stumbles back to his childhood home. On the way, he notices that Gus, the man who still lives in the next-door apartment, is outside. Gus, who happens to be a former childhood friend and a troubled drug addict, invites Longfellow in for a drink, where they begin to catch up on old times. However, things quickly take a dark turn when Gus pulls out a revolver and reveals that he has taken a hostage in a nearby convenience store.

The rest of the film is a psychological game of cat and mouse between Gus and Longfellow. Gus wants Longfellow to write a play about him and his life, but Longfellow, desperate to escape the situation, initially refuses. As the night progresses, both men reveal secrets about their lives, and the dynamic between them begins to shift. Longfellow begins to see Gus not as a criminal but as a fractured human being with pain and dissatisfaction just like himself.

As the morning draws near, Longfellow's wife arrives at the door, worrying about his whereabouts. Gus takes her hostage as well, and the situation escalates. The film takes a surprising turn towards the end, but what sets this film apart is its exploration of the human psyche. Longfellow and Gus' standoff is a reflection of their own personal problems, and the film shows how their vulnerabilities and past traumas have shaped them into the people they are.

Martin Donovan delivers a brilliant performance as the flawed protagonist, with David Morse delivering an equally impressive performance as the volatile and unpredictable Gus. But it is Olivia Williams' portrayal of Emily that helps to ground the story, providing Longfellow with a sense of normalcy and escape from the madness he finds himself in.

Collaborator is a subtle film that highlights the human condition, its complexities, and its depths. It is a beautifully crafted character study that delves into the darkest of human impulses, but ultimately, it is a film about redemption, empathy, and the need for human connection.

Collaborator is a 2011 comedy with a runtime of 1 hour and 27 minutes. It has received moderate reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 6.0 and a MetaScore of 56.