HouseSitter Movie
Storyline
TAGLINES
She's turning his house into a home...hers!
She came. She saw. She moved in.
When his longtime girlfriend Becky says no to marriage and the house he has built, architect Newton Davis takes it badly. Three months later a one night liaison with livewire waitress Gwen gets rather out of control when she tracks down the dream house, moves in, and lets it be known locally that she and Newton are married. Everyone in the small town take to her, including his parents, while Becky shows renewed interest. When Newton realises the situation he suggests to Gwen that continuing the deception might have advantages for both of them.
| Steve Martin | Newton Davis |
| Goldie Hawn | Gwen Phillips |
| Dana Delany | Becky Metcalf |
| Julie Harris | Edna Davis |
| Donald Moffat | George Davis |
| Peter MacNicol | Marty |
| Richard B. Shull | Ralph |
| Laurel Cronin | Mary |
| Roy Cooper | Winston Moseby |
| Christopher Durang | Reverend Lipton |
| Heywood Hale Broun | Travis Keller |
| Cherry Jones | Patty |
| Vasek Simek | Karol |
| Suzanne Whang | Moseby's Secretary |
| Mary Klug | Lorraine |
| Frank Oz |
5.60 out of 10 (4916 votes)
Visitor Reviews
Underrated comedy
posted on 11 Jan 2009Wonderful bit of fluff, especially compared to the crude, dark or 'edgy' drek that predominates these days. Goldie Hawn and Steve Martin are great together. They should team up more often. Kudos to the writer, Mark Stein. The lies made up by compulsive liars in this film are especially imaginative.
Movie - Comedy
posted on 12 Mar 2008I happen to be a huge Goldie Hawn fan so loved this movie. This is also a fun movie for Steve Martin fans. Dana Delaney plays the love interest of Steve Martin's character. When she rejects him he meets a fun and spontaneous woman played by Goldie Hawn. Pretending to be someone that you are not can somehow make a fantasy life turn into reality with a little love thrown in.
A COMEDY TO BE TREASURED
posted on 26 Feb 2008Even before viewing a film with Steve Martin and Goldie Hawn, a film viewer knows the film already has a comedic caché. "Housesitter" is one of the best comedies of the past 20 years and remains fresh and funny after repeated viewings. Hawn as a chronic but charming liar and Martin as a man trying to jump-start his faltering personal and professional lives, make for a winning combination. The supporting cast is wonderful, with the street people Hawn hires to pose as her "parents" hilarious and yet touching. This is a film to own and watch repeatedly.
Come to the House- and Heart-warming!
posted on 12 Nov 2007I've seen this movie many times now and it holds up so well. Not only that so do the actors! Goldie and Steve were 47 when this was made and I would not have guessed. It's a heart- and house-warming tale about a free spirit who lands in the middle of both. While Davis learns to release his creative spirit, Gwen finally finds the happiness and fairy tale she's always dreamed of but always moved on too fast to find. Gwen's (Goldie's) outfits are wonderful, colorfully eye-catching and fun. Too bad there's no sequel. It would be fun to watch Gwen twist and turn her way through her kid's lives too! While lying is not encouraged, the bottom line is every heart needs a home and it can be found in the end.
one scene can make a film
posted on 05 Aug 2007I loved reading the reviews of this lovely movie. Its a quaint, almost old fashioned film. The kind of film you loved with people like Cary Grant and Doris Day etc. Its genuinely funny. The chemistry with Martin and Hawn is perfect and its a pity they did not do more together. Goldie is a great talent and you really find her so adorable. Steve Martin needs a good actor to bounce off. I always preferred him in stand up but in this with Goldie he is wonderful. The chemistry between Martin and Goldie has not been repeated and thats a shame. Its very rare to find it in a modern film. There is one scene I find hilarious. I laugh myself silly every time I see it and thats the scene when Martin sings for the old soldier "Tooraloohraloora". I don't know why I find it so funny but I think its one of my favourite moments in a film. I wont explain the details as it would ruin it for people who have not seen the film but its side splitingly funny. There are plenty of nice moments in the film. Oh and I LOVE the house!!
Screwball outing from Frank Oz could use some extra screws...
posted on 10 May 2007An architect has a fling with a sexy waitress who turns out to be a con-artist; she insinuates herself into his life and home and passes herself off as his wife to visitors. Relatively painless, genial comedy from director Frank Oz is sort of the comedic flip-side to "Fatal Attraction"--though the way Goldie Hawn plays the con-woman, she's more of a kooky flake than a comedy threat. Still, Steve Martin puts up with her for the sake of the plot, which is just an idea stretched to feature length. The more sobering moments of the third act seem to come out of nowhere; while a little dramatic subtext is surely substantial, I'm not quite certain how seriously Oz and his actors are actually taking it--or, for that matter, how seriously they want audiences to respond. ** from ****
CUTE!
posted on 08 May 2007This movie is about an architect, played by Steve Martin, who builds his dream house for his highschool sweetheart. When he asks her to marry him, she turns him down and he is heartbroken.
He has a chance encounter with Gwen, played by Goldie Hawn, and after hearing the story of his dreamhouse she takes a little trip to his town and moves into his home.
Soon through many events, people begin to know her as Steve's
wife, even his parents and Gwen lets them believe this. That is where the fun begins as she teams up with Steve in a plot to get his old girlfriend Becky jealous and wondering just what she had missed in not marrying Steve.
This was a fun movie, not one of Goldie's best but still enjoyable. I did like the ending, but I always do like happy endings in everything I watch.
Concept
posted on 01 Apr 2007The genre of romantic comedy is one that has long since settled into a rut that is comfortable for faithful viewers and film-makers alike... the symbiosis of the former group making it worthwhile for the latter to spend millions is thus kept intact, leaving us with only one place to expect anything fresh, any spark of originality from, as far as these films go: The overall and specific ideas behind individual ones. I can't think of another movie that has the same as this one. The plot is interesting and develops nicely throughout, with genuine surprises along the way. This is sporadically funny, although several occurrences are downright hilarious. The writing varies, and a lot of the material, and that goes for jokes, gags and the script in general, come off as if they were mainly going for just exactly being above the minimum required. "Passable". The caricatures that inhabit this are paper-thin stereotypes that keep playing the one note they've been provided, until(and after) their poor, punished instruments break. The acting is fine, but every single famous person in the cast has done better elsewhere. There's no violence, mild sensuality, and language is reasonable in both amount and tone. I recommend this to the biggest fans of Steve Martin and Goldie Hawn. 6/10
What a hidden gem
posted on 05 Nov 2006I saw this movie during the week and I was the only person in the theater! Well everyone else missed out. I loved this movie. I was laughing out loud in an empty theater; it was almost embarrassing. It is a shame that hardly anyone has seen this movie. I think it is a great movie for all ages. I recommend it to everyone. When Gwen meets Newt's dad at the yard sale it is hilarious. "You don't mean like write an essay do you?""C'mon Bernie, let's go break the ice." "Break it? Hell, let's melt it!" Great movie. Mark
A great movie for anyone who likes Goldie Hawn...
posted on 05 Nov 2006This is a great movie for anyone who likes Goldie Hawn. I personally think this is one of her best movies next to 'Private Benjamin' and 'Death Becomes Her.' Hawn is really funny in it! I also agree with Steve Martin he is hilarious! I recommend you rent this movie if you like great comedies!
A very light hearted film
posted on 08 Jul 2006Martin plays a semi serious role for most of the movie. The funniest part, IMO, is when he sings Tura-Lura-Lura to his father, that really cracks me up. Goldie is in a small town, yet never buys clothes, and remarkably never runs out of wardrobe choices.I did not notice if the house had a washer and dryer, but the fact that all the furnishings were found locally, makes for a self contained community. A town where everybody knows your name, and gives credit to anyone who drops a name.I liked the movie the first time, and the next and the next, and I don't normally watch movies more than once.See it and enjoy.
You can't be depressed watching this
posted on 24 Jun 2006Any time I feel down or just want to laugh I watch this movie. In fact my husband won't watch it any more. We have many of Goldie Hawn's movies. I have never seen a bad one. Steve Martin and Goldie are perfect together. So if you like to laugh get this movie. Also The out of towners is such fun. I have seen it 3 times.
Wonderful!
posted on 10 Apr 2006Most of us know the story. I'm just going to add my favorate scenes and thoughts. Becky didn't deserve Newton. She turned his marriage proposal down because she did not see the value in his creativity and vision. We get a real sense of what Gwen is feeling the first time she sees the house. Imagine this: You are walking thru a brand new house that was custom designed by someone you know. No one has ever lived in it, and the person it was offered to has turned it down. Gwen thought the house was so beautiful that she sat out side of the house and stared at it in amazement! Although she initially didn't want Newton around because of her con, we know that she could see the value of the man. This is the focus of the story: not the house but the story of a woman recognizing the quailites of Newton.
One of my favorite movies!
Excellent screwball comedy vehicle for Steve & Goldie
posted on 08 Jul 2009I wish more projects were assembled for this tag-team of born screwball comedy geniuses, because "Housesitter" offers a great display of how well Martin and Hawn work together onscreen. Their senses of timing are tremendous and both have a gift for physical comedy and wringing the best out of every line of dialogue. I disagree with the Amazon staff reviewer, I think this movie is very well constructed, with a tight plotline and just the right balance of jokes and exposition. Not a word or scene is wasted. The humor is absurdist but good-natured, as in older-style films, and the supporting cast does standout service. This is a very underrated comedy, in my view, and I give it a high recommendation for fans of either of these fine actors or zany comedy in general. A very refreshing change from in-you-face gross-out jokes and sophomoric scatalogical/sexual put-down gags that pass as "comedy" in so many films today.