Life As A House Movie
Storyline
TAGLINES
Seen from a distance, it's perfect.
When a man is diagnosed with terminal cancer, he takes custody of his misanthropic teenage son, for whom quality time means getting high, engaging in small-time prostitution, and avoiding his father.
| Kevin Kline | George Monroe |
| Kristin Scott Thomas | Robin Kimball |
| Hayden Christensen | Sam Monroe |
| Jena Malone | Alyssa Beck |
| Mary Steenburgen | Colleen Beck |
| Mike Weinberg | Adam Kimball |
| Scotty Leavenworth | Ryan Kimball |
| Ian Somerhalder | Josh |
| Jamey Sheridan | Peter Kimball |
| Scott Bakula | Officer Kurt Walker |
| Sandra Nelson | Nurse #1 |
| Sam Robards | David Dokos |
| John Pankow | Bryan Burke |
| Kim Delgado | Bob Larson |
| Barry Primus | Tom |
| Irwin Winkler |
7.50 out of 10 (17169 votes)
Visitor Reviews
better than it should be
posted on 22 Aug 2009The script is a hackneyed piece of tripe about a dying man's search for redemption, complete with movie-of-the-week situations and creaky plot devices. What makes is a good movie is the cast. All of the major players are solid, and Kline and Scott-Thomas are excellent. In fact, I think that Kline is better than excellent. He manages to play the stock "I'm dying but I'm going to make everything okay" character as a self-centered jerk (all of the backstory for this character makes is clear that this is what he has always been). It could have been a much better movie if the realistic consequences of his behavior had been reflected on the screen, and if they had included some scenes where he acted out his anger and fear, but the script wanted him to be a guy who finds instant wisdom and restraint upon learning that he's dying (remember, TV movie).Kline is likable, so having him play a villain wouldn't be popular with the audience, but he is a also an intelligent and subtle actor when given the chance, and in this case I'm inclined to believe that he gave such a performance in spite of the movie (the script didn't provide much help), rather than because of it. (Note his first scene at work, where he's "doing the grass". As written, it should be a "this is an unappreciated craftsman" piece of junk. As played, it's "I'm self-indulgent and difficult". Similarly the scene that comes later with the models as he's leaving is more nuanced than the trite "I'm standing up for myself after all these years" junk that it was probably written to be.)I look forward to the DVD since I would like to try to figure out who was a party to fixing the script as well as it was.I sniffled at all of the manipulative parts just like the people around me, but I recommend it as more than just a hanky movie. What's sad is that this amazing cast should have been saddled with this cliched script.
Not only offensive, but really poorly done.
posted on 10 Aug 2009I'm amazed that an offensive piece of garbage like this isn't booed off the stage. In fact, I'm amazed an entire cast of seemingly intelligent actors managed to complete this film without an ounce of regret.It's the story of a man (played by Kevin Kline) who doesn't seem to do anything right in his life and decides he's going to spend his last few months alive fixing all of mistakes. If it seems like a rip-off of American Beauty, it's because that's what it is. The difference is that American Beauty embraced diversity and criticized the archaic perceptions of the family dynamic; Life As A House however claims that individual expression is a sign of mental illness and declares that if a teenager (Hayden Christensen) would just act like a man and become `more normal' (read: mainstream, common place, inoffensive, bland) his life would work out. Christensen's character starts off as an admittedly self-destructive Goth who hits bottom when he commits a homosexual act (gasp!) and decides to rise to an acceptable level of mediocrity when he decides to engage in `manly labour' and has sex with his neighbour's daughter and in the last scene he is even shown having abandoned his Goth attire and picked up a preppy Ralph Lauren button-down shirt.This isn't even the beginning of why this movie is offensive. Not only is individual expression is treated like a mental illness, but the closing scenes even reveal the villain of the movie to be a wicked evil gay man who's character is so insulting clichéd that I was expecting him to gnash his teeth and rub his hands together laughing maniacally. We're never actually informed as to why he's done what he's done and in fact, the only reason I can think of for this `villain's' actions is because Kline's character lets his dog urinate riotously on his lawn. And the closing supposed tear-jerking of an ending sees Christensen's character deliver his father's house to a handicapped woman who lives in a trailer park. Apparently handicapped people are doomed to utter poverty and can only sustain themselves by handouts. If you thought we'd seen the last of movies where the bad guy is a dastardly homosexual and the handicapped people in the film are depicted purely as objects of pity, I have bad news for you.However, if the maliciously insular theme of the story isn't bad enough, you can sit through two hours of blatant and clumsy emotional manipulation. Scenes are constructed with such a pedestrian level of skill that you are, at all times, able to predict the next five minutes of the film. The characters are constructed with such negligible deftness that, rather than be heartbroken to see Kline's character drop dead, I simply reached for my jacket and silently rejoiced that the film had reached its agonizingly all-too-delayed conclusion.If you enjoy patronizing, offensive and conservative pap, utterly devoid of skill and artistry, designed to marginalize and debase everyone who is outside of the mainstream, then this movie is for you. If you have an ounce of respect for people who are different than you and like to watch films that can tell a story rather than promote an agenda, I'd advise picking...well, just about anything else.
Christensen's finest hour
posted on 02 Aug 2009I had to see this film before Star Wars 2 because most people say he's good at portraying roles like this. Sam's character parallels to Anakin Skywalker. This is Christensen's most precious resume which will be useful to him in Star Wars Episode 3. To all who never liked his acting in Star Wars 2 go see this film and you'll see why Hayden is very anxious in Episode 3 and is a talented actor.
Certainly worth the price of admission
posted on 25 Jul 2009I saw this movie at a screening recently and loved it. Kevin Kline is excellent as the cancer victim who wants to do something special for his misguided son while he's still able. The supporting cast should also be applauded for their fine performances. This movie is definitely a tear jerker, but certainly worth the two hours you will spend in the theatre. It gives you food for thought long after the movie is over.
A Low Profile American Beauty
posted on 01 Jul 2009Life as a House was an incredible sleeper. It had all the gusto, heart, and wit of American Beauty. Though it is a tear-jerking film, it does not fall prey to a melodramatic sappiness. The characters are twisted but loveable and the actors portray them with sound and fury. The metaphors and interactions make this film much deeper than the regular Hollywood drivel. It is not as visually stunning as American Beauty, but the lack of slickness works for the stories and the characters. They are, after all, real people. I wouldn't be surprised to find out that a lot of the dialogue was ad libbed. One note, other than mentioning the obvious Hayden Christiansen/Darth Vader thing, is that Jena Malone is blossoming into an incredible young actress. But I digress. Life as a House is a film that everyone should see. It is the depth that movies today should strive towards. 4 out of 5 stars.
bring the tissues but not your brain
posted on 29 Jun 2009The metaphor looms menacingly from the title like Cliff notes to a self-abasing theme that we might not have understood otherwise. `Life As a House' - could there be a more fine prescription for banality and homogenized sentiment? It is the first in a nearly disastrous suffusion of condescending aphorisms that melt through this wet tissue of a movie.Which is not to say that it is not without it's charms, nor a few frank and honest glimpses into the suffering yet endurance of human emotion. The pandering is heartily supported and thankfully eclipsed by unexpectedly brilliant performances from this entire ensemble cast.Kevin Kline plays the role of George, adopting all of the colloquial proverbs and afflicted house analogies that come with the territory. He subsists through his ramshackle life in a ramshackle house built at cliff's edge at the end of an oceanscape cul-de-sac, surrounded by affluent neighbors and beautiful houses, neither of which appreciate George's presence. His correlation to the pathetic domicile quickly takes an ironic twist when we learn that George is an architect, perhaps even a good one. Just as quickly, he loses his job over his ornery adherence to antiquated ways in the same day that he is diagnosed with cancer and promised a mere four months to live. Insert stiff and overcooked affectation here: life built on a shaky foundation, life without proper support, etc.As with any expiring character in any movie, George is instantly wrought with the notion to extend his life, not in days but in his nobility of character and the profound distinction of a changed man. He seeks enlightenment in reconciliation with his estranged son Sam (Hayden Christensen - a.k.a. the future Anakin Skywalker) who lives with his mother, George's ex-wife (Kristin Scott Thomas), and seeks refuge from reality in a steady procession of household whippits, prescription valium, and amateur prostitution, not necessarily in that order. This obviously can best be accomplished by forcing the son to help demolish the dilapidated ruin of a house and build a new one in its stead. The execution proves as emotionally challenging as it is physically, for the main character all but sings the crisp and clean parallel this has to the legacy of his own overbearing father. Tear down a memory, build a relationship. Yes, it really can be that simple.This movie is good, but for all the wrong reasons. Irwin Winkler as director far overshot the tear-rousing goal, which suggests that he absorbed nothing from his last time at the helm, the whiny and ineffectively sappy `At First Sight'. The predictable home movies are unveiled during the waning moments of George's life because you can only truly weigh a character's heavy heart by seeing how happy he used to be, right? And a rapid and all-too-neat tying of loose ends in the last five minutes, complete with schmaltzy voice-over narration, is a poor attempt to make you forget that Kleenex was the unofficial sponsor. Subplots involving the promiscuous mother next door (Mary Steenburgen) and a persistent building inspector, both used as comic relief, are ill-used and off-the-mark.`Life As a House' has trouble escaping the shadow of 1999's `American Beauty', a film which wove richly-embedded and superb acting with a raw sympathy for loneliness, and the similarities seem almost intentional. `Life As a House' however, while maintaining the consummate quality of drama, preys mercilessly on the audiences emotions and likely will not become this autumn's Oscar sleeper. Go see this movie, but bring your best hanky and hug someone afterward.
lots of tissues!!
posted on 23 Jun 2009About half way though this movie, I thought "this is such a chick-flick," which is fine because I AM a chick, but I wondered if the men in the audience were bored. As the credits rolled, I realized that the man across the aisle from me had been SOBBING! In a way, the relationship between father and son reminded me of Field of Dreams.I thought the movie was predictable, but this wasn't a bad thing for this movie, it was more comfortable. Kinda like I knew these people.
Poignant, awkward, tear jerking, funny (A nearly perfect movie)
posted on 15 Jun 2009This is not a film for cynics or those who think movies must be pointlessly confusing to be profound. Life as a House is a bluntly earnest movie that was not made to impress (though it is impressive) it was made to portray some really complex and delicate human emotions. It's firmly a drama in the sense that it deals wholly in the realm of human frailty and dignity, folly and triumph. The film wears it's heart on its sleeve, not anything art-house of self-important intellectualism. As for the acting, I wish no one had ever seen Star Wars because then they could see that Christiansen's portrayal of a teenager is frighteningly accurate. Kline and Thomas are consistently excellent actors, and both show depth and humanity in their respective characters. The plot of the movie is messy, with the subplots that seem pointless when compared to be big picture, and maybe that's the point. Life isn't all huge moment of importance, but sometimes, if we get past the crap and the petty things, those moments are there, if we look. You'd probably like this movie if your aren't either too morally pious to get past the R rating, or too smug and full of yourself to like an honest, beautiful story.
It's crap but...
posted on 12 May 2009This movie is crap; there is no doubt about it. It tries to be quirky but it comes off perverted. Also it is oversaturated with pointless and quickly forgettable subplots. Finally, it is sentimental in a bad, sappy, unsubtle kind of way. Yet there is something captivating about Kevin Kline's and Hayden Christensen's performances as a kid and his dying dad. They are the movie's only salvation. They make their strictly one dimensional characters gain an extra dimension, not an easy task with the juvenile script they had to work with. Here's hoping they I see them again in a better film.
Memorable & Touching
posted on 12 May 2009This is a very memorable and touching tale that explores the troubled relationship of a father and a son, and a general observance of relationships as a whole. Unlike many films, it is willing to take a very critical look of a lot of suburban values and portrays the most of the characters as unhappy and looking for something more in life -- it shows human sentiment as truly as it can be shown.Through the film one grows very attached to all of the characters, and one genuinely gains understanding and insight into who they are and what it means to be them. That is why this film becomes thoroughly haunting & touching.I recommend this film to most anyone -- from the beginning to the end I was enraptured by it and caught up in the story & pain; this is a film that if you take at its' face value you will enjoy it.
Good drama and surprises despite some predictability
posted on 12 May 2009In about the middle of watching this movie, a thought occurred to me..."hey, this is kind of a rip-off of American Beauty!" There are some differences, but the similarities are striking. I was therefore not surprised to find others comparing the films.This is not necessarily a bad thing. American Beauty was an incredible piece of work, so imitation done correctly can also hold merits of its own.
And Life as a House does. At its core, American Beauty is about how a single man can change himself.
Life as a House is about how a single man can change those around him.
George evolves little as a character throughout the entire film, but the people who interact with him change dramatically. It's more about how you can change the lives of those around you and leave a lasting mark on the world than how to become self-actualized.Though Life as a House does offer up the cliche person dying of cancer and wanting to mend frayed relationships plot lines we've all seen a million times, there are a few nice surprises throughout and a delightful and heart warming ending. I do feel like the story telling was a tad bit off and I didn't get to know the characters as well as I would have liked. This, however, may have been purposeful to make the audience feel the same distance the characters felt from each other. I'm not sure, I just feel like the story did not unfold as flawlessly as it could have, though I can't fully explain why.Life as a House is definitely one of the better dramas of recent years.
Though it does not equal the brilliance of American Beauty or Magnolia, it has merits of its own that are worth checking out. If you can't stand Hayden Christensen, as I can't, this film will not change your mind. If you just use a jedi mind trick on yourself and keep repeating "Hayden Christensen is not completely awful and annoying," it can help take your mind off how awful and annoying he indeed is.
Very Good, But Self-consciously Replays American Beauty
posted on 06 May 2009This is one of those films where the performances are quite wonderful but the script and the direction are not as sharp as they might be.I recently heard this described as "The Most Acclaimed Film Since American Beauty," and this movie really wants to be American Beauty very badly. But it succeeds when it does not attempt to imitate it so obviously (like about half of the script and the casting of Scott Bakula and Sam Robards in minor roles). Kevin Kline too rapidly goes from being a disaffected professional to a dying man trying desperately to rebuild his house and reconnect with his son. He becomes saintly almost overnight. His son's transformation from a Marilyn Manson-addicted, drug-addicted pain-in-the-ass teenager to a more normal teen is somewhat more believable. Both Kline and Hayden Christenson were excellent.This is a worthwhile movie, but not a great movie.
With 4 months left, what would you build?
posted on 04 May 2009Setting aside its regrettable demerits (Brian's Song emotional manipulation, strained coincidences and improbable sub-plots, wooden secondary characters, gratuitous but sexy look at Mary Steenburgen's butt), Life as a House is a cathartic and inspirational film. It heals while suggesting, without preaching, the need to build something in life other than monuments to one's demons. Stylistically, American Beauty comes to mind but an entire community/extended family is transformed in House, not just the lead character. Life as a House is, then, really more Phenomenon where solar panels, telekinesis, and sweet fantasy are replaced by architecture, hammers, and the grim casualness of contemporary family life. Both Georges die but raise their friends by sharing their dreams in the process."All I can be responsible for is what goes on in my own head," the film suggests. What goes on in George's head is a deep, life-long desire to make something beautiful out of the intense pain of his youth and the life he made of it subsequently. And beauty he does make in one of the best portrayals of an architect, architecture, and architectural processes on film. (Anyone who has every worked in an architect's office will get this comment vividly). Neither Gary Cooper's stoney Howard Roarke or Cary Grant's feckless Mr. Blandings, Kevin Kline creates a complex character with which every man who has but three goals--to plant a tree, build a house, and raise a son--can identify. Kudos must be given to the production design as well because the house, itself, is muscular, intricate, transparent, and beautiful. Its defects notwithstanding, Life as a House is an important and thoughtful film.
One of the year's best films; unforgettable. **** (out of four)
posted on 20 Apr 2009LIFE AS A HOUSE / (2001) **** (out of four)(Possible spoilers ahead)What would you do if you only had a few months to live? Would you spend your precious time dealing with the sudden, shocking news? Would you fall into webs of depression and despair? Or would you take advantage of the time you had and accomplish the things you've always wanted to do? Irwin Winkler's "Life as a House" asks us these questions, and while the movie's final outcome is inevitable, the end of the road isn't the topic here. It's the journey itself that makes this trip worthwhile. "Life as a House" does recycle material from other movies, most obviously from "American Beauty," but that's beside the point. This treasure of a motion picture creates something beautiful and uplifting, who cares where the ideas came from. It reminds us that there are very few original ideas out there, but that does not mean derived ideas cannot inspire an effective production. While the film has opened to some mediocre reviews and may find itself swept under the rug with competition like "Monsters, Inc." and "Harry Potter," "Life as a House" blows most of this year's best films out of the water. It connects with audiences like no other production I have seen all year.The film stars Kevin Kline as George, a bland name for a bland character. Much like "American Beauty's" center character, George hates his career, his lifestyle, and the disconnection with his family. His ex-wife (Kristen Scott Thomas), now married to a materialistic moneybags (Jamie Sheridan), struggles daily with her rebellious, drug-addicted teenage son, Sam (Hayden Christenen). These are not happy people, and the movie never pretends otherwise. Suddenly, everything changes for George. He is fired from his job-not necessarily a bad thing-then learns he has terminal cancer-a bad thing. He instantly wakes up to his current situation, and decides to spend his final months building. As an experienced architect, he cashes his life insurance policy to tear down his old shack and build the house of his dreams. In the process, he hopes to rebuild various relationships within his family. "Life as a House" might sound like a gentle, touching fable of self-redemption, but it's often quite harsh. Mark Andrus' screenplay gives the material a hard edge. The opening scenes feature indecent exposure, urination, and disturbing drug content. Although this is not your typical Irwin Winkler film, he does use the edgy content to grab us by the collar and pull us in.With credits like "As Good as it Gets," Andrus has a reputation for solid writing, and his talents show through here. He uses many conventional Hollywood devices, but they work surprisingly well. It steadily builds enough emotional tension to cut with a knife. By the end of this movie, the characters feel so real, the dialogue so sincere, the themes so universal, the issues so personal, and the performances so inspiring, I wished I would have brought a box of tissues into the theater with me.It's one thing to admire the emotional grasp of a movie, but it's another when we become so intently involved in a movie that it triggers a real emotional response. "Life as a House" is a powerful, moving, poignant, and unforgettable feature. It's the season's most encouraging treat.
panoramic relationships
posted on 06 Apr 2009I was impressed with how big and beautiful the whole film was to look at - with lots of natural exposures, rather than it all looking like a studio shoot. The scenic panoramas were matched by the breadth of character development and inter-relationships.Kevin Kline shows he can do a lot more than play a convincing fem gay man. His character George is still able to effectively use comic devices to deal with his physical pain and emotional turmoil. This may be a classic chick-flick &/or tear-jerker, but it has a special quality through the strength of the performances, the quality of the script and the stunning direction that make it just as much an enjoyable cinema experience as the 2001 version of The Deep End.The gay references and elements are handled well. Neither parent is concerned about George's possible sexuality (unlike the yobbos at his school) - rather they are concerned that he is not having a good time in life. A change I would make to the script is that when George says to son Sam the rather selfish "I wanted to make you love me", he would say "I wanted to make you love yourself".I did not cry, but I sighed a lot. It's a fine film for the big screen.
wrapped up a bit too neatly
posted on 31 Mar 2009As one of the many who sought out this film for a superficial reason (Hayden), I think it was pretty mediocre. But to be fair, emotional dramas are not to my taste. The story was predictable and became more unrealistic as the film progressed (sudden change in Sam's attitude, Alyssa's behavior, neighborhood rallying on the house-building), but the acting was very convincing overall. 'Though I am still unsure about Christensen's abilities in general; is he typecast in these irritatingly angst-ridden roles or is it something he needs to have surgically removed? Every role I've seen him play involves at least one or more of the following: scowling, pouting, whining, crying, and throwing bitchy tantrums. He does infinitely better in this film than in AotC (and is disturbingly adorable in eyeliner), but I'd really like to see him in an angst-free role for a change, before I make up my mind about whether or not he is a great actor. In the end, his fans will love the film for eye-candy alone, but I was hoping for a story with a little more overall realism and a little less happy-ending-pixie-dust.
The Best Movie Of The Year - A New American Beauty
posted on 23 Mar 2009George (Kevin Cline) is an architectural designer who loses his job and realizes that he has become terminally ill with cancer in the same day. His ex-wife, Robin (Kristin Scott Thomas) is living with her new husband and children, one of whom is the introvert, troubled teenage son Sam (Hayden Kristen) who is into drugs. George, now unemployed and confused, decides to tear his shack down and build a house. He also wishes to heal his relationships with the people around him, mostly with his teenage son, Sam, who is forced to spend a month in his father's place while he is building the house. George's next door neighbour is an oversexed woman whom he has dated before. Her equally oversexed daughter, who is already going to same school with Sam gets a chance to get close to him once he starts his father's shack. One of George's neighbour is quite angry with George's dog who constantly p****s on his car or morning paper. It doesn't take long since George's last project starts to change the lifes of others around him.What I liked: This is a very well done movie in which human emotions are conveyed very realistically through good performances, best of which comes from Hayden Christensen who plays Sam; Hayden Christensen was really the best part of the movie and he really deserves an Oscar nomination. He is very natural and does an excellent job of portraying a troubled, confused teenager kid who is introvert but willing to open up if approached in the right way. His latent potential of giving and receiving love starts to surface during the project of building the new house. Screenplay is highly sophisticated, successfully portraying many diverse characters who become involved with another. The scenes are nicely shot and quite stylish. What I didn't like: There isn't really much that I disliked about Life As A House although you may find building a new house for a man who is dying not very logical. I also think that Robin's husband's character was hastily established for he changed so fast from displaying one character to another.I enjoyed every moment of Life As A House and I think it is one of the best movies of the year; I highly recommend it. If you like inspiring dramas such as "The Ice Storm" and "American Beauty", the chances you will enjoy Life As A House is very high.Possible Oscar Nominations: Hayden Christensen (Best Supporting Actor), Kevin Cline (Best Leading Actor), The Best Picture, The Best Director, The Best Screenplay, Best Cinematography.
Not kidding, seriously, don't forget the tissues
posted on 13 Mar 2009I have to honestly say that going into this movie I didn't know what to expect, nor did I really intend on enjoying it for its "serious nature." However, this is probably the best movie I have seen all year, and I've seen a lot. Kevin Kline gave a stunning performance, as he always does, being extremely funny and sarcastic one minute, to totally serious and tear-jerking the next. Hayden Christensen was the perfect choice to play the rebellious son--I've never seen him act before this, but I can't imagine any body else bringing so much emotion to the silver screen. Kristin Scott Thomas wasn't as thrilling as the others, but then again, her role wasn't supposed to stand out as much. My friend, myself, and our dates (yes, they are male) never cried so much during a movie before. I really recommend that everyone with a mature mind go see this movie. It was phenomenal.
Exquisite Film(my favorite)
posted on 09 Mar 2009This movie has a depth that has been unmatched in my viewing of movies.I am a movie person and have seen just about everything. This film was the main reason, my ex and I got together in the first place. I met her in California and we decided to go out. I made a promise I would see her again and did just that only I went there and broke up with her. She was the first girl I ever loved and this film was what sparked our interest for each other. This is a movie you could watch over and over and enjoy it every time. And if she ever reads this I just want Ashley to know I Loved you and I hope your doing very well.Ashley - Take care and know that you are one person who will always be loved.
The plot may be obvious, but the acting and writing are superb!
posted on 24 Aug 2009Sure, after the first 15 minutes of "Life As A House" I knew exactly where the film was going and what would happen and that created a feeling of dread in me. After all, I'd paid nine bucks for what might well have turned out to be no better than a TV movie-of-the-week. Boy was I ever happy to be wrong, completely wrong. So the plot was obvious, the writing was superb, the acting flawless and the cinematography was beautiful to behold. Kevin Kline walked a line between drama and comedy that may lead to winner's podium at the Academy Awards; Kristin Scott Thomas gave a beautifully nuanced performance that ranks among her best ever; Hayden Christensen showed us why George Lucas picked him to star in the next two "Star Wars" films even though those roles will probably not come near the dramatic excellence of this one; and, in casting Mike Weinberg as the little brother Adam, Irwin Winkler may have found Hollywood's next new hot kid star. So go see "Life As A House," and enjoy a film that will make you laugh, cry and maybe even think. This is Hollywood filmmaking at its best.