Movie Review: The House

The House ** ½ / *****

Directed by: Andrew Jay Cohen.

Written by: Brendan O’Brien & Andrew Jay Cohen.

Starring: Will Ferrell (Scott Johansen), Amy Poehler (Kate Johansen), Jason Mantzoukas (Frank), Ryan Simpkins (Alex Johansen), Nick Kroll (Bob), Allison Tolman (Dawn), Rob Huebel (Officer Chandler), Christina Offley (Davida), Jessie Ennis (Rachel), Rory Scovel (Joe), Lennon Parham (Martha), Cedric Yarbrough (Reggie), Kyle Kinane (Garvey), Michaela Watkins (Raina), Jeremy Renner (Tommy), Andrea Savage (Laura).

 

When The House was released this summer, it was generally dismissed by critics. It didn’t help matters that the studio decided not to screen the film for critics before it was released – meaning those assigned to review it, had to run out to late shows on Thursday night, or early matinees of Friday. When films don’t show for critics, it’s usually a safe bet that those films are terrible – and the studio wants to avoid bad buzz leading up to the release date that a bunch of bad reviews would bring. In most cases, the film would have been dismissed by the critics – and unless it became a surprise hit (The House did not) that would be the end of it – and the film would rarely be thought of again by anyone. The House, though, is at least somewhat different. A.O. Scott of the New York Times gave the film one of its only positive reviews when it was released – and the film found an unlikely champion a few weeks ago in Chance the Rapper, who attacked critics for not liking the film – which itself has inspired at least would good think piece by a critic (Matt Singer of Screencrush) about The House, and its critical reaction. I cannot help but wonder if we’re headed for a full-scale critical reappraisal of The House – just a little earlier than normal. The truth about The House is, unfortunately, kind of boring – it’s nowhere near as terrible as the first wave of reviews made it out to be. It could very well be that critics were cranky, and on tight deadlines, so they dismissed it, and moved on. Yet, it’s also not really an underrated classic that will one day be listed as a landmark in American screen comedy. It’s a rather average comedy – that had moments that undeniable made me laugh. It also had, I think, some ambitions beyond being a straight ahead comedy – but it doesn’t quite reach the levels of Ferrell’s best works in those regards either. It’s a decent, kind of funny comedy.

 

In the film, Ferrell and Amy Poehler stars as Scott and Kate Johansen, a middle class couple, living in a nice, quiet suburban town, with a nice house, nice jobs and a daughter – Alex (Ryan Simpkins) who they adore. She has gotten into a great college – and won the town scholarship this year, so they don’t have to worry about paying for it. That is, until the town council led by Bob (Nick Kroll) decides instead to spend the money on building a pool. Now the Johansen’s have no money – they look well off, but aren’t – and have the summer to come up with the case, or tell their daughter she cannot go. So they do what every loving parents would do – team up with their friend Frank (Jason Mantzoukas) to run an illegal casino out of Frank’s house. Frank is doing it because his wife has left him, and his gambling debts mean he’s about to lose the house. They decide they’ll run things just long enough to make $500K - $250K each to get them out of their binds. Things, of course, do not go according to plan.

 

The premise of the film is, of course, goofy – but then again, the film knows that. Co-writer and directed Alex Jay Cohen, is trying to make a comedy about the financial crisis – and he pushes things to their logical extreme, eventually – as mild mannered Scott eventually becomes known as The Butcher when he cuts off a man’s finger, and gets covered in his blood. The film is about the increasing price of the American Dream – and how more and more people are being priced out of it. It’s a comedy with at least a larger idea it wants to express.

 

As a comedy though, the film is largely hit or miss. Jason Mantzoukas has a delivery style that makes me laugh – or at least smile – at nearly every sentence he utters (the same was true of his vocal work in Big Mouth). Ferrell and Poehler are a good pair together as well – and they are able to mine some laughs out of some pretty thin material.

 

In short, The House isn’t as bad as those first critics thought it was. It is a goofy comedy that is at times smarter than the average studio comedy – but never manages to rise to the level of the best Adam McKay/Will Ferrell comedy concoctions. It’s better than you heard – but that doesn’t quite mean it’s good.