'DREAM HOUSE': Three Stars (Out of Five)
Psychological thriller/horror film from director Jim Sheridan ('IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER', 'MY LEFT FOOT', 'BROTHERS', 'IN America', etc.). It was written by David Loucka and stars Daniel Craig, Naomi Watts and Rachel Weisz. Sheridan argued over the production of the film and screenplay constantly with producer James G. Robinson and lost control over the final edit of the film. He was so unhappy with it, as were Craig and Weisz, that the three refused to do any promotion for the film. Another constantly noted issue with the film is that the trailer reveals the film's big twist (which happens about halfway through the movie but it's still the biggest surprise of the film and major turning point). Despite these major problems with the film I still found it interesting and effective, to a certain extent.
The story revolves around a publisher named Will Atenton (Craig) who moves from New York to New England with his wife Libby (Weisz) and two daughters (Taylor and Claire Geare). He has hopes of writing a novel there but is interrupted by a mysterious stranger watching their house at night and talks of a family that were killed living in his house prior to him. With the help of his neighbor Ann Paterson (Watts), a single mother going through a brutal divorce, he begins to investigate what happened to the family that lived there before him. He learns that a mother and her two daughters were believed to have been killed by the children's father, a man named Peter Ward, at their home. Ward was found to be too mentally unstable to stand trial and was let go after spending five years in a psychiatric ward due to lack of evidence. Atenton begins to panic and suspects that Ward is the man stalking his family for some bizarre reason.
The movie is a competent thriller/horror film. Sheridan is a talented director and the movie works on many levels. It is a bit slow at times and has nothing too new or original to offer but it's still a very creepy and intriguing murder mystery. I would have loved to have seen Sheridan's true vision of the film though and wonder how much better that movie could have been. I am upset that the trailer revealed the biggest plot development of the film, it doesn't entirely ruin the movie but thinking how much better it could have been not knowing the twist is coming is upsetting (and it does ruin the overall viewing experience, to a certain degree). The film was good but it had potential to be something really good if not for all it's production and marketing problems.
Watch our movie review show 'MOVIE TALK' at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VSwub5D8YiE
Psychological thriller/horror film from director Jim Sheridan ('IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER', 'MY LEFT FOOT', 'BROTHERS', 'IN America', etc.). It was written by David Loucka and stars Daniel Craig, Naomi Watts and Rachel Weisz. Sheridan argued over the production of the film and screenplay constantly with producer James G. Robinson and lost control over the final edit of the film. He was so unhappy with it, as were Craig and Weisz, that the three refused to do any promotion for the film. Another constantly noted issue with the film is that the trailer reveals the film's big twist (which happens about halfway through the movie but it's still the biggest surprise of the film and major turning point). Despite these major problems with the film I still found it interesting and effective, to a certain extent.
The story revolves around a publisher named Will Atenton (Craig) who moves from New York to New England with his wife Libby (Weisz) and two daughters (Taylor and Claire Geare). He has hopes of writing a novel there but is interrupted by a mysterious stranger watching their house at night and talks of a family that were killed living in his house prior to him. With the help of his neighbor Ann Paterson (Watts), a single mother going through a brutal divorce, he begins to investigate what happened to the family that lived there before him. He learns that a mother and her two daughters were believed to have been killed by the children's father, a man named Peter Ward, at their home. Ward was found to be too mentally unstable to stand trial and was let go after spending five years in a psychiatric ward due to lack of evidence. Atenton begins to panic and suspects that Ward is the man stalking his family for some bizarre reason.
The movie is a competent thriller/horror film. Sheridan is a talented director and the movie works on many levels. It is a bit slow at times and has nothing too new or original to offer but it's still a very creepy and intriguing murder mystery. I would have loved to have seen Sheridan's true vision of the film though and wonder how much better that movie could have been. I am upset that the trailer revealed the biggest plot development of the film, it doesn't entirely ruin the movie but thinking how much better it could have been not knowing the twist is coming is upsetting (and it does ruin the overall viewing experience, to a certain degree). The film was good but it had potential to be something really good if not for all it's production and marketing problems.
Watch our movie review show 'MOVIE TALK' at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VSwub5D8YiE