Life as a House (New Line Platinum Series)
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: Hayden Christensen, Jena Malone, Kevin Kline, Kristin Scott Thomas, Mary SteenburgenBrand: NEW Line Home Video
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown), Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround; English (Subtitled); English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround
Format: Anamorphic, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DVD, NTSC, Widescreen
Picture Format: 1.33:1
Running Time: 125 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2002-03-26
Audience Rating: R (Restricted)
Studio: New Line Home Video
Movie Reviews of Life as a House (New Line Platinum Series)
Movie Review: "I always thought of myself as a house"
Summary: 5 Stars
"I always thought of myself as a house. I was always what I lived in. It didn't need to be big. It didn't even need to be beautiful. It just needed to be mine". That phrase, said by George, the main character of this movie, is in my opinion a good introduction to a review about "Life a house".
George (Kevin Kline) is a divorced architect who is sacked from a job he hated. Immediately after that, he collapses and is taken to a hospital, where he gets bad news: he is going to die in a few months. George has to come to terms with the fact that he has terminal cancer, and only some months left to live. Wanting to make the best of it, George decides to build the house he always wanted to have, and get to know better his 16 year-old son son Sam (Hayden Christensen), who lives with his ex-wife, Robin (Kristin Scott-Thomas).
Robin is now married to a successful man, and has new sons, but doesn't relate well to her older son, who is highly problematic, uses drugs, and has a very negative attitude towards everything. That is probably the reason why she allows Sam to live with George during his summer holidays. Things won't be easy between George and Sam, though, because Sam resents George for leaving him with his mother. Father and son don't have a strong relationship now, or rather they don't have any kind of relationship besides the biological one. That is something that George will try to change, as he and Sam tear down a shack that was willed to him by his father, and begin to build a new one.
Soon enough, building the house begins to be an affair of many more than two, as Robin, her kids, and some new friends that Sam makes start to help. As the house begins to take shape, the spectator almost sees old wounds closing, even as fights abound. But what will happen when Sam finds out about his father's illness?. See this movie, and find out... I think this film is worth your time, and that you don't regret watching it :)
It is important to point out, however, that "Life as a house" is not adequate for children, as it contains some sexual scenes and strong language. Morever, it touches upon subjects as prostitution and drug abuse. Despite that, those characteristics fit the story, and aren't in the film just for the sake of it.
All in all, I believe that Irwin Winkler should be congratulated on having directed such a good movie. The cast was excellent, and you won't be able to do anything but immerse yourself in the movie, and in the story that "Life as a house" brings to you. In a word, outstanding.
Belen Alcat
Summary of Life as a House (New Line Platinum Series)
Confronted with life-changing news a middle-aged architect seizes the opportunity to begin living life on his own terms as he builds the house of his dreams and winds up rebuilding the world around him in the process. Special features: two original documentaries: deleted scenes and much more. Studio: New Line Home Video Release Date: 09/26/2006 Starring: Kevin Kline Kristin Scott-thomas Run time: 124 minutes Rating: R Director: Irwin WinklerA respectable tearjerker, Life as a House is a welcome throwback to angst-ridden family dramas like Ordinary People and Terms of Endearment. It falls short of those modern classics, but you'll probably still need Kleenex if you appreciate Kevin Kline's underrated dramatic skills. As the title suggests, Kline's project is a broad metaphor for repairing damaged lives from the foundation up. Playing an architect with terminal cancer, he gives an Oscar®-caliber performance, reaching out to his estranged, nihilistic son (future Star Wars star Hayden Christensen) and ex-wife (Kristin Scott-Thomas) as he wrecks and rebuilds the Malibu cliff-top home that contained his most painful memories. Director Irwin Winkler's flair with actors helps to minimize lapses in a script (by As Good As It Gets scribe Mark Andrus) that occasionally borders on maudlin. Overall, this is a fine reminder that Hollywood hasn't lost its soul to action and special effects. --Jeff Shannon
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