The movie is
weirdly funny, and regardless of the critics panning it and the Rotten Tomatoes
audience ratings being as low as they can be, I found it gainfully
entertaining.
The studio, on the other hand, will not feel the same way. The movie was not
only a critical nightmare but also a commercial failure, grossing $34 million
at the box-office against its $40 million budget.
This comedy
stars Will Ferrell and Amy Poehler as parents of an aspiring child who wants to
go to college. The fun in this movie comes from the blend of over-the-top
comedy and everyday occurrences, glazed with comedic mistakes that ended up
making me laugh all the way through its 80-minute runtime.
I hardly find Will Ferrell and Amy Poehler performances to be something to praise as being above average, but here, I was engrossed in their portrayal and immersed in their characters.
The plot follows
a couple, Scott and Kate (Will Ferrell and Amy Poehler, respectively), who pick
a university with their daughter and then apply. When the same university
finally accepts them, they’re overjoyed, and nothing in their wildest dreams
could ruin the occasion.
Like every good parent, they already have plans and financial structures in place to make sure their child gets the best education without financially bankrupting themselves. Their financial backing comes from their community college fund, as their time has come to be beneficiaries of the fund.
The two believe
everything is in place to fulfill their daughter’s dream—until the head of the
neighborhood committee decides to go in a different direction. The head has
other plans for the money: he wants to build a water park for the community and
gets the committee’s backing to move forward, shelving Scott and Kate’s needs.
Now, the two are
left stranded. They’ve maxed out all forms of financial assistance they could
get their hands on, and with no hope in sight, they need to find a way to make
things happen for their daughter.
Their friend,
who is a gambling addict, comes up with a plan that makes sense when you think
about it: the house never loses. He suggests they turn his house into a casino
and invite their friends in the neighborhood to come play. Their hope is that
the more people play, the more money the house will make, and they’ll finally
be able to afford to send their daughter to college.
The House is a funny comedy, and for me, it’s worth seeing when you get around to it. I can understand why many hate it, and I have to acknowledge that the movie isn't perfect.
The movie is kind of absurd, which works in some moments but feels forced in others. The humor is hit-or-miss, relying on exaggerated gags that don’t always land. At times, I found the plot predictable, which made the wait for the next joke feel like the movie was being stretched, even with its short runtime. Visually, there’s nothing memorable, and the direction feels pretty standard, not doing much to elevate the comedy.
Beyond all these drawbacks, I’ve come to like the movie,
but I feel it’s best in this case to get a feel for it yourself.
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