Dream House (15)

Film

Horror films

Daniel Craig in Dream House

Daniel Craig in Dream House

Time Out rating:

<strong>Rating: </strong>2/5

User ratings:

<strong>Rating: </strong>3/5
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Time Out says

Tue Nov 22 2011

Disowned by director Jim Sheridan, then denied the oxygen of publicity by stars Daniel Craig and Rachel Weisz, this bastardised psychological thriller bears the scars of its troubled history. The warmly observed opening scenes, in which downsizing book publisher Will Atenton (Craig), his wife Libby (Weisz) and their two daughters luxuriate in their New England home, are a testament to Sheridan’s improvisational methods. But production company Morgan Creek’s micro-managing executives felt that Sheridan’s loose-wristed approach was ill-suited to the more generic elements of the film’s mystery plot, so they put together their own edit. The idyllic house, it transpires, was the site of a grisly triple-murder, about which cagey neighbour Ann Patterson (Naomi Watts) is reluctant to speak. As Will investigates these killings, he learns some disturbing home truths. How much remains of David Loucka’s screenplay is hard to say, but this bowdlerised cut – by tipping its hand way too early and erasing the blurred line between two levels of reality – is a well-acted but ramshackle mess.

Author: Nigel Floyd

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Release details

Rated:

15

UK release:

Fri Nov 25 2011

Duration:

92 mins

Cast and crew

Screenwriter:

David Loucka

Cast:

Elias Koteas, Rachel Weisz, Daniel Craig, Naomi Watts

Director:

Jim Sheridan

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Comments & ratings

Rated as: 3/5 (6 ratings)

  • The characters keep changing how they act depending on which angle the story decides to follow. Too contrived for my liking - and the background to the menu on the DVD sort of gives the game away a bit. Maybe that didn't help.

    contrived Tue Jun 19 2012
    Rated as: 2/5
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  • What was that critic smoking? Not the most gripping thriller I have ever seen, but a very passable and engrossing film with some genuine tension along the way. Well worth watching.

    Subcap51 Fri May 18 2012
    Rated as: 4/5
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  • Im sorry but I had a completely different take on this film. I thought it was a masterpeice. If you havent been impressed by hollywood since the 1990s, this movie is for you! It is very sad, but if you have ever witnessed another human being talk straight to a tree you will appreciate this heart wrenching film. I watched the entire thing again to see it "in the know".

    Rich Fri Feb 10 2012
    Rated as: 5/5
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  • Sorry Nigel I disagree as both myself and daughter enjoyed the film .i just want to be entertained which is exactly what this film does.comment you type in this box will appear on the site

    mickb Mon Dec 5 2011
    Rated as: 3/5
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  • Not as awful as feared, in fact (if you haven't seen the trailer with the half way twist given away) you may enjoy it in a week 3* vibe. For me, 5/10

    scrumpyjack Tue Nov 29 2011
    Rated as: 2/5
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  • Enjoyed film stayed awake all the way through it. he comment you type in this box will appear on the site

    jennbell Fri Nov 25 2011
    Rated as: 4/5
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