Cast: Daniel Craig, Naomi Watts, Rachel Weisz, Elias Koteas, Marton Csokas
Director: Jim Sheridan
Movies about psychological madness should at least exist in an atmosphere of psychological madness. For all the flak Martin Scorsese received for making his "Shutter Island" too over-the-top in its visual style, his was the exact right approach to that material. "Dream House," by contrast, is about as compelling as a game of Clue.
If nothing else, films like this should in no way be subtle. Whatever else you may have thought of "Shutter Island," Scorsese at least got that part right. "Dream House" is more subtle than dead weight, to say nothing of the fact that it isn't scary, isn't involving, and has a plot that makes little sense. The bigger problem for me, however, was that it's constructed in a way that makes it near impossible to care for the characters. I could hear the narrative gears grinding away, but harbored little interest in seeing the story unfold.
Amazingly, the director is Jim Sheridan ("In the Name of the Father," "In America"). The cast includes such acting A-list heavyweights as Daniel Craig, Rachel Weisz, and Naomi Watts. They do what they can, though all look irretrievably lost amidst plot points that struggle to add up.
The premise involves a former editor-turned-novelist (Craig) who moves his wife (Weisz) and daughters from New York City to rural Connecticut into their dream home, only to realize that the previous owner allegedly murdered his whole family five years prior, and his neighbor (Watts) might know more than she is letting on. I won't reveal too much so as not to spoil any plot developments, though that's a rather moot endeavor; the more revealed, the more questions it invites. Suffice it to say, the novelist investigates, which leads to a would-be suspense-filled real world/spirit world conclusion that needs to be seen to be believed. Or better yet, not believed and left alone altogether.
So, what went wrong here? It's been reported that producer James G. Robinson wrestled the project away from director Sheridan, as he was unhappy with the direction the story was taking. Director and producer fought vehemently throughout the production, and Sheridan (along with Craig and Weisz) were so disgusted with the final product that they refused to do any press for the film's release. I have no idea how close to the truth that is, yet I wonder if a lot of this is post-disaster posturing. I suspect the project got away from the filmmakers long before principal photography ceased. This feels lost at the conception level.
If there was a way to make this premise work, I don't see it. It seems like one side of the filmmaking team favored suspense while the other favored sentimentality, and the end result was a compromise that favored neither. Commenting on movies like this is a difficult task, as the whole project falls well beneath the level of talent at the table. It's like trying to pinpoint the reasons behind being dealt a bad hand in poker. The only real salvation comes in the ethereal atmosphere created through Caleb Deschanel's effective cinematography, though that's kind of like being served a plate of bacteria-laced food but complimenting the restaurant's table settings.
I am, and will continue to be, admirers of actors Craig, Weisz, and Watts. And I suppose Jim Sheridan can make an incredible comeback... when the DVD is released, if it contains a director's cut that actually makes this stuff compelling, I will be truly amazed.
* 1/2 out of * * * * stars
If nothing else, films like this should in no way be subtle. Whatever else you may have thought of "Shutter Island," Scorsese at least got that part right. "Dream House" is more subtle than dead weight, to say nothing of the fact that it isn't scary, isn't involving, and has a plot that makes little sense. The bigger problem for me, however, was that it's constructed in a way that makes it near impossible to care for the characters. I could hear the narrative gears grinding away, but harbored little interest in seeing the story unfold.
Amazingly, the director is Jim Sheridan ("In the Name of the Father," "In America"). The cast includes such acting A-list heavyweights as Daniel Craig, Rachel Weisz, and Naomi Watts. They do what they can, though all look irretrievably lost amidst plot points that struggle to add up.
The premise involves a former editor-turned-novelist (Craig) who moves his wife (Weisz) and daughters from New York City to rural Connecticut into their dream home, only to realize that the previous owner allegedly murdered his whole family five years prior, and his neighbor (Watts) might know more than she is letting on. I won't reveal too much so as not to spoil any plot developments, though that's a rather moot endeavor; the more revealed, the more questions it invites. Suffice it to say, the novelist investigates, which leads to a would-be suspense-filled real world/spirit world conclusion that needs to be seen to be believed. Or better yet, not believed and left alone altogether.
So, what went wrong here? It's been reported that producer James G. Robinson wrestled the project away from director Sheridan, as he was unhappy with the direction the story was taking. Director and producer fought vehemently throughout the production, and Sheridan (along with Craig and Weisz) were so disgusted with the final product that they refused to do any press for the film's release. I have no idea how close to the truth that is, yet I wonder if a lot of this is post-disaster posturing. I suspect the project got away from the filmmakers long before principal photography ceased. This feels lost at the conception level.
If there was a way to make this premise work, I don't see it. It seems like one side of the filmmaking team favored suspense while the other favored sentimentality, and the end result was a compromise that favored neither. Commenting on movies like this is a difficult task, as the whole project falls well beneath the level of talent at the table. It's like trying to pinpoint the reasons behind being dealt a bad hand in poker. The only real salvation comes in the ethereal atmosphere created through Caleb Deschanel's effective cinematography, though that's kind of like being served a plate of bacteria-laced food but complimenting the restaurant's table settings.
I am, and will continue to be, admirers of actors Craig, Weisz, and Watts. And I suppose Jim Sheridan can make an incredible comeback... when the DVD is released, if it contains a director's cut that actually makes this stuff compelling, I will be truly amazed.
* 1/2 out of * * * * stars
