Movie: The House
My Rating: 3 stars
I won’t say no to a Will Ferrell/Amy Poehler movie. I think they’re both really funny, and their movies are usually a pretty safe bet. They can usually drum up a big enough budget to work with. And, they’ve got a lot of really funny friends that they can coerce into joining them. And, this movie is pretty good. It’s not great. The idea is a little gimmicky, and the storytelling seems a bit rushed. But, it’s not like I was expecting too much from their slapstick comedy style. This is a story about a couple who has just realized that they won’t be able to pay for their daughter’s expensive, private college tuition. So, they take the next natural step, and open up an illegal gambling den in their basement. The plan is to fleece all the neighbors until they’ve raised the right amount, and then get out clean. What could go wrong?
This is a very silly movie, and viewers are meant to revel in the absurdity of the whole thing. And, in that sense, the movie succeeds. Another success is all the acting. I’m a really big fan of a lot of the comedians featured in the film—Jason Mantzoukas, Rory Scovel, Lennon Parham, Rob Huebel. There’s tons of them. And, they’re all performing in their element. I’m a big fan of the “adults acting like spoiled children” brand of comedy, and that’s what most of these guys specialize in. And they’re perfect for this story about family men and women who just want to let their hair down and behave very irresponsibly once in a while. The comedy is quite crude, and immature, and very fun. I seem to be using a lot of negative words in this review, and it’s making it sound like I didn’t care for the film. But, I really did enjoy watching it. It’s just not a serious movie, and it’s not meant to be considered with so much weight.
Everyone gets in the mood for a fluffy, goofy movie every now and then. And, that’s exactly what films like this are for. (Or if you want to scandalize grandma). So, go ahead and see this movie if you feel like it, but I don’t think you’ll really be missing out on much if you decide not to.