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The Glass House

The Glass House

List Price: $14.94
Your Price: $13.45
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Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Suspenseful, but Predictable.
Review: From the looks of the trailer, "The Glass House" looks really scary. Well, just to let you know, it's not. It was dropped in the "thriller" genre, but is not much of one at all. It has a lot of almost getting caught sneaking around type stuff. That is one disappointment. The other is how predictable everything is. I mean, I guessed everything correctly through the whole movie. Oh, well. The script is not as bad as some critics like to say it is. The acting is pretty good too. Leelee Sobieski ("Joan of Arc," "Here on Earth," "Deep Impact," and in the upcoming thriller "Joy Ride") who plays the main character, Ruby, does a superb job as always. The young actress is quite a beauty and is even considered the spitting image of Helen Hunt. If you like tense, almost to the edge-of-your-seat scenes, this movie is for you. If you don't like that kind of stuff, see "Hardball." 13 and over for violence, some language, drug use, brief sexual suggestions, and sinister thematic elements.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: There Are No Words to Express...
Review: How bad this movie is.

It's not just cheesy, it's also dumb. Just plain dumb. What happens when you get an intriguing plot, good actors, and cool sets? Oddly enough, you get a poorly acted, scripted, ridiculous film.

The plot is pretty good, although not in the least bit scary, as was advertised in the trailers. During the dramatic parts, I couldn't keep from laughing. It was hard to believe some people actually wanted us to be quiet - were they actually enjoying the film? The acting done by the man who plays Terry Glass is comical, not a reflection on him though - just the silly character. They try to keep you guessing, but I knew what was going on the moment I sat down (and I arrived late!)

Bottom line: Don't waste your money, like I did. At least see something midly enteraining, like 'The Musketeer', if you insist on seeing a bad movie this fall.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Classy thriller with brains
Review: After their parents are killed in a car accident, Ruby (Leelee Sobieski) and her younger brother Rhett (Trevor Morgan) are sent to live with their long time friends, the Glasses. While at first the Glasses seem like the ideal replacement parents, Ruby soon discovers that their intentions are somewhat more devious.
As Ruby, Sobieski glows with talent and beauty. Morgan, who was in July's "Jurassic Park III," also does a good job. Stellan Skarsgard and Diane Lane are excellent as the Glasses. They are truly terrifying when the evil starts lurking about. All the talent makes for a delightfully classy thriller.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: I want my money back!
Review: Gosh, this movie was so lame and so ridiculous. There was no suspense, no thrill at all, and not for one second was I hooked to this movie. The whole premise of the movie is screwed up. The kids' parent's die, and the guardians they're forced to live with are only after their money (not to mention psycho), so they're basically killed. What was the point of this all?

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Despite revealing previews, "The Glass House" delivers.
Review: Trailers say too much about their movies these days, giving away too many secrets so that any impact the actual film will have is weakened. "The Glass House" is no exception, but while the trailer lets us in on the movie's secrets, the suspense behind them comes out unscathed. You may know what will happen, but getting there is quite a ride in this uniquely stylish teenage thriller.

The film stars Leelee Sobieski as Ruby Baker, who lives like any typical teenager going to prep school in Los Angeles and sneaking out of her house at night. On the night of her parents' 20th wedding anniversary, she comes home to discover them killed in a car wreck, leaving her and her young brother Rhett in the care of their former next-door neighbors, Terry and Erin Glass (Stellan Skarsgard and Diane Lane). Soon after the funeral, it's off the Malibu, and the beginning of a whole new life.

The Glass house itself is made up of much glass, inside and out, providing a creepy atmosphere where things are constantly uneasy. From the get-go, Ruby gets the feeling that she is being watched, and the fact that her new guardians continuously shower them with gifts seems more like a purchase of their trust. As the months go by, things begin to lose their luster: Terry begins to make not-so-subtle passes at Ruby, whose quest for information surrounding the death of her parents leads her to believe that her new caretakers may have played a part in the accident.

Due to the revelations the trailer makes, the movie loses its surprise factor, something it considerably suffers from. It gives away the fact that the Glasses are out to attain the childrens' inheritance to pay off loan sharks, therefore diminishing the effect this would have had it been left a surprise. Not only that, but it gives away many plot twists, including the finale, which begins by denying the heroine the right to take part in the final confrontation, and then resurrects the villain once more so that she can.

Still, I found much of the film to be fitfully interesting, due to the level of suspense the movie is able to achieve. Ruby's search for clues provides some very tense moments, such as a scene in which she sends an email to her parents' former legal consultant, only to discover the next day that her AOL account is closed. Was it closed by Terry, or because the account was not paid off due to her parents' death? Terry also provides her with an English report that she believes is his original work, though it turns out to be that of a published author, landing her in the hot seat at school.

Scenes like these manage to create a sense of slight psychological fear, while resurrecting the movie from a certain downfall. The movie also hits a high note by sticking to slow-building suspense rather than cheap shocks. So many teenage thrillers latch on to the old-school tricks of bloody gore and quick jumps, but "The Glass House" manages to create an atmosphere that gets under your skin just enough to keep you on the edge of your seat for much of the story.

The cast also brings the movie to a high point, featuring commendable performances all around. Leelee Sobieski rises above most actresses her age, instilling a bravery and strength in her character that makes her strong and believable. Diane Lane and Stellan Skarsgard are fitfully mysterious as the Glasses, and, in some cases, almost spine-tingling. The interaction between the cast makes a sometimes silly story easy to stomach, especially the film's final resolution.

"The Glass House" manages to stray from the usual violent gore and gruesome bloodshed that permeates many modern teenage thrillers, and gives us a story that provides some good suspense and fine performances. The trailer is a giveaway, though, and will diminish most of the film's effect for those who like to be left in the dark. But, put that aside, and you'll find that there's more to this movie than its previews reveal.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: A thriller that doesn't quite "thrill."
Review: I love the actors in this movie! Hands down, you couldn't have picked a better cast. The "glass house" used in the film adds a lot of interesting mood throughout the film but what about all the rain? Does it really rain that much in Malibu? It seemed like it only rains at night strangely enough and then it's bright and sunny the next day like it never rained the night before? Hmmm. I guess I am nitpicking on this one but it simply doesn't hold one genuine candle of suspense throughout the whole film! To start off, Leelee does not even look remotely 16 years old, (she's actually 23), Diane Lane (I can't believe how she has literally never aged!) is a brilliant actress but she's left scraping for crumbs here since her talent is far wasted against Stellan's character. Unfortunately, this movie plays like an afterschool special that ABC decided to air at night-LOL. It's got the dark atmosphere, the creepy incestial sensibilities, the weird familial episodes of drug use and the odd brother sleeping with sister thing, but it just doesn't tie together well. Too many plot holes, too many scenes that don't gel together properly and not enough "realism" to keep the audience interested. Wait for video on this one folks!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Great movie!
Review: I saw this movie in theaters probably when it first came out in 2001, but I didn't pay too close attention, because I forgot about it. However, I remembered seeing it in theaters one day when I was browsing the DVD section, and decided to give it another shot at home. I am so glad I did! Leelee Sobieski is absolutely gourgeous and did a flawless job with the film. She has a bright future in acting ahead of her. Basically what happens is, Ruby (Sobieski) and her brother Rhett's (Trevor Morgan) parents die in a car accident. Their parents wished for them to go live with the family's former neighbors, the Glasses, (who had since moved to Malibu) played by Stellan Skarsgard and Diane Lane. Needless to say, Ruby and Rhett's carefree lives are changed dramatically. Rhett falls for all the gifts that the Glasses buy for him, but Ruby isn't fooled so easily. She begins to suspect that her parents' death wasn't an accident, and starts to investigate. She sees certain things and observes certain behaviors exhibited by the Glasses that only make her more suspicious. Eventually, she figures out that the Glasses are behind the car accident and are now after Ruby and Rhett's 4 million dollar fortune that was left to them by their parents. I won't give away the rest, but the movie takes you on a roller coaster ride of excitement and suspense that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the last second! Rent it, or better yet, buy it! It's well worth your while!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: THE TRANSPARENT MAN AND WIFE
Review: THE GLASS HOUSE is metaphorically interesting: not only is the physical building mostly glass, but the owners of the house are Terry and Erin Glass. Into this pristine setting come two youngsters whose parents were tragically killed in an automobile accident. In their will, they stated they wanted their old friends, the Glasses, to look after them. All is not what it seems at first and soon a more incendiary plot is revealed.
What I really liked most about this film is the precisioned and passionated performance by Leelee Sobieski (Joy Ride). This young actress is not only a lovely woman, but she seemed to understand the nuances of her role and even as it plummets into shameless melodrama by the end, Leelee stays with it and elevates it above what it could have been under someone else's control. Diane Lane foreshadowed her work in UNFAITHFUL in her role as the addicted physician, although her role gets backseat most of the time. Young Trevor Morgan is very good as the eleven year old, and Stellan Skarsgard, while menacing and vile, never seemed to fully show us his greed and nastiness. Cameo-type roles are taken by Chris Noth as the children's distant uncle; and Michael O'Keefe and an uncredited Rita Wilson as the doomed parents.
Moody and manipulative, THE GLASS HOUSE nonetheless entertains and it's mostly because of Leelee.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Good Thriller and Lovely Surprise Ending.
Review: The Glass House was thrilling, and it makes you always wonder what is going to happen next. Great movie for the people who like suspense thrillers.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Good film, but watch out - this DVD has RCE!
Review: I bought this film on a whim, not expecting it to be too frightening. Oh, my! It's SO suspenseful, and kept me on the edge until the last second! Great acting, especially by Leelee Sobieski and Diane Lane! I thought the plot was fantastic, the home setting is fabulous -- treat yourself to this film!


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