Rating: 
Summary: Dynamite film that really digs deep!
Review: Life as a House wasn't on my list of "must sees," but I can say now that I was very wrong. This is definitely a must see movie. I can't say that it hit a strong chord with me on the personal scale in my ability to relate to the characters or the action, but it did draw me in.U.S. produced films of this nature are quite rare. Why? This is a character study. Most U.S. films are attempts to score hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue by blowing things up and showing as much cleavage as possible, all the while cursing up a storm. There is typically very little dialogue. This is not the case with Life as a House. Okay, so there's more than necessary cursing coming from the rebellious son - but somehow it doesn't seem to intrude too much on this film, because it struck me as typical of the kids that age. And then there's the sex...It, too, is present, but it is a device not the plot. The screenwriter(s) obviously knew what the heart and soul of this film should be and did their best to keep it as such. The actors, in turn, cranked out some great performances. They felt real. It was actually nice to see realistically portrayed characters instead of the Hollywood version of the same. This is definitely a California-centric film, but at least it doesn't assume that everyone watching it lives their lives in the same manner as the characters in the film. It doesn't talk down to us. It doesn't preach to us. In the end, this is a film that really shows the transition from boyhood to manhood in a matter of months and in a way in which is totally believable.
Rating: 
Summary: Film "Life as a house" becomes a home
Review: The film was brilliantly acted and never did we experience a scene of boredom..It took us to a place of intimacy that in this day of materialsm seems so missed. It reminded me more of the films during the seventies when film was about dialogue and not special affects. Reminding me of the film " Five easy pieces" and how thought provoking it was and stayed in our minds for all these years. Thankyou Mr Winkler(director-producer) and Mr. Andrus( screenplay) for doing a film with character and heart. The Academy should have acknowleged Kevin Kline's performance with a nomination. It lacked the marketing hype but it will continue to find its own audience.
Rating:
Summary: Good, thought provoking movie
Review: I basically rented this movie to see the next Darth Vader (Hayden Christensen), but walked away from this movie extremely impressed. It is truly a great story and the acting is exceptional, especially Kevin Kline and Hayden Christensen. I found "Life as a House" very inspirational and I highly recommend it.
Rating:
Summary: One of the most under-rated films of 2001
Review: The excellent cast is without a shadow of doubt the best thing about the movie, so is a script ridden with very few lapses, except for the overtly heavy-handed, superfluous opening (hospital) and ending (giving away of the house) sequences. Director Irwin Winkler and sreenwriter Mark Andrus take heed: the golden adage to good movie-making - "less is more" - always prevails.
Rating:
Summary: Unique touches of jovial humor and real emotion.
Review: "Life as a House" is pretty much everything you would expect from yet another addition to the tearjerker genre. There is a canvas filled with characters who deal with life changing situations and events that shape who they will become once the movie reaches a predictable, thoroughly unoriginal conclusion. We know from the start how it begins, how it ends, what happens, and who it happens to. And I must say, I've never seen the formula done quite so well. The story introduces us into the dysfunctional life of George (Kevin Kline), a simple man with a not-so-simple issues plaguing him. His ex-wife of ten years, Robin (Kristin Scott Thomas), pleads with him to take their estranged son, Sam (Hayden Christensen), for the summer in hopes that the two will reconcile their differences, and that Sam will rid himself of the hatred for his family. His neighbors abhor his ramshackle house and unorthodox living conditions (the absence of indoor plumbing requires him to urinate outdoors). He has just lost his job of twenty years, and to top it all off, he now has a terminal illness. From here, the movie fills its already intriguing canvas with various, continually involving subplots. Against his will, Sam goes to spend his summer vacation with his father, who has plans for building a new house where his shack stands, hoping that the experience will bring them closer together. Of course, the two bicker constantly, Sam shutting himself off, George making light of every situation. Along the way, more characters come into play, and previously introduced characters make larger impressions. Sam makes a strange friend in Alyssa (Jena Malone), who sees fit to shower with him, but only wants to remain friends. Robin takes an interest in helping George in the construction of the house; we soon get the feeling that they harvest old feelings for one another, which throws a wrench into her present marriage. All of this takes some pretty familiar twists and turns, adhering to the age-old formulas of father-and-son reconciliation, people finding rejuvenation through life changes, the healing of broken relationships and the creation of new obstacles that are easily overcome. The fact that we know George is dying is a plus, as it prevents the movie from using it as a startling revelation later in the film. It also gives the audience a choice: either succumb to the movie's predictability and familiarity, or flee. Imagine my surprise when I found myself immensely enjoying the film. Throughout much of Irwin Winkler's respectable melodramatic web of intertwining stories, there are unique touches of jovial humor and real emotion played out by his brilliant cast, who elevate the movie to above-average standards. Kline's biting humor and zest for life are a life force for the film, while Christensen is extremely convincing as the rebellious Sam. These two gifted actors not only sell us on their characters, but make the routine reconciliation believable. Scott Thomas, Malone, and various other supporting actors bring out the best in each character, so that they quickly become people we can identify with and care for. Your embracement of a film like "Life as a House" requires that you have a soft spot for the genre, and all its various devices. Having said that, this is a rare gem of a movie that made me laugh, almost made me cry, and gave me nothing more than an enjoyable two hours spent getting to know some very complex and inviting characters. Dive in, and wait for the waves to crash.
Rating: 
Summary: A good movie that might have been great
Review: Have you ever watched a movie, totally engrossed, walked out of the theater satisfied that your hard-earned money was well spent, went to sleep, and then woke up the next morning with the sneaking suspicion that someone had pulled a fast one on you? This was my reaction to Life as a House. Wonderful, engaging performances by Kevin Kline, Kirsten Scott-Thomas and Hayden Christensen make it an enjoyable experience despite the overcrowded, mediocre screenplay, which often resorts to cheap and unnecessary tricks and clichés to tug on our emotions. An early scene involving George (Kline's character) and a compassionate nurse is one example. Another involves an awkward subplot with an angry neighbor and a building inspector. Like many things that happen in Life as a House, it adds nothing to the story, and detracts from the characterizations and struggles of the main players. And the final scene! Well, please. Don't get me started. Still, despite the flaws, the movie is sweet and enjoyable. After all is said and done, a good movie that might have been great with a better screenplay.
Rating:
Summary: Utterly Engrossing, don't miss this one.
Review: This is an easy movie ot pass by. It didn't win any big awards
and it's not one of your flashy Hollywood films. But don't use that as an excuse not to watch this. It includes many fine performances, Kevin Kline is really at his best in this. The casting in this movie was wonderful. Every character really grabs you with their personal story. But the real story is Kevin Kline grappling with his fading mortality and he definitely steals the show. The message is a little sappy. But the story is so well done you don't mind. A great film that should not be missed!
Rating:
Summary: He woke up one day defined as world has changed.
Review: Most of the time people go to movies to escape the reality of life. If it's a real needs the movie? In this case it is that reality that is used as a diversion. You find yourself routing and cringing from it all the characters. If you've been around anybody who's dying or the people they've been around that person than you could really recognize them in this movie. And you can definitely see Kevin Klein's hand in this movie. This is the story of an old curmudgeon who you'd like to like but he just won't let you. Realizing his own mortality he attempts to make amends. This takes the form of building a house and rebuilding relationships that parallel. I don't mean for this movie to sound like some philosophical Artsy type film. It is just people being people. Aside from the movie the DVD has all the standard DVD goodies. I could not get the voice over commentary to work however. Yet the deleted scenes actually helped to realize what the story was all about.
Rating:
Summary: A touching, romantic, humorous family drama!
Review: ...his story is about a man named George, who has been divorced for a decade, is estranged from his 16 year old son Sam...and is jobless. But when he finds out that he's got cancer and has only 4 months to live, he does what he's always wanted to do... build a house. So he knocks down his "house" (which is really a shack), and begins construction on his new house...This is a very touching drama, that every person in the house should watch. The movie is rated R, and is recommended for 15 and over, due to the drug use, language and mild sexuality. Great movie, great storyline!
Rating:
Summary: Life As a House
Review: In Life As a House Kevin Kline plays a man who hasn't changed his job in over 20 years, still lives in a shack his father left him in his will, and most importantly hasn't been a good father to his son (Christensen). With another great performance by Kristin Scott Thomas as the ex-wife of Kline and mother who can't handle her son, Hayden Christensen, pleads with George (Kline) to take Sam (Hayden) for the summer and whip him into shape. Hayden Christensen plays Sam, a depressed 16 year old who does "favors" for other men, smokes pot, and tries to hang himself in the first scene you see him in. With the help of a next door neighbor, his father, and mother Sam learns what it means to be happy with the people that love him most. Life As a House gets a 5 due to the realistic story line and the perfect performances by todays best actors.
| 
