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Life As A House Details

2001 Certificate 15
  • Rated:
  • 70
  • from 1669 members

At 45, architect George Monroe (Kevin Kline) has lost sight of his dreams. Living in an inherited shack he had planned on rebuilding years ago, he sits high atop the Southern California coast without stopping to enjoy the view. Unfulfilled and miserable at his job, he works tirelessly while losing his grip on his happiness and .. Read more

Starring Kevin Kline, Kristin Scott-Thomas, Hayden Christensen, Jena Malone
Director Irwin Winkler
Genres Drama

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Life As A House

At 45, architect George Monroe (Kevin Kline) has lost sight of his dreams. Living in an inherited shack he had planned on rebuilding years ago, he sits high atop the Southern California coast without stopping to enjoy the view. Unfulfilled and miserable at his job, he works tirelessly while losing his grip on his happiness and his estranged family: ex-wife Robin (Kristen Scott Thomas) and maladjusted son Sam (Hayden Christensen). But, in one day, the course of George's life changes forever. He is fired from his job and diagnosed with a terminal illness. Given only four months to live, George vows to accomplish his lifelong dream of building his dream house. He recruits his son's begrudging help for the summer. Over the course of the next few months, George attempts to mend his long-suffering relationship with the brooding and intense 16-year-old as they tear down the ramshackle shack and rebuild a monument to his dreams. While they work, the neighborhood watches in awe. The much maligned eyesore is transformed. Mary Steenburgen costars as next-door neighbor Colleen who engages in some free-spirited activities of her own while her daughter Alyssa (Jena Malone) helps to brighten Sam's summer. Finally, it is Robin who begins to see a change in George and feels herself drawn back into the life of her longtime ex. Together Robin and Sam help George fulfill his goal as he rebuilds his house (and his life) before it is too late. Kline delivers a fine-tuned performance that embodies an impressive range of emotion fueled by the witty and ultimately moving script from AS GOOD AS IT GETS screenwriter Mark Andrus.

Starring Kevin Kline, Kristin Scott-Thomas, Hayden Christensen, Jena Malone, Mary Steenburgen, Barry Primus, Ian Somerhalder
Director Irwin Winkler
Studio ENTERTAINMENT IN VIDEO
Run time DVD: 2 hrs 5 mins
Certificate Certificate 15
Genres Drama
Language DVD: English
Subtitles DVD: English
Released DVD: 30 Sep 2002
Production year: 2001
Format DVD
  • Critics' reviews (2) of Life As A House

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  • 2 stars out of 5

    Aspiring to significance while oozing schmaltzy sincerity, distinguished producer Irwin Winkler's fifth feature as director seems to have been constructed from a cinematic blueprint rather than an original screenplay, smoothly crafted and calculating though it is. As in As Good as It Gets, screenwriter Mark Andrus focuses on the redemption of a dysfunctional soul. But unlike the comic latitude Jack Nicholson was given in that film, Kevin Kline has none here in his role as a model-maker for an architectural firm who gets fired and informed he is dying in pretty short order. Kline then decides to spend his remaining months tearing down the shack his hated father left him, building his dream house on the same spot and patching things up with ex-wife Kristin Scott Thomas and wayward son Hayden Christensen. This is a clumsy metaphorical drama which has as much insight in its title as in the whole of its two hour running time.

    • Radio Times
  • Slick lachrymose drama of male bonding that is contrived and uinconvincing..

    • Halliwell's Film Guide
  • Most helpful member's review of Life As A House

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  • 9 out of 9 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 3 stars

    Thought provoking

    This film was truly wonderful. A real tear jerker at the same time as being a feel good movie.

    Life As a House tackles some taboo topics and does so very well, without being judgemental or patronising e.g. Gay prostitution, drunk driving, abusive relationships etc...

    Kevin Kline offers a fantastic performance and surprisingly Hayden Christensen isn't out shone and holds his own as a convincing troubled teenager. Definitely one for the DVD collection.

      • Jaynee from Essex
  • Most recent members' review of Life As A House

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  • 9 out of 9 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 3 stars

    Thought provoking

    This film was truly wonderful. A real tear jerker at the same time as being a feel good movie.

    Life As a House tackles some taboo topics and does so very well, without being judgemental or patronising e.g. Gay prostitution, drunk driving, abusive relationships etc...

    Kevin Kline offers a fantastic performance and surprisingly Hayden Christensen isn't out shone and holds his own as a convincing troubled teenager. Definitely one for the DVD collection.

      • Jaynee from Essex
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Rating breakdown

1,669 Member ratings
  • 100
223
  • 90
190
  • 80
392
  • 70
296
  • 60
254
  • 50
136
  • 40
75
  • 30
44
  • 20
40
  • 10
19

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    • At 45, architect George Monroe (Kevin Kline) has lost sight of his dreams. Living in an inherited shack he had planned on rebuilding years ago, he sits high atop the Southern California coast without ...