DREAM HOUSE

Will Eightenten is a successful publisher who has recently moved into a new house in a residential neighborhood of New England with his wife Libby and their two daughters. Strange events begin to occur in the house: the youngest daughter says she saw someone watching her from the window, eerie noises follow day and night, and Will catches a group of kids performing a strange ritual in his basement. Shaken by these events, the man begins to investigate the past of his home, discovering that the previous owner exterminated his family before being committed to a psychiatric hospital. But now that man has been released. One must start with an important observation. Director Jim Sheridan, creator of important films like "My Left Foot" and "In the Name of the Father", as well as a six-time Oscar nominee, has disowned "Dream House". The reason for this animosity is that the film's production allegedly interfered too much, leading to significant editing changes in the final product and a series of additional shots made without the director's consent. It is therefore legitimate to approach the viewing of "Dream House" at least with caution when one has premises of this type. And indeed, "Dream House" is certainly not the masterpiece that no one expected, although it is not that outright disaster that is rumored everywhere. Sheridan had his creation taken away and rightly dissociated himself, but it is undeniable to recognize in this film a directorial skill that makes the difference and a contribution from good actors that nevertheless enhances a product that on paper is rather mediocre. Because, if we want to find the rotten in "Dream House", it must be sought above all in the screenplay, or rather, in what the viewer can perceive as such after the various post-production alterations suffered. Indeed, a sort of underlying schizophrenia in the script of "Dream House" does not do the film any good. To David Loucka's version is added the rewrite by the "resolver" Ehren Kruger, and the film clearly has two souls due probably to two completely different visions of the story. In the first part, the most successful, there is mystery and tension up to a predictable but effective twist that arrives halfway through the film. The second part is flat, boring, and settles into situations as improbable as already seen that make the story of "Dream House" assimilate to many of those that are the basis of TV movies from summer schedules. The ending, by the way, has a touch of rough and ready that makes one perceive the post-production problems of which the film has been a victim. As mentioned, "Dream House" nevertheless boasts professional and inspired direction, capable of enhancing the spectral atmospheres of the first half of the film and the suggestive snowy atmospheres in the style of "Shining" (and the references to Kubrick's film are numerous and never random). Excellent the cast that features a Daniel Craig absolutely perfect for the role of the lost and disoriented protagonist, accompanied by Rachel Weisz, who plays his wife, and by Naomi Watts who is the mysterious neighbor. In a supporting role is also Elias Coetas, poorly utilized, as often happens for this good actor. Costing 50 million dollars, "Dream House" grossed only 35 in the USA, proving to be a box office flop as well. In short, the operation has been a failure on all fronts despite the star-studded cast, demonstrating that the production problems were indeed perceived by the public. "Dream House" is thus a high-class product with good potential unfortunately not exploited to the fullest. The result is a dramatic thriller that will probably be quickly forgotten by the summer audiences, usually in search of thrills very different from those of some snowy sets.