The House
Directed by Andrew J. Cohen
- comedy
- crime
The story
When Scott and Kate Johansen’s daughter gets into the college of her dreams it’s cause for celebration. That is, until Scott and Kate learn that the scholarship they were counting on didn’t come through, and they’re now on the hook for tuition they can’t begin to afford. With the help of their friend and neighbor Frank also in need of a major payday they decide to open an illegal casino in his suburban house, risking everything together on a Vegas-style bacchanal where money flows, inhibitions are checked at the door, and all bets are off.
What it’s like
Warm suburban light and bright, flat comedy framing: The House plays out in tidy cul-de-sac interiors, with carpeted basements, beige kitchens and a backyard that gradually fills with fake-felt tables and cocktail-party glare. Its palette is soft and domestic until the casino transforms the living room into a gaudy, neon-tinged gambling den, and the camera stays mostly in medium two-shots and sitcom-style reaction cutaways that let the performers play off each other. The score is light and bouncy, with jazzy stings and cheerful pop cues underlining the escalating chaos. Vibe: breezy, mischievous, a little sun-faded. It suits a lazy weekend evening, a light comedy night with friends, or an easy watch when you want laughs without much weight. Pacing is brisk and episodic, and the emotional arc follows two anxious parents and their wary friend slowly getting sucked into a scheme that spirals, with the friendship under strain. Intensity is mild: crude humor, drinking, gambling-related tension and some sexual innuendo, but no real violence and little genuine menace. It is for viewers who enjoy broad ensemble comedy and don't need anything gentle beyond its low stakes.
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