Dream House (2011)

Featured Audience Ratings

• Justin Y

  
  Jim Sheridan can't get it together for <i>Dream House</i>.<p>What seemingly looks like a dark fantasy or creepy thriller, <i>Dream House</i> plays out like neither. With a very slow pace and a monotonous aura around it all, even a story that fails… More
  Jim Sheridan can't get it together for <i>Dream House</i>.<p>What seemingly looks like a dark fantasy or creepy thriller, <i>Dream House</i> plays out like neither. With a very slow pace and a monotonous aura around it all, even a story that fails to reach 90 minutes can feel like a journey. A humdrum journey at that. The most promising piece of the puzzle happens about halfway in and after that it is a slow decline downhill, leaving the midway point as the climax of the picture.</p><p>There is slim to none in the way of suspense, or even anything thrilling for that matter. It's no surprise that the marketing for this film is misleading.</p><p>The highly recognizable cast is a plus; however, it is a shame they were all wasted in here. Daniel Craig and Rachel Weisz do deliver good performances with what they are given to work with, which isn't much. Naomi Watts is a pleasure to see, despite having a disappointing character.</p><p>In conclusion, <i>Dream House</i> does contain a few positives, but not enough to secure a recommendation.</p>

• Lewis C

  
  Dream House is a limp, ineffective thriller that has a great cast and...well, really nothing else. I was well aware of how poorly Dream House had been received by critics and most audiences, but I was convinced I should see it, regardless. I'd yet to encounter a movie that… More
  Dream House is a limp, ineffective thriller that has a great cast and...well, really nothing else. I was well aware of how poorly Dream House had been received by critics and most audiences, but I was convinced I should see it, regardless. I'd yet to encounter a movie that Naomi Watts didn't make at least somewhat worthwhile for me. Until now. There's a fine line between an interesting story and a ridiculous one, and this movie spends way too much time on the wrong of it. It's advertised as a ghost story, and it is (a very poor) one in a way, but it's also something of a (terrible) murder mystery and a (mess of a) psychological thriller. It reminded me of Shutter Island in some ways, but not in quality or coherence. Dream House is just so ridiculous and ill-conceived that I could barely make it through it. The best cast in the world can't save a true dud, and this is just more proof of that fact. Even the biggest fans of Naomi Watts, Rachel Weisz or Daniel Craig should do themselves a favor and skip Dream House. They're all wasted, as would almost surely be your time.

• ♥˩ƳИИ &

  
  Cast: Daniel Craig, Rachel Weisz, Naomi Watts, Marton Csokas, Claire Geare, Taylor Geare, Rachel G. Fox, Jonathan Potts, Lynne Griffin, Elias Koteas, Mark Wilson Director: Jim Sheridan Summary: Daniel Craig plays Will Atenton, a successful businessman who forsakes New York… More
  Cast: Daniel Craig, Rachel Weisz, Naomi Watts, Marton Csokas, Claire Geare, Taylor Geare, Rachel G. Fox, Jonathan Potts, Lynne Griffin, Elias Koteas, Mark Wilson Director: Jim Sheridan Summary: Daniel Craig plays Will Atenton, a successful businessman who forsakes New York City for the rural pleasures of New England, only to discover that the tranquil abode he's moved into was the scene of an as-yet-unsolved multiple homicide. Drawn reluctantly into the mystery surrounding the tragic events, Will and his wife (Rachel Weisz) soon begin finding plenty of reasons to worry about their own safety in this psychological thriller. My Thoughts: "From watching the trailer I was given the impression that this movie was going to be a creepy scary thriller. But instead what I got was a waste of time. The film is not creepy at all, nor is it scary and it drags way too long in to many spots. It's very clear what is going on and the twists aren't surprising at all. I thought I was going to watch a haunted house type flick, definitely not the case with this film. The acting wasn't great either. The only one's pulling out great performances in this mess was Rachel Weisz and the two little girls. Daniel Craig was OK but Naomi Watts is forgettable. I probably wouldn't have minded this film so much if it was portrayed to be what it is, a suspense thriller, then what the trailer showed as a scary thriller. Disappointed."

• Everett J

  
  When I saw the trailer for this I thought it was like a horror movie. Instead, "Dream House" is a psychological thriller, that gives it's twist away early and really goes no where. Will(Daniel Craig) quits his job in New York to move with his wife(Rachel Weisz) and… More
  When I saw the trailer for this I thought it was like a horror movie. Instead, "Dream House" is a psychological thriller, that gives it's twist away early and really goes no where. Will(Daniel Craig) quits his job in New York to move with his wife(Rachel Weisz) and their two daughters to a cottage in New England. As they begin to settle in they learn that a murder had taken place at the house years ago. Weird things begin to happen, and Will begins to investigate the murder. Can't say anymore, or it will give away the rest of the movie. It's a pretty easy movie to figure out, then towards the end they throw in a wrench to the story that really kind of sucks. I'm surprised they were able to get such a great cast, with such a sub par story. This has been done so many other times, and done so much better. If you are looking for a scary movie, then this is not the movie you want to watch. If you want to watch a glorified "Law and Order" meets something like "Ghost Hunters"(that may be a really bad analogy, but I'm not the brightest crayon in the box) then this is for you. Just skip it and watch something better like "Insidious".

• Nicki M

  
  This was okay. To be honest, I didn't initially recognize the cast - the acting was such that I thought it was a no-name straight to DVD movie! (this copy was given to me with no cover and just the movie name on it - the credits do not roll until the end of the movie. In my… More
  This was okay. To be honest, I didn't initially recognize the cast - the acting was such that I thought it was a no-name straight to DVD movie! (this copy was given to me with no cover and just the movie name on it - the credits do not roll until the end of the movie. In my defense, I do not really follow Daniel Craig or Rachel Weitz as actors, but I possibly should have recognized Naomi Watts. Haha). The story in the beginning is of a man who quits his job to stay home with his family and write a novel. They have bought a beautiful home in the suburbs. And everything is perfect (too perfect and boarding on yucky. I guess that's why I found the acting so unconvincing). It soon transpires that all is not as it seems to be. It occurred to me this would make a better book than movie, but it kept me interested and literally on the edge of my seat once or twice. Not something I would watch again anytime soon, but decent rental viewing for a dull weekend.

• Dead A

  
  I don't think it has that much potential in it.

• Pedro H

  
  <i>Once upon a time, there were two little girls who lived in a house. </i> <b>Surprisingly good</b> The biggest mistake people do when going to watch this movie is expect it to be a horror film. It isn't it is a psychological drama with a very… More
  <i>Once upon a time, there were two little girls who lived in a house. </i> <b>Surprisingly good</b> The biggest mistake people do when going to watch this movie is expect it to be a horror film. It isn't it is a psychological drama with a very interesting film that has a lot to offer. This is a complex film and I am afraid if I resume it I would somehow spoil things. Its packed with <b>great</b> and surprising twists, and is very well written. Craig does an amazing performance and I cant wait to see him in The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. Weisz is also good, and her chemistry with Craig is believable on screen (despite the fact they are dating). The movie has a great cast, an awesome and well written story. However, the movie at certain points becomes very repetitive, and the twists are revealed very early into the movie. There are many ways this could have been done better but overall it is a fun interesting movie. <u>Trish: </u> <i>"Everybody who lives in this house gets killed."</i>

• Brad W

  
  Dream House was not the film that I was expecting, but as I left the theatre I felt good that I saw it. The story follows Will Atenton (Daniel Craig) who quits his publishing job to spend more time with his two girls and wife, but he suspects something mysterious about his house and… More
  Dream House was not the film that I was expecting, but as I left the theatre I felt good that I saw it. The story follows Will Atenton (Daniel Craig) who quits his publishing job to spend more time with his two girls and wife, but he suspects something mysterious about his house and the people who lived there before when people tell him the family who lived there last was killed, and he starts to suspect his neighbor Ann (Naomi Watts) knows something about them. The story is not a incredible one, but its one I really got into and loved all the twists it had, and they even have a interesting beginning where they are setting up a story and we do not even realize it, and I realize this film will get a lot of critisism, but its my opinion, and I will stick to it. The cast was actually not bad, I always love Daniel Craig and the rest of the cast did actually did well done performances, it seems to me every film Daniel Craig does he puts his heart into it and does his best, and it really shows. One problem with Dream House is the trailer makes it look like a horror film, and to be honest it wasn't scary at all, there were like three moments that made me jump but im a sucker to pop out moments, so trust me, do not see this if you are planning to be scared, because its a thriller. Dream House could have been a very scary film, instead its a average thriller B movie, but with a nicely done story and well performed cast I enjoyed it, but the film still felt like it was missing something very big that would have made it a incredle movie, and I think that is coherence. (Note: I highly recommend not seeing the trailer of this film, its big spoiler alert)

• Nikhil N

  
  This was an entertaining movie but to my dismay the main plot twist was given away by the trailer! I would've loved this movie if the twist and the thrill (things which make mystery movies good) weren't revealed beforehand!

• Carlos M

  
  This mess of a film has a few interesting elements but the stupid plot wants so badly to be convoluted that it even forgets to be coherent or plausible. And beware, the trailer gives away the entire movie, including the twists, which only proves that the people in charge of the… More
  This mess of a film has a few interesting elements but the stupid plot wants so badly to be convoluted that it even forgets to be coherent or plausible. And beware, the trailer gives away the entire movie, including the twists, which only proves that the people in charge of the marketing are complete imbeciles.

• Frank P

  
  Wow, just wow. What a mess. It COULD have been a good movie, but there were just too many things happening and not enough explanation to sustain it. First off, they use the classic Hollywood bullcrap technique of using trailers and the picture on the cover to market this off as a… More
  Wow, just wow. What a mess. It COULD have been a good movie, but there were just too many things happening and not enough explanation to sustain it. First off, they use the classic Hollywood bullcrap technique of using trailers and the picture on the cover to market this off as a horror movie, people, this is not a horror movie. The trailer was just cut together from scenes in the movie that don't even make any sense when they actually play out. They are so badly edited in there, you could tell they put these completely pointless scenes in just for the trailer. Just watch it, you'll see. Alright, well first we have our main character, Generic British Writer guy, or at least that's what I'll be calling him seeing the fact that he has almost no personality at all. He really doesn't have any internal conflicts...well he does, but his acting is so bland that he doesn't show it, and even when he does they are the most cliche and overused conflicts in a thriller(once again, not horror) movie ever. I'll talk about that later. So anyway, it starts out with him at work talking with some of his friends at work about "The big move!" so yeah, the only explanation for this move is that he wants to get out of the city and move to a calm neighborhood to write his book (which is never mentioned again until the last ten minutes of the movie). This just strikes me as odd, his family is okay with this? They don't have any objections to him moving his two daughters miles away from all their friends just so he can write a book? It's not like he can just, oh I don't know, go to the library or something to write it? We don't even get to see their old house or any of the conflicts about the move, it just cuts to the new house. Well, after that pesky plot set-up is out of the way thanks to that abrupt beginning, lets talk about his family. He has a wife and two daughters...yeah, that's about it, they're all extremely flat characters with no personalities. Anyways, I should probably speed this up, you all are tired of reading all this text. So yeah, short version, there's a guy that starts stalking his family, Generic British Writer Guy finds out from a bunch of teenagers in his basement doing stupid ghost summoning crap (they still thought the house was abandoned) that the previous owner of the house, Peter Ward, killed his family and must be stalking him. He tries to run him over with a car on his own front lawn in one scene. Generic British Writer Guy manages to use his insane matador skills to dodge a moving car more than twice, all the while standing about two feet in front of it like an idiot. The police get there within seconds of the incident, and also with no one calling them (damn, neighborhood watch is really stepping up). The police don't chase after the car, even though they drove right by it on the road. Generic British Car Taunting Idiot goes to the police chief about the incident, where he reveals the most "shocking" news ever. Generic British Matador Guy is actually Peter Ward, yup, split personality. His family? Not real. His house? A pile of condemned crap. Him? Never actually convicted, but now determined to find the true murderer. His friends from work? Other crazies at the asylum(By the way, they keep mental institutions INSIDE the police stations now? Man, the economy is taking its toll on everyone.) So yeah, the entire plot of this movie as of now, is completely pointless. You thought you were going to see him save his family from a crazed madman? Well too bad, they're all dead. So sad, I got so attached to those bland, uninteresting characters. Also, mind that I'm not actually spoiling anything. This literally all happens in the first thirty minutes of the movie. This movie is an hour and a half long. They just threw one of the most overused twists in any movie at you in the very beginning. Guess how the rest of the movie plays out from here? He goes to meet one of his neighbors who knew him somehow before his family got killed, don't bother trying to figure out who she was or how she knew him. He spends the rest of the movie hunting down the killer. A couple more twists here, a couple more bland characters with no personalities there, along with the fact that the villain was someone who pretty much EVERYONE suspected to be, and you've got yourself Dream House. It's a dodgy, generic, uninteresting mess of a movie. It pretty much feels like a bunch of different movies thrown together, if only the movies stitched together didn't totally suck. It has overused plot devices, overused plots altogether ( I've seen many, many movies like this, you probably have too) and overused...everything! It just feels like a generic, overused mess. Don't see this movie.

• Jan Marc M

  
  Death, madness, and mystery. Dream House is an unexpected thriller guaranteed to satisfy the curious and the casual audience. Mad.

• Jason C

  
  Here's a gigantic mess. This movie actually starts out promising. Then the storytelling shows it's hand too quickly. After the writers paint themselves into a corner, the remainder of the film unravels into a desperate, convoluted disaster. Despite the film's best… More
  Here's a gigantic mess. This movie actually starts out promising. Then the storytelling shows it's hand too quickly. After the writers paint themselves into a corner, the remainder of the film unravels into a desperate, convoluted disaster. Despite the film's best efforts, it's far too predictable to create any suspense. When this is released on DVD, don't be fooled by entertaining trailers and a solid cast, this movie is garbage. Avoid.

• Bradley W

  
  Dream House is decent film that grabbed my attention, even if it is a mess of a film I guess that I just thought it was better than I originally anticipated. Its got a lot of good things going for it but wastes them foolishly, such as the story, great cast, and the one thing that… More
  Dream House is decent film that grabbed my attention, even if it is a mess of a film I guess that I just thought it was better than I originally anticipated. Its got a lot of good things going for it but wastes them foolishly, such as the story, great cast, and the one thing that ruined it, the trailer. the trailer gave away the films plot twist and it ruined the experience a bit if you ask me. One positive thing I found in the film was the simplicity, usually they try to make movies like this complex but this was a simple and easy experience for an average movie watcher. Another positive thing I found in the film was Daniel Craig's performance, who is quickly becoming one of my favorite actors. The plot is a mess, it just has a huge hole in it that made it seem completely pointless, and I am not sure if it was going for a thriller or horror, because either way it failed. This movie was not good but I certainly did not think it was bad as the other critics, but I do see where they are coming from.

• George F

  
  I hadn't seen the trailer before I was handed free tickets to see Dream House. Now, I'm glad I hadn't, because watching the trailer 5 minutes ago, it really does give away the entire movie. That said, there isn't much to give away. Dream House was stupid, vague and… More
  I hadn't seen the trailer before I was handed free tickets to see Dream House. Now, I'm glad I hadn't, because watching the trailer 5 minutes ago, it really does give away the entire movie. That said, there isn't much to give away. Dream House was stupid, vague and the longest 91 minutes you'll ever spend in a theater. The "twist" happens about halfway through and then the audience and the characters all kind of wait around to see what the hell we're going to do next. Do not see Dream House. It's not good or bad enough to be entertaining.

• Ryan M

  
  Half a star out of **** Such a sad thing it is, when a director and his stars can't even take pride in their own movie. Jim Sheridan and actors Daniel Craig, Rachel Weisz, and Naomi Watts have openly expressed their disapproval of how "Dream House" turned out; and… More
  Half a star out of **** Such a sad thing it is, when a director and his stars can't even take pride in their own movie. Jim Sheridan and actors Daniel Craig, Rachel Weisz, and Naomi Watts have openly expressed their disapproval of how "Dream House" turned out; and it's only now that I can take part in their pain, although being a simple onlooker, I probably can't quite relate to the feeling. But in a strange sort of way, I'm OK with that. The film is a prime example of what happens when a studio forcefully derails an artistic vision; I'm actually fairly interested in hearing how the film - which has a pretty solid and intriguing premise going for it - ended up such a stinking pile of pure horseshit. Sheridan is no hack, so it comes to a surprise that he was able to crank out something as thoroughly repulsive as this; whatever it is. Look, I'm all for derivative movies that are entertaining, and perhaps even derivative movies that are passable; but derivative movies that are bad are another thing, and boy, let me tell you - this film is really, really bad...and derivative. I don't know what they were thinking while making it, if they were in fact thinking at all. Businessman Will Atenton (Daniel Craig) quits his job so that he can spend more time with his wife Libby (Rachel Weisz) and his two young daughters. I suppose he will now take up writing or something like that. Anyways, the family has just invested in a new house; and they are renovating the premises themselves. It's not a bad looking place, but as they will soon discover, it's got a hell of a past. After some strange occurrences - such as the kids supposedly seeing a man outside the window, and some teenagers practicing occult rituals in the basement - Will decides to take matters into his own hands, and so begins the short-lived quest to find out the truth behind the house's history. His findings include the former owner of the house - a man by the name of Peter Ward - and the tragic crimes that he committed towards his family. This is the kind of movie that should be creepy for at least until the big twist is revealed, but alas, I never felt anything but boredom and plenty of yawns already pre-forming inside of me. In fact, I'd have to say the very act of yawning is more a more engaging and satisfactory way to spend my time than any time spent watching this atrocious disaster. I kept wondering: was it a thriller, was it a horror movie, or was it a drama? Perhaps it's one of those movies that tries to be all three. Although it goes without saying that it fails miserably; but unlike a great many films, never for a moment does it have the strength or capacity to bring itself back up. I'd have to say that it starts its grand descent into horror movie hell the moment Daniel Craig utters his first line of indescribably lame dialogue, and it just keeps on falling from that point on. The film has a lot in common with films such as "The Shining", but instead of paying homage or respect to its influences, it takes, takes, and takes some more. It doesn't even borrow; it just steals ideas and atmospheric queues without even asking the audience or the makers of the original material kindly. I know that I personally don't need a film that's entirely original - especially not in the harsh times that we find ourselves in these days when it comes to a night at the movies - but when you seem to be going out of your way to be completely unoriginal, I cannot help but be just a little bothered by your "efforts". I'm not too sure is Sheridan was trying to make as bad a movie as he did, since his heart never seemed to be in the thing from the start, but nevertheless; his name is still attached - in spite of his noble attempts to remove it. The thing is just so goddamn bad; with ZERO charisma from the cast members - who spew the kind of dialogue that you get when you, say, put the script through the shredder - and a visual style that is competent, but really nothing special. Throw in generic, cute little girls; and you've got yourself a nice example of why PG-13 horror is so often looked down on as a bad thing. It was a pain in the ass sitting through this one. I never want to see it again. If I ever do, I'll want to either (1.) blow my brains out or (2.) burn every copy of the film that I see from thereon out. Please don't be stupid and make the mistake that I did of watching the film in its entirety; curiosity killed the cat you know, and this time, it may very well kill the man. "Dream House" is one of the most inexcusably dull films I've ever seen; and I don't put that lightly, I really mean it this time. I watch a lot of bad films, and some are sort of enjoyable in their badness, but no pleasure or salvation can be derived from this slow, plodding, tedious mess. At 90 minutes, it seems like one of those overlong 3-hour epics-that-aren't-really-epics. And it case you didn't know; those tend to be really, really bad.

• Jeffrey M

  
  It lacks originality, and it ends up at a predictable place, but Dream House is enjoyable enough getting there that it's always watchable. Daniel Craig and Rachel Weisz bring a lot of presence and charm to their otherwise poorly developed roles. The script really doesn't… More
  It lacks originality, and it ends up at a predictable place, but Dream House is enjoyable enough getting there that it's always watchable. Daniel Craig and Rachel Weisz bring a lot of presence and charm to their otherwise poorly developed roles. The script really doesn't derail until the last act, helping make the film fairly competent for 2/3 of its running time, before turning in a laughably bad "twist' for its ending. 3/5

• Jeff B

  
  More stitched together than Hitched up, this twisty haunted House is more of a nightmare than a dream to watch...and though this may seem like a compliment for a horror movie, it's actually a frightful slight. Truthfully, it's more of a bleak creep show than out-and-out… More
  More stitched together than Hitched up, this twisty haunted House is more of a nightmare than a dream to watch...and though this may seem like a compliment for a horror movie, it's actually a frightful slight. Truthfully, it's more of a bleak creep show than out-and-out suspenseful thriller. Honestly, if he were still alive and kicking, Alfred Hitchcock himself might've actually taken a crack at this story-a psychological thriller about a man unraveling a scary past he's buried down deep inside himself. Of course, if Hitch were involved, there would've been welcome moments of humor in the dour script. Audiences, of course, have seen this story done before and better. Think of it as a more claustrophobic Shutter Island or Spellbound in need of Spell Check...if you bother to think of it at all. In this PG-13-rated thriller, a couple (Craig and Weisz) who move their kids into a house whose former residents were brutally murdered...by a killer who's still on the loose. Under the always-amazing direction of Jim Sheridan (In the Name of the Father, The Boxer), Craig, Weisz, and Watts bring some heft to their roles. Unfortunately, even if the shots and acting are all pretty solid, the script leaves all involved with thrills that are strictly standard issue (now he's there, now he's not; is he or isn't he the killer?). The twists, however, are a mixed bag. To counter the juicy reveal at midpoint (unfortunately given away in the preview), there's a ridiculous Who Done It? Scooby Doo unveiling at the end. Bottom line: House of Whacks.

• Christopher H

  
  Dream House is one of the most unoriginal films in recent memory. The plot is painfully transparent, with zero suspense and zero thrills. With some real reworking, this could have been a much better film, with hints of the right ideas popping up from time to time. Lacking direction… More
  Dream House is one of the most unoriginal films in recent memory. The plot is painfully transparent, with zero suspense and zero thrills. With some real reworking, this could have been a much better film, with hints of the right ideas popping up from time to time. Lacking direction and filled with meaningless "twists", the only shimmer of hope this film had was its main cast, Daniel Craig and Rachel Weisz, who, despite what appear to be their best efforts, are not able to turn this film around.

• Christopher O

  
  A decent thriller with a interesting twist however it is telegraphed a little too early to make it completely effective. Daniel Craig and Rachel Weiz are quite good as a couple who move into their dream home with their two young daughters. Jim Sheridan changes generes and does a… More
  A decent thriller with a interesting twist however it is telegraphed a little too early to make it completely effective. Daniel Craig and Rachel Weiz are quite good as a couple who move into their dream home with their two young daughters. Jim Sheridan changes generes and does a suitable job keeping it on the right track. Naomi Watts is also good as the neighbor who has ties to the couple. The film is more drama than horror but a decent rental on a Saturday night.

Read all 20 featured audience ratings