Movie Review: 'Dream House' more of a nightmare in snow
Submitted by Carson Now Reader on Sun, 10/02/2011 - 8:27pm
"Dream House," currently showing at the Fandango Galaxy multiplex in Carson City, is a suspense film staring Daniel Craig as editor/writer Will Atenton, Rachel Weisz as his wife Libby, and Naomi Watts as Ann Paterson, a neighbor of the Atentons in their new suburban home.
Will quits his New York City editor's job so that he can write a novel, and he and wife and daughters Dee Dee and Trish are settling in when the girls claim they saw a man outside the house. Will tries to explain but finds footprints in the snow.
Will and Libby discover that their new home was the site of the murder of the occupying family. Will tries to find out more but the cops tell him he was found not guilty of the murders and let go.
Meanwhile, neighbor Ann Patterson (Naomi in a role far from her excellent gig in "King Kong") is divorcing her husband and fighting for custody of their daughter. Said husband Jack Patterson (Marton Csokas, a nice a baddie as you're liable to run into) gives Will the evil eye.
Don't want to go further into the story line as that could be a killer for those who haven't seen the film, but pay careful attention during the last half of things, it all gets a bit tangled.
Craig is sufficiently disheveled to separate him for his 007 days and wears the hero's stubble beard. Weisz is a dutiful wife but she has to battle scenes with Naomi.
How good is it? Well, it's got a good blazing fire scene, a couple of cute tots and lots of snow, a reminder of what's ahead for all of us. The snow will be better than this confusing double-talk movie, I'm sure.
— Sam Bauman
Cast
— Daniel Craig as Will Atenton
— Rachel Weisz as Libby Atenton
— Naomi Watts as Ann Patterson
— Marton Csokas as Jack Patterson
— Claire Geare as Dee Dee Atenton
— Taylor Geare as Trish Atenton
— Rachel G. Fox as Chloe Patterson
— Mark Wilson as Dennis Conklin
— Jonathan Potts as Tony Ferguson
— Lynne Griffin as Sadie
— Elias Koteas as Hooded Man / Boyce
— Gregory Smith as Artie
— Chris Owens as Tom Barrion
— Jane Alexander as Dr. Greeley
— Sarah Gadon as Cindi
— Marlee Otto as Zara
— Joe Pingue as Martin
— David Huband as Officer Nelson
— James Collins as Police Officer
Directed by: Jim Sheridan
Produced by: Jim Sheridan, James G. Robinson, David C. Robinson, Daniel Bobker, Ehren Kruger
Written by: David Loucka
Music by: John Debney
Cinematography: Caleb Deschanel
Editing by: Barbara Tulliver
Distributed by: Universal Pictures
Running time: 92 minutes, rated PG 13.
