Dream House
Universal Pictures | Release Date: September 30, 2011
8.4
USER SCORE
Universal acclaim based on 272 Ratings
USER RATING DISTRIBUTION
Positive:
210
Mixed:
46
Negative:
16
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User Reviews

User scoreBy dateMost helpful
6
AudiowombatOct 8, 2011
Some of the critics are unduly harsh on this movie. Its engaging. There are a few interesting twists. Its not nearly as creepy as the ads would lead you to believe, but my teenage boys enjoyed it enough that they were still talking aboutSome of the critics are unduly harsh on this movie. Its engaging. There are a few interesting twists. Its not nearly as creepy as the ads would lead you to believe, but my teenage boys enjoyed it enough that they were still talking about it a week later. No need to see it in theatre though, fine to watch at home.… Expand
2 of 3 users found this helpful21
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6
Ochoa1Oct 17, 2011
The movie had a slow start, but became engaged. For us it was not predictable and definitely a psychological movie. Reality versus illusion-What looked like reality was only an illusion.
1 of 2 users found this helpful11
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4
Xborn74Mar 4, 2012
The film tells the story of an executive of a publishing house, who abandons his job to spend more time with his with family, moving into the house of his dreams ... he discovers there, after a few events, that five years before, there was aThe film tells the story of an executive of a publishing house, who abandons his job to spend more time with his with family, moving into the house of his dreams ... he discovers there, after a few events, that five years before, there was a massacre inside the house. The performance of Rachel Weisz and Naomi Watts (especially) are the best of the film: Daniel Craig can give dramatic air in the later parts of the film, but in scenes that he show more emotion as a father (happy ones), the thing is a little awkward. The script is well written in the early suspense parts of the film, from the middle to the end, especially in the last one is weird, and rushed - the movie would have the potential to be a good movie, if he hadn't "lost his breath" and finished so abruptly, out of nowhere (and a brief scene with any connection to the main story appear at the beginning of it, to explain the end). Although I think it is a unpretentious distraction as a movie, with and a story a bit unusual. My score: 4.0 / 10.0.… Expand
1 of 2 users found this helpful11
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4
Sir_BrandonOct 13, 2011
The biggest mistake Dream House made was revealing itâ
1 of 3 users found this helpful12
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5
scrieciuOct 13, 2011
The trailer ruined the movie for me, because it gives away the main twist. If you lost interest of watching it, well you should still give it a try, because there's actually even more twists. If I haven't seen the trailer, the story wouldThe trailer ruined the movie for me, because it gives away the main twist. If you lost interest of watching it, well you should still give it a try, because there's actually even more twists. If I haven't seen the trailer, the story would have been more surprising and likable. So '' Dream House '' is pretty much what you think it is, but not really. It's similar to '' Shutter Island ''. If you have seen many psychological thrillers, then this movie will be predictable for you. There's nothing new about it, so it's not very original. Has a psychological movie fan, i'm a little bit disappointed. There was moments that were mysterious and intriguing.The part that captivated me the most was the end twist. The rest was quite boring and forgettable.The movie does have good points to. The ambiance was creepy (the music, the house, the trees, etc) and the acting was good. '' Dream House '' could have been better, it felt '' incomplete ''. It's an average movie. It's not worth seeing in theaters. You should rent it when it comes out on blu-ray and DVD.… Expand
0 of 1 users found this helpful01
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4
eTurkeyFeb 3, 2012
Haunted houses are believed to have spirits and ghosts haunting them. A dream house refers to a person's home perfectly fitting their needs and desires. When these two terms blend together you should have a flawless screenplay for an awesomeHaunted houses are believed to have spirits and ghosts haunting them. A dream house refers to a person's home perfectly fitting their needs and desires. When these two terms blend together you should have a flawless screenplay for an awesome Hollywood thriller. Sadly "Dream House" is not it. The acting is quite good, particularly the performance from the lead actor Daniel Craig but how the storyline was directed was really awful in that it was hugely predictable. And the ending was particularly dumb. A shame.… Expand
0 of 1 users found this helpful01
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4
aucklandaApr 8, 2012
Dream House has moments where it tries to build tension but more often then not fizzles to nothing. When the twist comes along (half way through) it is a bit of a shock but is fairly uninspiring. Waiting for the plot to uncurl further andDream House has moments where it tries to build tension but more often then not fizzles to nothing. When the twist comes along (half way through) it is a bit of a shock but is fairly uninspiring. Waiting for the plot to uncurl further and introduce what part the caring neighbor plays also keeps the viewer guessing, unfortunately the movie ends unimaginatively and will disappoint most.… Expand
0 of 1 users found this helpful01
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4
ThegodfathersonJun 15, 2013
Dream House is a hard movie to review or even describe without revealing too many twists and turns of the plot. The film stars Daniel Craig (Girl With The Dragon Tattoo) as a writer who settles into a quaint home with his wife (RachelDream House is a hard movie to review or even describe without revealing too many twists and turns of the plot. The film stars Daniel Craig (Girl With The Dragon Tattoo) as a writer who settles into a quaint home with his wife (Rachel Weisz) and two daughters, only to learn that their house was the scene of a horrific crime. When strange things start going bump in the night, the husband starts to uncover a connection to the tragic murders but only the pretty neighbor (Naomi Watts) seems to know what’s going on for sure. Dream House was directed by Jim Sheridan, the man behind such great films as My Left Foot and The Boxer, as well as so-so films like Brothers and Get Rich or Die Trying. Sheridan is a skilled director (even when he’s working with half-baked material) so technically speaking, Dream House is visually sound and richly textured in its disparity between the warm hues and glows of a family home, full of love, and the harsh, blue-tinted, snow-ridden world outside that home or, at times, the grit and grime of homes that have been overrun with rot and despair. The other strength of the film is its cast. Craig, Weisz and Watts are all skilled actors and keep a lot of the more ridiculous aspects of the story (more on that later) grounded in believable performances. Craig often stone-faced and grim displays some warmth and smiles in his role as a loving father, though he gets ample time to stone-face it as well. Weisz is good as a free-spirited wife and mother; she makes her character stand out as a unique and fully-formed person, while Watts is given a harder task, playing a pivotal character that has to be balanced just right to be believable at all. Watts almost pulls of that balancing act, but not quite. Guys like Elias Koteas and Marton Csokas are great character actors though they’re given little to work with here. This is also a film that changes gears very drastically in its 1st, 2nd, and 3rd acts, and subsequently feels disjointed and episodic, rather than organic and cohesive. There are also a truckload of logical flaws, and plot holes so wide they are nearly impossible not to fall into. On the whole, the poor script reduces Dream House to a movie that is hard to get into and stay into despite the talented actors and director working to keep it grounded and engaging. Sometimes an idea just falls flat. There’s no harm in the trying. Certain viewers may watch Dream House and be thrilled by the shifting, uncertain nature of its plot (if they can avoid scrutinizing it and simply brush off the gaping holes). As stated, the film is well-constructed and well-acted, so it’s not a total nightmare. However, like the strangest of dreams, watching this movie will leave you feeling muddled and somewhat upset about the experience.… Expand
0 of 1 users found this helpful01
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6
sracsracFeb 22, 2013
Could have been much more (spoilt by lazy ending). Mid picture plot shift gives leads opportunity to show "human" side but any tension ruined by very predictable finish. Is there an alternate ending version out there?
0 of 1 users found this helpful01
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5
KivaJun 10, 2013
I expected more but it was still good. The actors were ok. It is predictable but i liked it. However if oyu want to watch it it's not that bad. If you don't watch don't you wont lose a masterpiece
0 of 1 users found this helpful01
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5
MovieGuysSep 20, 2013
The move is beautifully shot, carefully directed, and has some great actors in its cast. The movie seems to be going well, until about halfway through when everything seems to fall apart. From then on the movie turns into a dark, depressing,The move is beautifully shot, carefully directed, and has some great actors in its cast. The movie seems to be going well, until about halfway through when everything seems to fall apart. From then on the movie turns into a dark, depressing, dreary psychological glimpse inside the mind of Daniel Craig's character. It becomes very hard to distinguish what is real and what is in his head. If the story hadn't been so arrogant and smug, thinking it was smarter than it was, the plot twist could've been unexpected and thrilling. Instead, the movie implodes into itself.… Expand
0 of 2 users found this helpful02
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5
kemloOct 10, 2011
It was a last minute decision to see Dream House. Although I was impressed by the trailer I was not too inclined to see it , but overall I am glad I did, since it has many worthwhile moments. It is difficult to say too much about the filmIt was a last minute decision to see Dream House. Although I was impressed by the trailer I was not too inclined to see it , but overall I am glad I did, since it has many worthwhile moments. It is difficult to say too much about the film without spoilers which I will try to avoid. It is an entertaining if slow film which starts well, blindsides you quite early on and then ends predictably. The main performances are excellent, and it is also well shot with some nice scenes. This makes for an engaging and intriguing film in many ways but it is just unfortunate that the story is not strong enough and the whole ends up less than the sum of its parts. A good (if not necessarily original) idea which maybe required a bit more work to make a really good film.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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4
DagoblogOct 31, 2011
It is such a shame that Daniel Craig, Rachel Weisz and Director Jim Sheridan didn't have final say on what the movie was going to look like in theaters. The plot itself is a very intriguing one, and if the trailer had been cut right, it wouldIt is such a shame that Daniel Craig, Rachel Weisz and Director Jim Sheridan didn't have final say on what the movie was going to look like in theaters. The plot itself is a very intriguing one, and if the trailer had been cut right, it would have been an intense movie with a great twist. Unfortunately viewers got more than a taste of what the movie would be before they stepped foot in the theater because of the spoiler trailer. Instead of the excitement I had in movies like Shutter Island or Identity, I was stuck wondering how this would get resolved or why I would care. Fortunately Craig did a great job and his real life and on screen wife had a great rapport with him that really kept me interested. Sadly it wasn't enough to make up for the terrible "twist" you didn't know about beforehand and the dreadful parts of Naomi Watts and the two villains. Definitely a pass.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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4
DawdlingPoetNov 28, 2021
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This is a mystery thriller film, featuring themes including arson, haunted houses and hiding. This film starts out with a very sentimental, perhaps partially idyllic tone, with Will leaving his job to spend more time with his family, getting compliments from colleagues and his kids being excited to see him more, accompanied by upbeat, positive instrumental pieces playing in the background. Obviously, due to the plot it doesn't stay that way forever though.

Its fair to say the main plot is far from original and there are a number of cliches present, when things (plot wise) take a sinister turn, such as sinister music, darkly lit moments with things happening suddenly and so on. There is quite a big plot twist present (which is a bit of an understatement) but I found it hard to believe, for a few reasons which I won't go in to, so as not to give any big spoilers away. Generally speaking, the film felt over exaggerated. Having said all that, I did, nevertheless, feel intrigued enough to keep watching and wait to see what would happen to Will and I'd be lying if I said it didn't seem at all spooky, as it did seem relatively spooky and I found myself feeling quite engrossed a certain way in to the film, over half way in to the film but I suppose not everyone would necessarily wait that long to become interested in it. I think the script very much lets this picture (as they used to call them) down.

Cast wise, Daniel Craig plays Will - he does quite well at playing a both worried and frustrated father figure, while Rachel Weisz plays his wife, Libby, who seems utterly bemused by whats going on. Meanwhile, their children are Trish, played by Taylor Geare and Dee Dee, played by Claire Geare. They probably gave the best performances in a way, as their facial expressions really reflect the circumstances their in. Other cast members include Naomi Watts as Ann Patterson and Marton Csokas as Jack Patterson.

Content wise, the film contains partial nudity at times and there are some violent scenes, with injuries shown including blood depicted. There are a few instances of mild profanity, no extremely graphic language but it does have a mildly sinister feel to it, particularly towards the end of the film, which may potentially frighten or disturb a very young audience. I didn't find it especially scary as such (as I've mentioned) but there are a few potential moments which might make you jump, if your especially susceptible to such things and due to this, its been given a 15 rating. Ultimately, I was left with unanswered questions and I felt that there was a clash of it trying to be too sentimental and sweet and also trying to be almost too spooky/sinister but it didn't really, realistically pull off either quite right, sadly.

No, I wouldn't specifically recommend this title, as its too cliched and didn't grab my attention in the first half. It is a bit spooky and has an interesting (if inplausible) plot twist but it isn't the best film of its type by any means.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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