House of Sand
Sony Pictures Classics | Release Date: August 11, 2006 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
70
METASCORE
Generally favorable reviews based on 23 Critic Reviews
Positive:
20
Mixed:
3
Negative:
0

Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
91
Seattle Post-IntelligencerSean Axmaker
The story plays out in the sensuous textures and hypnotic rhythms as the rebellious youth Torres embodies eases into a serenity and acceptance that Montenegro brings so gently to her performance. Read full review
88
Philadelphia InquirerSteven Rea
Sensual, dreamlike, both intimate and epic, The House of Sand is a cinematic tour de force. Read full review
88
Miami HeraldMarta Barber
In House of Sand, shifting sands are not a cliché; they provide the essential emotional and visual elements that make this film memorable. Read full review
83
Portland OregonianMarc Mohan
Whether Waddington's film comes across as hypnotic or boring, mythic or pretentious, may depend on the viewer's mood or tolerance for quasi-allegorical storytelling. But, as the women in House of Sand learn, patience can sometimes be its own reward. Read full review
83
Christian Science MonitorPeter Rainer
Montenegro, the star of "Central Station," and her daughter make a remarkable pair. They hold your attention even when the emptily portentous story does not. Read full review
80
Washington PostAnn Hornaday
Visually dazzling, epic in its sweep and deeply romantic in its sensibility, The House of Sand is one of those films whose images and ideas linger long after the lights come on, having been burned into the viewer's consciousness. Read full review
80
Film ThreatMichael Ferraro
Full of looming symbolism, House of Sand is a brilliant tale following a family that brings a group of settlers into the middle of the desert to start a new life. Read full review
80
VarietyRobert Koehler
Magnificently renders a fresh view of life on planet Earth. Read full review
80
The New York TimesDana Stevens
At first House of Sand may seem like a stark tale of survival, but a surprisingly lush and colorful romance blossoms in its bleak and gorgeous desert setting. Read full review
80
Los Angeles TimesCarina Chocano
As original as it is lovely. Read full review
75
New York Daily NewsJack Mathews
This epic tale of survival, love and adjustment covers a 59-year period - from 1910, when a band of urban émigrés arrives to start a settlement, to 1969, when only one of them remains. Read full review
75
New York PostV.A. Musetto
Ricardo Della Rosa's sumptuous, wide-screen cinematography takes full advantage of the sandy vista, complementing beautiful acting by Montenegro and Torres. Read full review
75
Boston GlobeWesley Morris
It's a grand outdoor spectacle (the only real interiors are within tents, and those are hard to come by) and a perfectly juicy melodrama. Read full review
75
Chicago TribuneMichael Phillips
Soarez isn't really saying much with House of Sand, beyond marveling at the quirks of fate brought on by time. But the acting keeps it from floating into the ether. Read full review
70
L.A. WeeklyRob Nelson
Andrucha Waddington's admirably pretentious epic of woman in nature makes the rare attempt to impart a purely visual experience Read full review
70
SalonAndrew O'Hehir
It's an impressive film, beautifully photographed and marvelously acted. But is it more than a set of undeniably gorgeous affectations? Read full review
67
Austin ChronicleMarrit Ingman
The House of Sand is a more transparently ambitious, prestigious "woman's picture" than Waddington's previous feature, 2000's "Me You Them." Read full review
67
The A.V. ClubTasha Robinson
House Of Sand is a gorgeous piece of cinema, but by the end, it just dries up and blows away. Read full review
63
TV Guide MagazineKen Fox
After a positively thrilling first half, Brazilian director Andrucha Waddington's follow-up to his acclaimed 2000 debut "Me You Them" badly stumbles over an unfortunate casting strategy. Read full review
63
The Globe and Mail (Toronto)Rick Groen
Whatever The House of Sand may lack in curb appeal, that view from the roof will have you gasping in wonderment. Read full review
58
Entertainment WeeklyOwen Gleiberman
The House of Sand's director, Andrucha Waddington, lays on the Awesome Visual Poetry and throws in a welter of story gimmicks, but it's all a bit too fancifully arid. Read full review
50
San Francisco ChronicleMick LaSalle
Most viewers will have no more fun watching this story than the characters do living it. Read full review
50
Chicago ReaderJonathan Rosenbaum
This pretentious 2005 art movie is somewhat interesting for its wide-screen photography of the striking locale, but the storytelling is awkward and confusing. Read full review
More From This Movie

70 Critic Reviews

6.1 User Reviews

Details & Credits|Trailers

Current Movie Releases
By MetascoreBy User Score
1 77 Project Hail Mary
2 75 Send Help
3 73 Hoppers
4 71 The Sheep Detectives
5 68 Crime 101
SEE ALL
Essential Links
New on Amazon Prime Video
New on Netflix
Coming Soon to DVD/Blu-ray
SEE ALL