Life as a House

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Life as a House

R

Released Oct 26, 2001

2h 4m

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

47%

Tomatometer

105 Reviews

88%

Popcornmeter

50,000+ Ratings

"Life as a House" is the poignant, often humorous journey of one man who decides to tear down his house -- and winds up rebuilding the world around him. From the day he picks up his sledgehammer, George Monroe embarks on a grand adventure that will shatter expectations and build a foundation for many different dreams among his family and neighbors.

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Critics Consensus

A manipulative tearjerker, Life as a House benefits from fine performances from the cast.

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Nell Minow

Common Sense Media

Uneven but moving story of reconcilliation.

Rated: 3/5

Dec 25, 2010

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Rick Groen

Globe and Mail

Gauged strictly by the gag-factor, a more honest title might be Life as a Basement Apartment with Bad Light and a Dank Smell.

Rated: 2/4

Mar 19, 2002

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Jamie Russell

BBC.com

As a drama it's insipid, maudlin junk that'll have you reaching for the sick-bucket rather than the Kleenex.

Rated: 1/4

Mar 18, 2002

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Emanuel Levy

EmanuelLevy.Com

This father-son melodrama is well acted, but it's too solemn and too concerned with being inspirational

Rated: C+

Jun 2, 2011

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Betsy Bozdech

DVDJournal.com

When it's not veering into cheesiness, this well-acted tale of redemption has some affecting scenes and moments of genuine drama.

Rated: 2.5/4

Nov 9, 2006

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Film Threat

Rated: 3/5

Dec 6, 2005

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Owen S

A very complex film that tackles a lot of dark themes but does it in a wonky way. The film aged pretty poorly and feels like a 2000s period piece however I do really enjoy this movie. It tells a great story narratively but some plotlines feel weirdly done like the 16 year old girl kissing his dad? and then the dad being happy about it? That and the girls boyfriend getting with her mom is very off-putting to an otherwise would have already tackled a lot movie

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

07/21/25

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Courtney K

really nice, heartwarming story.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

01/12/25

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Daniel N

Loved this. Slow burn comedy drama with great writing, great characters and a great story. You can't help but fall in love the characters. A real feel good story that also leaves you with a tear in your eye.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

12/13/24

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b b

There is of course better written movies, but there is something special about this one that resonate deep withing me. Not sure what makes this movies so special to me, but it's one of those movies I can't stay away for long before I feel the need to watch it again.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

04/05/24

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finnley d

Came for emo Hayden Christensen, left emotional. Great watch but have some tissues close by.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

12/12/23

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Audience Member

I first saw this on a transatlantic plane and fell in love with it. It's one of my top-10 movies of all time. The rebuilding-the-house metaphor for the rebuilding the relationship really works, and the varied pace of the movie adds a lot to the tension between father and son. There's a lot of subtlety in the interaction between George and Sam, with poignant and humorous moments - often seconds apart. The beautiful cinemaphotography is a perfect match for the gorgeous music of Mark Isham, which really brings it to its climax. It's intimate, it's beautiful and it's thought-provoking. I love it - and I thins it's time I watched it again.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/24/23

Full Review

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Irwin Winkler

Director

Kevin Kline

George

Kristin Scott Thomas

Robin

Hayden Christensen

Sam

Jena Malone

Alyssa

Mary Steenburgen

Coleen

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Synopsis

"Life as a House" is the poignant, often humorous journey of one man who decides to tear down his house -- and winds up rebuilding the world around him. From the day he picks up his sledgehammer, George Monroe embarks on a grand adventure that will shatter expectations and build a foundation for many different dreams among his family and neighbors.

Director: Irwin Winkler
Producer: Rob Cowan, Irwin Winkler
Screenwriter: Mark Andrus
Distributor: New Line Cinema
Production Co: Winkler Films
Rating: R (Language|Drug Use|Sexuality)
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Oct 26, 2001, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 25, 2011
Box Office (Gross USA): $15.6M
Runtime: 2h 4m
Sound Mix: Dolby SR, DTS, Dolby Stereo, Surround, SDDS, Dolby A, Dolby Digital
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)

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