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The House With a Clock in Its Walls

Play trailer 2:29 Poster for The House With a Clock in Its Walls PG 2018 1h 45m Fantasy Adventure Mystery & Thriller Comedy Play Trailer Watchlist
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65% Tomatometer 219 Reviews 45% Popcornmeter 2,500+ Ratings
Ten-year-old Lewis goes to live with his oddball uncle in a creaky old house that contains a mysterious ticktock noise. He soon learns that Uncle Jonathan and his feisty neighbor, Mrs. Zimmerman, are powerful practitioners of the magic arts. When Lewis accidentally awakens the dead, the town's sleepy facade suddenly springs to life -- revealing a secret and dangerous world of witches, warlocks and deadly curses.
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The House With a Clock in Its Walls

The House With a Clock in Its Walls

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Critics Consensus

An entertaining PG detour for gore maestro Eli Roth, The House with a Clock in Its Walls is a family-friendly blend of humor and horror with an infectious sense of fun.

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Critics Reviews

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Ben Sachs Chicago Reader 03/04/2020
Jack Black (playing the uncle) and Cate Blanchett (as his best friend and partner in magic) are usually welcome screen presences, but they seem embarrassed and undirected here, and the less said about the child actors, the better. Go to Full Review Emily Yoshida New York Magazine/Vulture 01/07/2019
I found my attention wandering. Go to Full Review Chris Stuckmann ChrisStuckmann.com 09/28/2018
B
I feel like Eli Roth kind of revitalized himself with this picture...I'd love to see what else he can do with this kind of film. Go to Full Review Calum Cooper Source (Scotland) 07/14/2024
3/5
Not only does it see weirdness as something to celebrate, but it, through many of its characters, assures young audiences not to fret over the past. Go to Full Review Mike Thorn Vague Visages 12/12/2023
Emerging from a preceding filmography of viciously abrasive and almost ceaselessly offensive films, The House with a Clock in Its Walls sees Roth re-examining his interest in genre cinema. Go to Full Review Joe Lipsett Hazel & Katniss & Harry & Starr Podcast 10/03/2023
3.5/5
While the film is more focused on men than women (like the book), Jack Black and Cate Blanchett make a surprisingly compelling comedic team. While some of the jokes are pretty juvenile, the flights of fancy make this a spooky good time. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Daniel C @RT27845370 Apr 7 A cute enough film that sometimes tries too hard to remind you that it's a kids movie ("Look! Poop!") directed by Eli Roth ("Remember those people? They're dead! And those people hardly mentioned? They also died! Probably horribly but almost certainly tragically!") But you can't go far wrong with a charming wizard and a cute orphan living in a magic house. See more Hayleigh P. @haytay.shows22 Mar 28 This was so good!! The ending made it even better, the perfect family. See more Rebecca W. @Rebeccathecode Mar 22 The trailer does a good job of showing what the movie is like. I liked the banter between Uncle Jonathan(Jack Black) and Miss Zimmerman(Cate Blanchett). My only issue is it felt like it was over too fast, bc the first half was showing the characters and plot. And the last half was the action. See more Tygari D @RT50516022 Mar 14 This is a very strange movie. It's not bad, but it is not good either. The special effects are fantastic. The acting is alright. But the story is really lacking and that really kills the show. If one wishes to see some amazing technical wizardry, it is worth a watch. Anything else and I would advise avoiding this film. See more Alley B @RT58191865 Mar 13 Cute but isn't like the book. You can see this I'm the first five minutes of the movie. I doubt I'll even finish it. I'm halfway through already. See more TheMovieSearch R @TheMovieSearch Mar 6 The House with a Clock in Its Walls starring Jack Black and Cate Blanchett ends up being a film that feels simply average rather than memorable. The premise of a mysterious house filled with magic, secrets, and a hidden supernatural threat suggests a whimsical family adventure, but the execution never fully captures that sense of wonder. Much of the humor leans into corny, almost spoof-style comedy that feels awkward rather than clever, which weakens the film’s overall tone. Cate Blanchett commits to the eccentric nature of her character, though the role often feels oddly disconnected from the rest of the story. Jack Black fits comfortably within his familiar comedic style, but that familiarity makes the performance feel predictable instead of fresh. The narrative itself moves forward in a straight line without building much excitement. What begins as an intriguing mystery never develops into something truly engaging. By the end, the film feels like a missed opportunity See more Read all reviews
The House With a Clock in Its Walls

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Cast & Crew

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Eli Roth

Director

Jack Black

Jonathan Barnavelt

Cate Blanchett

Florence Zimmerman

Owen Vaccaro

Lewis Barnavelt

Kyle MacLachlan

Isaac Izard

Renée Elise Goldsberry

Selena Izard

Movie Clips

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The House With a Clock in Its Walls

The House With a Clock in Its Walls: Official Clip - Raising The Dead The House With a Clock in Its Walls: Official Clip - Raising The Dead 2:58 The House With a Clock in Its Walls: Official Clip - What A Little Weird Can Do The House With a Clock in Its Walls: Official Clip - What A Little Weird Can Do 3:45 The House With a Clock in Its Walls: Official Clip - Betrayal of the Living Dead The House With a Clock in Its Walls: Official Clip - Betrayal of the Living Dead 3:43 The House With a Clock in Its Walls: Official Clip - The House Likes You The House With a Clock in Its Walls: Official Clip - The House Likes You 3:19 The House With a Clock in Its Walls: Official Clip - Smashing Pumpkins The House With a Clock in Its Walls: Official Clip - Smashing Pumpkins 1:36 The House With a Clock in Its Walls: Official Clip - Stopping The Clock The House With a Clock in Its Walls: Official Clip - Stopping The Clock 3:14 The House With a Clock in Its Walls: Official Clip - Broken Magic The House With a Clock in Its Walls: Official Clip - Broken Magic 4:04 The House With a Clock in Its Walls: Official Clip - I'm A Warlock The House With a Clock in Its Walls: Official Clip - I'm A Warlock 3:11 The House With a Clock in Its Walls: Official Clip - Now I'm Indomitable The House With a Clock in Its Walls: Official Clip - Now I'm Indomitable 2:15 The House With a Clock in Its Walls: Official Clip - Baby Jonathan The House With a Clock in Its Walls: Official Clip - Baby Jonathan 2:38 View more videos

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The House With a Clock in Its Walls

The House With a Clock in Its Walls: Behind the Scenes - BabyJack The House With a Clock in Its Walls: Behind the Scenes - BabyJack 1:21 The House With a Clock in Its Walls: Behind the Scenes - A lot of Clocks The House With a Clock in Its Walls: Behind the Scenes - A lot of Clocks 0:59 The House With a Clock in Its Walls: Trailer 2 The House With a Clock in Its Walls: Trailer 2 2:29 The House with a Clock in its Walls: Trailer 1 The House with a Clock in its Walls: Trailer 1 1:58 View more videos
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The House With a Clock in Its Walls

Poster Art Poster Art The House With a Clock in Its Walls (2018) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis Ten-year-old Lewis goes to live with his oddball uncle in a creaky old house that contains a mysterious ticktock noise. He soon learns that Uncle Jonathan and his feisty neighbor, Mrs. Zimmerman, are powerful practitioners of the magic arts. When Lewis accidentally awakens the dead, the town's sleepy facade suddenly springs to life -- revealing a secret and dangerous world of witches, warlocks and deadly curses.
Director
Eli Roth
Producer
Bradley J. Fischer, James Vanderbilt, Eric Kripke
Screenwriter
Eric Kripke
Distributor
Universal Pictures
Production Co
Mythology Entertainment
Rating
PG (Rude Humor|Language|Thematic Elements|Scary Images|Some Action|Sorcery)
Genre
Fantasy, Adventure, Mystery & Thriller, Comedy
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Sep 21, 2018, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Nov 27, 2018
Box Office (Gross USA)
$68.5M
Runtime
1h 45m
Sound Mix
DTS, Dolby Digital, Dolby Atmos
Aspect Ratio
Scope (2.35:1)
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