Dream House (2011) [Blu-ray]
Drama | Mystery | Thriller

Will Atenton (Daniel Craig) quit a high-profile job in Manhattan to relocate his wife, Libby (Oscar®-winner Rachel Weisz), and their two daughters to a quaint New England town. But as they settle into their new life, they discover their perfect home was once the murder scene of a mother and her children. When Will investigates, he's not sure if he's seeing ghosts or if the tragic events are somehow related to his past. The only clues come from his mysterious neighbor, Ann (Oscar®-nominee Naomi Watts), who helps him piece together this haunting puzzle. Full of twists and suspense, this psychological thriller will have you on the edge of your seat.

User Comment: grandbucket, 4 July 2011 • Generic and predicable thriller made somewhat bearable by the undeniable chemistry and acting chops between Daniel Craig and Rachel Weisz, even though both actors involved deserved better than what they were giving with the material. Daniel Craig and Rachel Weisz work very well together on screen ( and supposedly in real life as well) but they should have waited for a better film to showcase their chemistry and acting chops then this film, which not only does not respect their efforts in trying to bring humanity and credibility to a badly written script but does not even try to at least capitalize on their efforts in bringing more to the movie. Instead, the movie goes into several different unnecessary directions that goes no where and drags this film down. Naomi Watts is good as well but i just did not think much about her character and found her an unnecessary, forced inclusion to the story that ruins the film by making it even more predictable than it already is. The film also feels like it was two separate movies before it became one. Its a ghost story then it moves into a mystery with out it making much sense, not to mention the fact of how predicable the whole structure is. Let's just say that you have in fact seen this story before.

Its alright for what it is but it could have been much more, especially with two great actors (Weisz and Craig) having great acting chemistry on screen.

Summary: Daniel Craig and Rachel Weisz have a great chemistry together, too bad they wasted their efforts on this movie.

User Comment: GoneWithTheTwins from www.GoneWithTheTwins.com, 30 September 2011 • Dream House had plenty of potential with its story, despite the fact that it's completely derivative of two other movies. Revealing those films would spoil the surprise, as they are both popular and well-received by audiences and critics alike. The shame is not in the copycat techniques but rather in the failure to exploit the stolen ideas to the fullest extent. Dream House fuses the plots cleverly, but fizzles when the first big reveal can be guessed 45 minutes in (if not sooner) – and is then purposely betrayed at the one hour mark so that audiences can ponder and digest the not-so-shocking revelation.

Will Atenton (Daniel Craig) has finally decided to quit his job as an editor at GPH Publishers to spend more time with his wife Libby (Rachel Weisz) and kids (Taylor and Claire Geare) and to start writing a book. He moves to a large house in rural Fairfield County, which holds a dark history. In his new home, undisclosed by his realtor, a father brutally murdered his wife and kids. Will eventually learns that the unhinged man, Peter Ward, spent five years in a psychiatric ward and was then released – to a halfway house nearby.

Will's children aren't too fond of the considerable dwelling, especially when they see a mysterious man watching them through the window. Fresh footprints in the snow support their sighting, and Will is repeatedly awoken by bumps in the night. The neighbor across from him, Ann Patterson (Naomi Watts), knows something of Ward's incarceration, but refuses to divulge information. Everyone in the town seems rather tight-lipped about the deadly incident, and Will takes it upon himself to get to the bottom of it. When someone continues to harass his family by stalking the house, he visits Ward's institution to uncover some startling evidence.

An accomplished, celebrated cast of characters gives Dream House a higher quality (than its B-movie origins) and greater promise. Some will say they're wasted on this script, but it's not as dismal as that. Unfortunately, it's the kind of storyline that needs polishing, a few more solid thrills, and smarter twists – or at least more intelligent psychological zigzags. The serene music compliments the sense of foreboding that steadily creeps into the picture, along with the savvy use of mirrors, reflections, general mise en scene, and shuddersome environment (namely the hallway and basement). Most of it is gimmicky but effective. But as with any mystery, the solution is the most crucial aspect – it's the one element that proves most memorable and determines whether or not the film will be recognized as unique. If a whodunit concedes a letdown, even its high points are unlikely to be forgiven.

Summary: The shame is not in the copycat techniques but rather in the failure to exploit the stolen ideas to the fullest extent.

[CSW] -2.8- This copycat movie, a completely derivative of two other movies, was saved by the excellent cast and great acting. Read the user's comments above and know that I also wish that they had fully exploited what could've been a great plot. Although it is worth watching, I think this should be a rental only.
[V4.0-A4.0] AC-1 - D-Box 8.8/10 -- An 8.8 means that the D-Box was as good as this movie's limited number of action scenes allowed.

º º