The House Across the Street (2013)

Save your money for something good and enjoyable

Great Film overall

The plot isn't so bad, but the pace of storytelling is too slow which makes people bored. Certain moments are so obvious and unnecessary for the main plot. I would've fast-forwarded those moments if it was an online streaming. The ending looks like implying a sequel, not sure if this movie will get one

All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

Amy is irritated by her boyfriend and his offers of help, Amy is angered by the police, Amy is bored by the estate agent, Amy is annoyed at the local chemist. Amy spends such a lot of the time being intolerant of those around her, it is very difficult to care about her plight during the course of this story, especially as the story is not hugely gripping anyway.As the film rolls on, we realise why Amy has a particularly good reason to be angry at the world, but we spend the majority of the story getting to this point, by which time, I had certainly lost interest in her.Of the rest of the cast, Eric Roberts is the most familiar face. Known for adopting a slightly tongue-in-cheek approach to his roles, there's no dramatic change in evidence here. He is probably the most entertaining character, with his dry delivery as Officer Peterson bringing the character more life than is written.What appealed to me about this film was the idea of horrors dwelling beneath the surface of a sunny, respectable suburban setting. Whilst ideas and characters are touched upon in a mildly effective way, there is nothing here to sustain the entire running time, and whilst I often enjoy films that tell a story in a slowly building way, there isn't even a memorable pay-off at the end.

Okay folks...if you see Eric Roberts in the cast of any movie, consider this a RED FLAG. I have yet to see ANY movie with him in it to be any good. This movie that my wife and I watched wasn't very good but at the same time, I've seen worse. Maybe it's because Eric Roberts wasn't the lead in this movie. The plot was weak and I kept waiting for something to happen, not to mention...I originally thought this was a horror movie. I think my wife may have suckered me into watching one of her lifetime thriller movies. Kept expecting something haunted popping up from the house like a vengeful spirit or anything supernatural. Nope. My recommendation...if you see this review...please check into something else. You'll just regret wasting your time with this one. Peace.

This movie is NOT a thriller by far. I just couldn't keep my attention span long enough as the parts just weren't flowing to the next scenes. The acting was below substandard. There could have been some good potential here if it was executed differently because the story was good. I think the actors have some of that potential as well, so not sure who to point the finger at.It was a movie I just couldn't stay awake for. Didn't make much sense. Some of the decisions made in the story didn't make sense; like the just got crutches, let me be nosy and break into the house.Too slow.Can you see how I wrote my review? Patchy? Kinda felt that way about the movie too. Watch it with your cat.

I was confused at first. Very often when someone slaps the label 'Thriller' on a film its because they didn't have the sack to go full force horror, or think that because they've read enough John Grisham novels in airport lounges they know how to keep an audience hanging on every moment. And, usually, they fall face first. Its spectacularly difficult to keep the average viewer's interest (especially mine, I'll admit it) all the way up until the conclusion – that's 3 acts and roughly 90 minutes of tension – no small feat.And that is essentially what you'll find in The House Across the Street. I say essentially because there are moments of lassitude where the momentum ebbs, or the writing is a bit awkward and pulls you out, but it is otherwise a fully immersive experience, and by the final act you'll be unable to look away or even exactly understand what's going on until the end.Its a remarkable combination, I think, that holds the viewer. Thoughtful shots, a bleak and hopeless mood, bizarre characters and a compelling lead (Jessica Sonneborn as Amy) together build a sense of unease, that nothing is OK, that this thin veneer of happiness in an idyllic and quiet neighborhood is hiding something horrifying, slick and slimy.Ugh. Still makes my skin crawl a bit. Makes you look twice at that neighbor that always waves when he's throwing out the trash, or offers to mow your lawn – makes you second guess those split second appraisals we make of others. What is it that Mom always used to say?"Don't judge a book by its cover." The House Across the Street brings new light to that sentiment, and breath to the idea that 'nothing is ever as it seems'. Do you really know whats going on around you? What happens behind closed doors? Do you even dare give life to the possible horror that other people are capable of?TL;DR The House Across the Street taps directly into our primordial hive mind and distills the primitive juices of terror from our collective lizard brain, leaving the viewer agape, jaw planted thoroughly on the floor.Original review at http://horriblyhooched.com/