Well, I tried to tell this cute gal o"mine that this movie was gonna suck. But, she was hell bent on seeing Daniel Craig with his shirt off.  I'll buy her a life size poster next time. They didn't advance screen this for critics. Always a bad sign. Also, I read that the director, Jim Sheradon, walked away from the project in post production because of what the producers were doing to it. Another bad sign.

Bad signs = bad movie.

You know, I was gonna write a big bad review giving all of the details. Decided not too. The concept here had a ton of potential IMO. Just BAD execution. This is one where I would love to read the original script. If anyone has it PM me. Because I gaurantee so much was lost.

Btw, this is not horror in the least. The previews mislead you. It's a psychological thriller... I guess...

James

I'm sure the producers appreciate your financial contribution to their movie, James, because they sure didn't get many other takers this weekend.  

But speaking of the preview...I saw the trailer for this in the theater and was blown away by how many plot twists that it revealed.  Okay, every trailer gives away a little something to entice you, but Dream House's trailer took it to a ridiculous extreme.  First, I see Daniel Craig at his nice home with his wife and kids, then I see the bad CGI on the walls, then they tell us that the house is now actually abandoned, THEN they actually tell us Craig just got out of the nuthouse and every one in his family died a long time ago.  Uh, what else?  The goth teens show up on the front lawn and tell Craig about the murders in the house.  And that Craig is accused of killing them all?
  
I saw that trailer and thought, "Thanks for the Cliff Notes on the entire film.  No need to see it now."  You can tell the studio had no clue how to sell this one, and after hearing just how bad it really is, I'm sure they're wishing they just brought it straight to dvd.

Did they try to have Daniel Craig act?  Because he can't act and it's painful to watch him try.

Quoted from Ryan1    I saw that trailer and thought, "Thanks for the Cliff Notes on the entire film.  No need to see it now."  You can tell the studio had no clue how to sell this one, and after hearing just how bad it really is, I'm sure they're wishing they just brought it straight to dvd.

Right on all counts. Thought the same thing. Their best plot twist was revealed in a trailer.

SO HERE'S THE SPOILERS

His neighbor (Naomi Watts) had a hit put out on her by her ex husband. The idiot hitman goes to the wrong house. That was my WTF moment. The house of Daniel Craigs family across the street. Once in he shoots the wife. The kids run out. Daniel comes home and struggles with the hitman. The gun drops. Wife (Still alive) picks it up and accidentally shoots DC in the head. Hitman grabs gun and finishes off kids and the wife.

DC's mental trauma leads him to belive they're still alive when he gets home after a healthy stay at the hospital and they help him solve this mystery.

Total lackluster climax when Naomi's ex and the hitman come calling for Daniel. Because he knows.

Again, kick ass premise IMO. Bad execution. It sounds way better on paper...

James

Got dragged to the movies to see this one last night, but not because the girlfriend thinks Daniel Craig is hot, though, but just because she wanted to get out of the house.

I do want to say, though, before I express my opinion, that I had never seen the trailer for this before I watched it, so I didn't know the cat was already let out of the bag.

I thought the first hour and fifteen minutes was great.  I was actually loving it.  I was so pissed off at the ending though.  It's not really that I felt it was a cheat, it was that it tried to do too much and got too complicating and pretty soon, the story just got clustered and, dare I say it, hollywooded out.  And I love Rachel Weisz and everything, but what was up with her running around when they were blowing up the house at the end.  It's like the producers weren't sure if they wanted to make her a ghost or a figment of Peter's imagination.  They made her both, it seemed.

The ending was so horrible to me, that it lessened my joy of the first 70 or 80 minutes that I did actually like.

Now, reading James' post above, I can understand why the director walked off post-production, after doing all the hard work.  I'd be pissed off, too, how they made that movie end.  And especially if they already ruined the surprise in the trailers, I'd be superpissed.

There was a lot of great groundwork laid out here for a story, and it got totally ruined by the ending.

I will say, though, that it did make me a fan of Daniel Craig.  I had never seen anything of his before, so I knew nothing about him except that he's the new Bond.  I think he did pretty good in it.  He was what he needed to be for the character, though I'm not too sure about his accent throughout the film.  I got an American-feel from him at times, then I got a British-feel for him at times.  Except for that, I enjoyed his performance.

But I back up what James said.  A great premise that could've really gone somewhere, but didn't.

- Mark

http://blogs.indiewire.com/the.....o_with_final_product

We're always quick to blame the "producer", as if they are evil, money-hungry, mustache-twisting bastages (okay, most probably are). Looks like in this case however Sheridan was equally culpable...

Quoted from ajr We're always quick to blame the "producer", as if they are evil, money-hungry, mustache-twisting bastages (okay, most probably are). Looks like in this case however Sheridan was equally culpable...

I'm usually a fan of the director's work - 'Brothers' a few years ago was outstanding. I will always have fondness for his films with Daniel Day Lewis as well ...but I was curious, so I read the blog. Something got my attention:

Quoted Text Sheridan apparently changed David Loucka's script completely in favor of the improvisational method ...

and the producers didn't like it (strike one) and the test screenings were bad (strike two) and so through reshoots and re-edits, it sounds to me like MC tried to salvage the picture.

Before Bond, I enjoyed Daniel Craig in Munich and Road To Perdition. I didn't think one hoodwink for Tomb Raider. In between Bonds, I loved Defiance. But who can forget that Invasion mess?  Director fired? Script watered down (hell, the whole damn Body Snatchers concept watered down)? Bad screenings?

Sounds like history repeating...

Anyway, back to that lovely quote, what was it again...?

Quoted Text Sheridan apparently changed David Loucka's script completely in favor of the improvisational method ...

Oh yeah. That's the one. In other words, you fall in love with a script, the actors sign on to do that script. The script the producers want to make. You're great with actors, good track record overall.

There are times when folks improv and keep stuff spontaneous. But they still need the script as a guide that they signed on to do. If the genre is a thriller and not a quirky indie dramady (In America) and you have actors - even good ones - who are not good at improv--? It's a disaster waiting to happen in my book.

Now, let's not kiss MC's ass either.
If they really had a problem with Shedidan chucking the script and straying away from what was agreed upon they should not give a damn if he directed My Left Foot or not. They should have fired him right then, right there. THEY are putting up the risk money. THEY bought the script that was never (or hardly) used. Actually, I'm shocked that they (and Sheidan) aren't pointing fingers at the writer.

The general public will buy it even though smarter folks will know that they are covering thier ass. And then comes the Big Question. If the script wasn't good, why the hell did you buy it? Do actors normally sign on to a film with no script?

Quoted from ajr We're always quick to blame the "producer", as if they are evil, money-hungry, mustache-twisting bastages (okay, most probably are). Looks like in this case however Sheridan was equally culpable...

Not gonna disagree with you, AJ. I look at George Lucas as a prime example. As he became more powerful over the years, he gained total control over the Star Wars series. Studios, producers had no say, like they did in the first three films. So, as All Mighty in the three prequels he made, he churned out total turds IMO.

The finale was fair, but he listened to his audience once, for a change, and at least made it dark.

Again, I think people who see Dream House will see where it had promise. I just can't believe it ends so badly and would love to see the original script. Hollywood is fascinating. Big egos clash, they can't bail on a project they've invested in. So they put it out. They know its bad.

One thing I definitely will blame the sudios, producers for in this is what Ryan mentions above... They reveal their twist in the trailers. Daniel Craigs character is imagining his family still alive. They're not. That would've saved some face for the actual film. Would've been a cool revelation. As it is, The hitman just went to the wrong house. Terrible ending...

James

I took a look at this over the weekend.
Wouldn't know where to begin. What a disaster.

The delusional stuff felt like such a cheat.
This movie can only play out due to the illogical silence of the supporting characters.

Not to mention a third act tacked on gun happy neighbor hubby subplot. Yuck.

I wish a character had spoken up sooner and saved us all a wasted 80 minutes.

E.D.

Wow!  What a complete and utter disaster of epic proportions.  Absolutely unreal.

$55 Million budget, 3 A List stars, strong director, potentially interesting concept, and this is what we get?  C'mon now.  I'm very happy it completely tanked at the BO.  I'm glad Daniel and Rachel met and are now living happily ever after.  I'm not happy that shit like this continues to dribble out of Hollywood's bloated asshole.

Unlike others, I disliked this from the get go.  I understand now why the opening was so odd, but it doesn't make it any better for me.  Basically, we get about 35 minutes or so of Craig's distorted reality, and on top of that, it's dreadfully slow and boring.

Once the twist is revealed, things sink shockingly fast.  So many scenes just don't make any sense.  So many things are completely illogical.  Not a single character acts like a human being.  And you know what?  Things stay slow as a fucking dead, rotting turtle.

The finale?  Act 3?  Call it what you will...I'll call it utter shit, burning in a paper bag on an unsuspecting neighbor's front porch.  Just incredibly lame.

The Antags here are a joke.  Probably the least developed characters I've ever had the displeasure to see.  I actually had to do a little rewinding, just to wrap my head around who was who and why they were suddenly here.

I'd love to go on.  Seriously, I would, but I'm actually upsetting myself even writing this much. I will say this in parting - I don't care who you want to blame for this abortion - Morgan Creek, Jim Sheridan, David Loucka, or Daniel Craig's wig.  The movie sucked.  It was a complete embarrassment, and as far as I'm concerned, all of the above, including that wig deserve to sit in their local Red Lobster for 4 days straight eating cheap lobsters until they puke lobster meat and butter.

UTTER SHIT!!!!!!