[Quentin]

I didn't see a thread on this...maybe it's still in pretty limited release?

What an interesting film. I didn't expect much from it...who cares about a film about two people fighting over a house?

But, it goes to a place I certainly never expected. Sure, we've seen films about situations where things progressively spin out of control, but what got me was the motivations and intentions at play, and the hidden secrets each character held beneath their surface.

Great performances helped - but I thought this was a truly pleasant (but dark...ouch, so dark) surprise.

Some really nice choices by first time director Vadim (i forget his last name).

[Robert Crawford]

This thread is now designated the Official Discussion Thread for "House of Sand and Fog" please, post all comments, links to outside reviews, film and box office discussion items to this thread.

All HTF member film reviews of "House of Sand and Fog" should be posted to the Official Review Thread.

Thank you for your consideration in this matter.


Crawdaddy

[Warren_Sc]

I assume we don't need a spoiler warning when we comment in this thread?

Just in case.
This movie had no clear-cut bad guy, even though the cop was definitely a bit nuts. I have to disagree at Patrick's comment (in the review thread) that the house was lost due to government error because that was never proven in the movie. Connely's character never divulged much about herself, so we can't assume she was in the right.

By the way, both my wife and I had trouble sleeping the night after we saw this movie. Powerful acting by Kingsley but this movie is not for everyone.

If I don't need the spoiler cover, please let me know so I can remove it.

Thanks,

(admin note - spoiler text removed)

[Patrick Sun]

My understanding was that the house was improperly assessed a business tax classification, which put in motion the taxation of the property, combined with Kathy's non-response to the tax notice, which resulted in the government seizing the property and auctioning it off.

Sure, if Kathy had answered her mail promptly, she would have known that her house was being improperly classified by the local government, and could have had that classification removed, and thus, she would not be evicted as she was in the film.

[L. Anton Dencklau]

..

[Patrick Sun]

The mechanism by which evicts Kathy isn't really all that much to get worked up about. The point being is that circumstances happened, and the tragedy that gets set in motion by this turn of events is what is more interesting than the fact that she got evicted in the first place.

[Warren_Sc]

Quote:

My understanding was that the house was improperly assessed a business tax classification, which put in motion the taxation of the property, combined with Kathy's non-response to the tax notice, which resulted in the government seizing the property and auctioning it off.

[Patrick Sun]

When her lawyer had Kathy recount the incident with her having to sign something that said the property didn't have business tax issues with it was a way to put the onus on the local government in the house fubar. Anyhow, that's how I took it, but it's open to interpretation.

I admit, I had to laugh when Kathy was at the gas station, and comes up with the idea to burn something down, buys a plastic gas can and asks for pack of matches, and the next scene shows her filling up the gas can and she's smoking a cigarette near the gas station pump. It showed a lot about her state of mind in that one quick cut.

[Nathan V]

Great movie. Amazing acting. Nobody else could do either of the two roles as well as Jennifer and Kingsley did. I loved the outdoor wide shots interspersed throughout the film. Very minimalist work here by Roger Deakins, esp. compared to his other work. Great writing, too. A truly heartbreaking ending. By far the most depressing film of the year, even moreso than 21 Grams (now who thought that was possible!).

I found the film fascinating in that there was a conflict, and we were sympathetic towards both sides. There was no bad guy (except maybe the cop, who could be considered the catylyst). In all movies, there's a conflict, but we almost always take sides with one party and see the conflict from that party's point of view. Not having 'good'/'bad' characters is nothing new (noir, scorsese), but this is something very rare in modern film. I like that we spend an equal amount of time with both people.

[Bill J]

I loved this film. I especially liked the shot of Jennifer Connelly at the end of the pier.