The HOUSE  1.0***

Well I didn't think it was possible but it happened . I sat through an entire movie starring Will Ferrell & did not laugh even once !!! And to make it even more unbelievable, it also co-stars another funny comedian ... Amy Pooler . At best I smiled a couple of times but that was it. It goes to show you that even with  2 very good comedians it still comes down to good writing & direction both of which failed terribly in this movie .

Will &'Amy play a couple who need to find a way of funding their daughter's college costs after the scholarship they were hoping for doesn't come through. They end up setting-up an illegal underground casino with the help of their neighbor and the money starts rolling in. There are a couple of sub plots involving a corrupt local politician, who is stealing the town's money, & the estranged wife of the neighbor helping with the casino. Neither adds to the movie .

   One suspects that a lot of improvising happened on the set. It seems likely, considering that The House has a one-joke premise, stretched well past its breaking point and leaving a lot of funny people looking embarrassed and regretful.

  The whole movie felt lazy and was quite disappointing.  If we’re getting a Will Ferrell and Amy Poehler movie then it should be more than this pile of mediocrity.  And since this movie didn’t give me much at all I don’t really have much else to say other than to stay away .... Save your time & money !!

Rated “R” for language, sexual references, drug use, some violence and brief nudity.

Clark