movie review of the good house

The Good House

Wine doesn’t really count as drinking, Sigourney Weaver ’s character insists in “The Good House.” She’s not really drinking alone, because the dogs are with her in the kitchen as she pours merlot from her secret stash into a coffee mug. And she’ll be extra careful this time, she promises, so she’s fine to drive into town after downing a few glasses.

These are among the many lies Weaver’s Hildy Good tells herself—and tells us in frequent, fourth wall-breaking confessions—to keep the reality of her alcoholism at bay. Based on the novel by Ann Leary , the romantic dramedy “The Good House” touches on some piercing and deeply relatable truths about drinking, and about women’s drinking in particular: that it gives us swagger, that it helps us hang with the big boys, that it lets us present the best version of ourselves to the world. Even when the film falters, Weaver consistently finds room to explore the many fascinating flaws revealed by her character’s addiction. Her performance, and her effortless connection with frequent co-star Kevin Kline , remain engaging even after the direction from Maya Forbes and Wally Wolodarsky grows unfocused.

Hildy’s narration is wry and wise, sometimes conspiratorial and increasingly contradictory, as she shows us around the charming (and fictional) New England town of Wendover. She’s been the queen bee realtor for decades in this insular hamlet, but all that’s changing as nouveau riche families barge in from nearby Boston. Hildy’s proud of the fact that her family’s been a fixture in Wendover for centuries—dating to the time of the Salem witches, one of whom is her ancestor. (Cue the on-the-nose use of “ Season of the Witch ,” among the movie’s many perky music choices.) Now divorced (since her husband left her for a man) and infrequently in touch with her grown daughters, Hildy is struggling to determine who she is. And although she’s freshly out of rehab—after an intervention that’s played for laughs in the script from the husband-and-wife directing duo and Thomas Bezucha —being sober is not part of her new identity.

Watching Hildy try to keep all the balls in the air is both a source of humor and tension, as the disparity between who she is and who she pretends to be steadily widens. She’s losing clients and dodging phone calls from the Range Rover dealership, asking for her lease payment. And in no time, she’s switching from wine to vodka to help her cope. That’s all human and true, and Weaver plays it with subtlety and great comic timing.

But the one source of stability in her life comes from Kline’s Frank Getchell, her high school flame and first love. He’s the town’s cantankerous contractor/handyman, and his disheveled appearance and down-to-Earth demeanor would never suggest he’s the richest guy around. Their hesitant fumblings toward rekindling their romance are amusing and sweet—the kind of relationship older audiences don’t get to see often enough in the movies anymore. After co-starring opposite each other in the ‘90s in “ Dave ” and “ The Ice Storm ” Weaver and Kline have a warm, easy comfort in each other’s company, as well as a prickly, teasing affection. It’s like pulling on a favorite, old cardigan you forgot you had.

So much works so well for so long in “The Good House” that it’s frustrating when the film casts its eye elsewhere and begins paying way too much attention to the town’s peripheral figures. Rob Delaney co-stars as the therapist whose office is upstairs from Hildy’s; he’s obviously going through some kind of personal and professional flux of his own. Morena Baccarin is a newcomer, the beautiful wife in a wealthy couple that’s just bought a giant waterfront estate, but everything in her life isn’t as perfect as it appears. Kathryn Erbe is the former protégé of Hildy’s who stole all her clients when she formed her own agency; there’s not much to her beyond icy glances and snobbery. And Beverly D’Angelo breezes in and out as Hildy’s childhood best friend and longtime drinking buddy.

None of these characters is nearly as richly drawn or interesting as Hildy and Frank, but increasingly, the story turns toward them and others. They feel like contrivances and plot devices, especially in some third-act melodrama that comes out of nowhere and whips the story up into an empty frenzy. It’s so wild, you’ll wonder what’s really happening and what she’s hallucinating. The film clearly seeks deep emotions from us that it never earns. If anything, you’re more likely to feel annoyed by all these distractions.

But there are worse ways to spend an afternoon than on a lobster boat in the shimmering sunshine with Sigourney Weaver and Kevin Kline. Dressed in a barn jacket and a knit Patriots hat, getting messy out on the water, Hildy finally appears to be where she belongs. And she doesn’t have a drink in her hand.

Now playing in theaters.

Christy Lemire

Christy Lemire is a longtime film critic who has written for RogerEbert.com since 2013. Before that, she was the film critic for The Associated Press for nearly 15 years and co-hosted the public television series “Ebert Presents At the Movies” opposite Ignatiy Vishnevetsky, with Roger Ebert serving as managing editor. Read her answers to our Movie Love Questionnaire here .

Sigourney Weaver as Hildy Good
Kevin Kline as Frank Getchell
Morena Baccarin as Rebecca McAllister
Rob Delaney as Peter Newbold
Beverly D’Angelo as Mamie Lang
David Rasche as Scott Good
Rebecca Henderson as Tess Good
Molly Brown as Emily Good

Cinematographer

Andrei Bowden-Schwartz

Writer (novel)

Catherine Haight
Maya Forbes
Wallace Wolodarsky
Thomas Bezucha
Theodore Shapiro

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‘The Good House’ Review: Expending Emotional Real Estate

Sigourney Weaver and Kevin Kline star in a film that hides a story about alcoholism inside a soft focus romance.

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By Teo Bugbee

As a real estate agent and as the protagonist of the drama “The Good House,” Hildy Good (Sigourney Weaver) is a confident hostess. The film begins with Hildy describing her life in a small seaside town in Massachusetts, first in voice-over and then in a direct address to the camera.

In the spirit of blasé town gossip, Hildy freely offers her back story. Her husband left her to begin seeing men, and her protégé began stealing her clients. However, the secret that threatens Hildy’s happiness is one that she keeps from herself. She’s an alcoholic, and despite previous stints in rehab, she has not been able to give up drinking.

The film follows Hildy as she tries to rebuild her life and her business through working with her neighbors as clients. She even begins dating her first love, Frank (Kevin Kline). But the omnipresence of alcohol threatens Hildy’s stability. She can’t resist the bottle, and can’t remember what she’s done when she has one in her hands.

The directors Maya Forbes and Wallace Wolodarsky use the film’s style as a sleight of hand. At first glance, the movie appears to be a soft focus romance. Sigourney Weaver and Kevin Kline are beloved performers, still sharp after decades of stardom. The views over the New England harbor charm, and the score cheerily plink-plunks along with assists from the classic rock needle drops. The stylistic placidity draws attention to the disturbance of Hildy’s alcoholism, the way her drinking interrupts even the film’s genre. But the trouble with this cinematic Trojan horse is that the superficial blandness dominates the frame. It’s hard to feel the story’s stakes when the images are always indicating no danger ahead.

The Good House Rated R for language, brief nudity and sexual content. Running time: 1 hour 44 minutes. In theaters.

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The Good House Reviews

If you crave something deeper, and more meaningful, this will not be the movie for you.

Full Review | Original Score: C+ | Mar 6, 2024

The Good House has all the ingredients. They’ve just been overcooked.

Full Review | Apr 26, 2023

File this under movies that start slow but get better as it progresses, topped with a satisfying ending. Sigourney Weaver and Kevin Kline's reunion is definitely the reason to see this.

Full Review | Original Score: 3.5/5 | Apr 2, 2023

Portrait of an accomplished real estate agent suffering from alcoholism and the disease of playing God.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | Dec 29, 2022

Sigourney Weaver's feisty performance as an alcoholic real-estate agent is the main reason to watch this uneven dramedy. The movie's storyline about seeking a redemptive comeback is handled better than the movie's storyline about finding love.

Full Review | Dec 28, 2022

While The Good House has a solid cast, it really showcases Weaver’s talent and versatility.

Full Review | Original Score: 3.5/5 | Dec 2, 2022

Hildy deserves a second chance at love, but the core of the film — in Weaver’s remarkably capable hands — is her love/hate relationship with alcohol. It’s a relationship many of us can relate to. Weaver’s performance makes 'The Good House' pretty great.

Full Review | Original Score: 7.5/10 | Nov 28, 2022

The Good House isn’t a great movie but until its overly melodramatic final 10 or so minutes, it’s a pretty darn good one.

Full Review | Oct 26, 2022

Sigourney Weaver is the star of this movie but I wish Kevin Kline had been more than just a supporting player.

Full Review | Original Score: 7/10 | Oct 13, 2022

Playing with words and mood, The Good House manages a surprising balancing act between lightweight tone and serious subject.

Full Review | Oct 10, 2022

Sigourney Weaver is terrific, handling the role with aplomb. It’s a delicate balancing act with the shift from light comedy to weighty material. Seeing her reunite with Kline after two decades is itself worth the price of admission.

Full Review | Original Score: 3.5/4 | Oct 9, 2022

Sigourney Weaver takes the ball and runs with a performance that strengthens a middling script and reunites her on screen with a frequent acting partner in Kevin Kline.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Oct 8, 2022

An uneven character study that’s redeemed to a great extent by Weaver’s exceptional lead performance.

Full Review | Original Score: B- | Oct 6, 2022

Don't expect flying on broomsticks or a Witches of Eastwick-type pay off here: This well-made dramedy about the complexities of single, senior womanhood is far more grounded.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | Oct 4, 2022

It's a great role for Weaver, who always appears so smartly in-control—we want to believe Hildy's delusions even as we witness their unraveling.

Full Review | Oct 4, 2022

The Good House is a movie that many will skip over but should spend the time with as it is just as engaging a portrait of New England life as Manchester by the Sea and every bit a showcase for the one and only Sigourney Weaver.

Full Review | Original Score: 7/10 | Oct 4, 2022

It proves to be a wonderful vehicle for Weaver who (inexplicably) hasn't been given a role this meaty in a long time. Watching her navigate between comically sardonic and tragically damaged is a treat.

For much of its runtime, this film is a pale shadow of its source material, a rote visualization of a story better suited to the page than to the screen.

Full Review | Oct 3, 2022

Weaver makes it watchable.

Full Review | Oct 2, 2022

What makes the film watchable is Weaver, proving to be an example of another recent film in which the lead actress gives a great performance in a flawed production. She gives a strong, multi-faceted performance but, alas, it’s not enough to save the film.

Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/5 | Oct 2, 2022

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Sigourney weaver in ‘the good house’: film review | tiff 2021.

In a comic drama also featuring Kevin Kline, the 'Alien' star plays a New England real estate agent who understands all her neighbors’ problems but is deep in denial about her own.

By Sheri Linden

Sheri Linden

Senior Copy Editor/Film Critic

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Hildy Good, the whip-smart and self-deluding Realtor at the center of The Good House , spends a significant portion of screen time breaking a wall — the fourth one, that is. In lesser hands, such a narrative device could be distracting or downright annoying. But Hildy, an alcoholic who’s pretending to be in recovery, is played by Sigourney Weaver , who makes every exasperated glance, incisive put-down and dissembling excuse absolutely magnetic. Her direct-to-camera comments are not merely asides but the core of the film. And, in ways both intentional and not, Hildy’s remarks to the audience are far more compelling than what transpires between her and most of the not-quite-dimensional small-town characters who surround her — the key exception being the high school flame Hildy reconnects with, played to perfection by Kevin Kline .

The Good House

Venue: Toronto Film Festival (Gala Presentations)

Cast: Sigourney Weaver, Kevin Kline, Morena Baccarin, Rob Delaney, David Rasche, Beverly D’Angelo, Paul Guilfoyle, Kathryn Erbe

Directors: Maya Forbes, Wallace Wolodarsky

Screenwriters: Thomas Bezucha, Maya Forbes, Wallace Wolodarsky

A big fish in a small pond, Hildy has long been a highly successful real estate agent in her hometown on Boston’s North Shore. The market, though, like all markets, is changing. Wealthy investors and corporate interests are moving in, a onetime protégé (Kathryn Erbe, in a thanklessly cartoonish role) has become a cutthroat competitor, and business isn’t what it used to be. Even so, Hildy keeps playing the role of munificent provider, helping to cover expenses for her aggrieved daughters — the glum married one (Rebecca Henderson) and the angsty aspiring artist (Molly Brown) — and continuing to pay alimony to the ex-husband (David Rasche) who left her for a man (but who, like Hildy, is now single).

The idea of real estate as a window into the soul is central to the source material, and some of Hildy’s comments to us are drawn straight from the novel. She can tell you the state of a marriage after one quick walk-through of a kitchen. Chief among the unhappily marrieds are a pair of well-to-do town newbies (Morena Baccarin and Kelly AuCoin) and a psychiatrist ( Rob Delaney ) and his perpetually dour wife (Laurie Hanley).

Baccarin’s Rebecca becomes a confidant to Hildy, and no kitchen audit is needed to sense her vulnerability and discontent. But mainly the assembled characters’ stories have little dimension other than as plot devices. (Less about plot and more about narrative color are Beverly D’Angelo’s boozy, throaty-voiced friend of Hildy’s, and Paul Guilfoyle’s 12-step veteran and coffee-shop regular, both suggesting the protagonist’s lifelong connections in the community.)

As imperious as she can be, this proud descendant of a Salem “witch” is also damn impressive. Faced with the hard-to-sell house of a working-class couple (Georgia Lyman and Jimmy LeBlanc) who are desperate to move to a larger town and a better school for their autistic son (Silas Pereira-Olson), Hildy masterfully puts together a renovation plan to up their home’s salability. A key part of that plan is Frank (Kline), whose blue-collar scruffiness belies the fact that he’s one of the wealthiest men in town, a thriving garbage-collection service among the businesses he owns.

Driving past a gas station where Frank’s filling up his tank, Hildy swoops in to make her renovation proposal, and their sparring, flirting chemistry jolts the story to a new level. Grooving to the Argent song blasting from his truck radio (one of several boomer-friendly tunes punctuating the soundtrack), Frank looks at Hildy’s Realtor getup and sees a masquerade: “The butcher’s daughter’s gone fancy-pants.”

Other than Frank — and us — who else is worth Hildy’s conversational effort? Many people bore, disappoint or infuriate her (and who can’t relate to that?). It’s a treat to watch her react to the off-the-charts self-involvement of her useless young assistant (a terrifically funny turn by Imogene Forbes Wolodarsky, the directors’ daughter). Unapologetically judgmental and keenly perceptive, Hildy harbors a massive blind spot only when it comes to her own life.

Having been subjected to an intervention — or, as she calls it, an ambush — staged by her family and seen in wry flashback, she’s well past rehab when we meet her. In public she plays the part of someone in recovery, decorously sipping club soda; her evenings are spent downing bottles of merlot. Just as she can’t bring herself to admit the financial strain she’s feeling, Hildy dismisses her daughters’ concern about her drinking as misplaced. (It’s telling that when she refers to “my girls,” Hildy means her dogs.) “Wine is not really drinking,” she asserts. Invoking the therapeutic benefits of booze in a way that recalls Another Round , she declares that she was “born three drinks short of comfortable.” Beneath all these justifications is a sad backstory that speaks to generational differences in how people think about alcohol: Hildy is quick to make the distinction between “a real alcoholic” like her mother and her own high-functioning indulgence.

Forbes, having been a longtime writer-producer of The Larry Sanders Show , understands the friction between professional façade and crumbling spirit. She tackled the subject of mental illness in the well-observed, if insistently upbeat, Infinitely Polar Bear. Observational comedy is her forte, and also that of Wolodarsky ( Seeing Other People ). In The Good House , they don’t quite make the soapy neighborhood developments, or most of the present-day family stuff, matter. In Weaver’s enthralling performance, though, they have their story’s beating heart. And with Bezucha they’ve crafted some deliriously stinging lines for their star.

The chirpy notes of Theodore Shapiro’s score in the film’s early sections are part of Forbes and Wolodarsky’s scheme of misdirection: Like Hildy, they’re trying to convince us that this is all fun. Eventually, they’ll pull the rug out from under us as well as Hildy, with less therapy-speak than one might fear. To their credit, they don’t deny the joyful buzz of intoxication. In a scene of celebration over a big real estate deal, exquisitely played by Weaver, the directors and DP Andrei Bowden Schwartz capture in glowing intimacy the way the drinks blossom in Hildy, the way a certain warming and disinhibition switches on.

Only a couple of characters in this New England-set film (Nova Scotia provides the picturesque maritime ambience) speak with a New England accent. In a way that’s something of a relief; many a fine actor has strained themselves, and our credulity, over those regional vowels (Exhibit A: Mystic River ). Even though Hildy has spent her whole life in Massachusetts, her lack of a Boston accent might be interpreted as a reflection of her worldly, business-minded perspective.

In contrast, the local inflection in Frank’s speech expresses his down home lack of pretension; he’s self-sufficient and, unlike Hildy, couldn’t give a damn what people think of him. With his effortlessly droll, low-key performance, Kline creates quite the mensch. However rom-com formulaic the trajectory of Hildy and Frank’s relationship, it’s impossible not to root for these two sexagenarians, especially during their first awkward date, the conversational lulls filled by the sound of cracking shells and spurting lobster juice.

The two actors’ previous onscreen pairings include The Ice Storm , Ang Lee’s masterpiece and one of the great films about American suburbia. The Good House has nothing particularly incisive to say about its locale, or even about the business of real estate. Hildy’s success means that she’ll be helping to change her burg into one of those tony destinations filled with second homes and showy estates. There are big questions churning beneath the story, yet even Hildy’s personal turmoil feels somehow too neat. In the film’s sharp comic observations, though, and especially its two fine leads, something real and messy sparks to life.

Full credits

Venue: Toronto Film Festival (Gala) Production companies: DreamWorks Pictures, Participant Media and Reliance Entertainment present a Filmnation Entertainment production in association with Faliro House Amblin Partners, Tribeca Productions, FilmNation Entertainment Cast: Sigourney Weaver, Kevin Kline, Morena Baccarin, Rob Delaney, David Rasche, Beverly D’Angelo, Paul Guilfoyle, Kathryn Erbe, Kelly AuCoin, Georgia Lyman, Rebecca Henderson, Molly Brown, Jimmy LeBlanc, Imogene Forbes Wolodarsky, Laurie Hanley, Silas Pereira-Olson Directors: Maya Forbes, Wallace Wolodarsky Screenwriters: Thomas Bezucha, Maya Forbes, Wallace Wolodarsky Based on the novel The Good House by Ann Leary Producers: Jane Rosenthal, Berry Welsh, Aaron Ryder Executive producers: Erika Hampson, Steve Samuels, Christos Konstantakopoulos, Holly Bario, Jeff Skoll, Robert Kessel Director of photography: Andrei Bowden-Schwartz Production designer: Carl Sprague Costume designers: Ann Roth, Matthew Pachtman Editor: Catherine Haight Music: Theodore Shapiro Casting directors: Laura Rosenthal, Jodi Angstreich Sales: UTA, ICM Partners

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‘The Good House’ Review: Sigourney Weaver Plays a Woman With a Secret Everyone Else Can See

In one of Weaver's best performances, the star brings her alpha, own-the-room energy to a character who's deluded herself into believing that her alcoholism isn't a problem.

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A middling movie with a must-see performance at its core, “ The Good House ” does something interesting with the notion of the unreliable narrator. As the unfortunately named Hildy Good (blame novelist Ann Leary, not married filmmakers Maya Forbes and Wallace Wolodarsky for that decision), Sigourney Weaver brings deceptive self-confidence to the role of a small-town Realtor. We meet Hildy introducing a couple to the fictional New England fishing village where the Good family has lived for so long, there’s talk of witches in their past. But Hildy can’t be trusted — not because her character is bad (she’s Good, get it?), but because she’s in denial.

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“The Good House” may not be a great movie, but Hildy Good is among Weaver’s best performances. What makes watching this career woman struggle to keep it together so compelling is the gap between how she perceives herself and what the rest of the world sees. Her drinking problem is only part of the picture. There’s also a generational aspect to the way she copes with life’s pressures. At one point, her eldest daughter, Tess (Rebecca Henderson), mentions going to therapy, and Hildy’s reaction reveals that she sees this as a sign of weakness. But her method of self-medicating (with alcohol, obviously) is hardly an indicator of strength, and it’s telling just how destabilized Hildy is when the shrink (Rob Delaney) renting her spare apartment suggests the obvious: that she never really dealt with her mother’s suicide, but instead uses work and various other distractions to escape it.

The filmmakers remain closely aligned with Hildy’s subjective (read unreliable) view of her life through the movie’s miscalculated — and blatantly manipulative — climax, when a local boy goes missing and we’re led to believe that she might be responsible. Hildy’s prone to blackouts (she uses the term “jackpots” to describe embarrassing public displays you can’t take back), and we’ve seen her making excuses for drunk driving more than once already. Could she be responsible? “The Good House” needs something big to get through to Hildy, to shake her free of the delusion that she’s got it all under control. This finale risks turning everything that’s come before into a cheap Nicholas Sparks-style soap. But it’s satisfying to watch how Hildy sees the good in others — like Kline’s scuzzily endearing character — throughout, and the ending reveals where her life was headed, if she’d kept going in the same direction.

Reviewed online, Sept. 29, 2022. In Toronto Film Festival 2021. MPA Rating: R. Running time: 103 MIN.

Production: A Lionsgate, Roadside Attractions release of a Lionsgate, DreamWorks Pictures, Participant, Reliance Entertainment presentation of an Amblin Partners production. Producers: Jane Rosenthal, Berry Welsh, Aaron Ryder. Executive producers: Erika Hampson, Steve Samuels, Christos Konstantakopoulos, Jeff Skoll, Robert Kessel.
Crew: Directors: Maya Forbes, Wally Wolodarsky. Screenplay: Thomas Bezucha, Maya Forbes & Wally Wolodarsky, based on the novel by Ann Leary. Camera: Andrei Bowden Schwartz. Editor: Catherine Haight. Music: Theodore Shapiro.
With: Sigourney Weaver, Kevin Kline, Morena Baccarin, Rob Delaney, Rebecca Henderson.

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'The Good House' review: Sigourney Weaver deserves a nod for best actress

Weaver turns what could have been a cliched comedy-drama into something more.

Sigourney Weaver in "The Good House," 2022.

Sigourney Weaver is a goddess. From "Alien" to "Avatar," she always comes through with something extra to make her movies remarkable. That is definitely the case with "The Good House," only in theaters, in which Weaver turns what could have been a cliched suburban comedy-drama into something funny, touching and vital.

As Hildy Good, a realtor in her hometown on Boston's North Shore, Weaver is every inch the successful business wiz, which has nothing to do with Hildy being a descendant of a Salem witch, though she is. Hildy is just damn good at her job -- no hocus pocus involved.

Still, Hildy keeps secrets. She's a functional alcoholic who's faking her recovery, a sham that sparks her adult daughters, the unhappily married Tess (Rebecca Henderson) and the unhappily artistic Emily (Molly Brown), to stage an intervention. "Wine is not really drinking," retorts Hildy, trying to laugh them off, despite the vodka she sneaks when no one's looking.

Hildy's problems are real. She's basically supporting her daughters as the real estate market becomes even more competitive. Her protégé (Kathryn Erbe) is trying to steal her clients. And she's forking over alimony to her ex-husband Scott (David Rasche) who has left her for a man, all of which had previously led to a stint in rehab.

We know all this because Maya Forbes and Wally Wolodarsky, the married couple who wrote and directed "The Good House" from the 2013 bestseller by Ann Leary, have allowed Hildy to address the audience directly in comments both hilarious and heartbreaking. The way Hildy says she can define homeowners through the state of their kitchens cuts like a knife.

MORE: 'The Midnight Sky' review: George Clooney's film finds its heart in its actors

Thanks to Weaver's impeccable comic timing and her uncanny ability to bring truth to a soap-opera plot, "The Good House" holds us in thrall. Since alcoholics often don't remember what they do when drunk Hildy is rarely conscious of her worst behavior. Her denial veers close to tragedy in the film's final passages.

The film comes closest to intimacy when Hildy reconnects with her high school crush, Frank Getchell, superbly played by Kevin Kline as a scruffy loner with a droll gift for skewering hypocrites. Despite his unkempt look, Frank is the richest dude in a class-conscious town that snubs him for making his fortune in the garbage collection business.

In a lesser movie, Frank would be Hildy's redemption, the white knight ready to sweep in and save her. But Weaver and Kline -- consummate actors who costarred before in "Dave," and "The Ice Storm" -- never met a cliché they couldn't turn on its dumb head and invest with a tough core of intelligence and wit. They are simply perfection.

The film also deserves credit for showing exactly what alcohol does for Hildy, the way it gives her courage, however false, to face her demons. In grappling with something most addiction movies avoid -- the very real attraction of alcohol -- the film recognizes what it takes to break free and does so without preaching or fake moralizing.

MORE: 'Cry Macho' review: Clint Eastwood is a classic in every sense of the word

It doesn't help that "The Good House" film stuffs in too many characters from the book, though Morena Baccarin scores as a confidante for Hildy and Beverly D'Angelo is a standout as a blackout drunk who shows Hildy what's ahead if she continues to lose herself in the bottle.

Through it all, Weaver, 72, proves she can do anything as an actress. Having received Academy Award nominations for "Aliens," "Gorillas in the Mist" and "Working Girl," she is still without an Oscar. Her triumph in "The Good House" deserves to put Weaver in the race for best actress and to remind audiences what a thrill it is to witness a virtuoso at the top of her game.

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‘The Good House’ Review: Sigourney Weaver Captivates as a Woman Pretending Not to Be Under the Influence

Darkly funny drama offers both a star turn and a powerful ensemble, led by Kevin Kline and Morena Baccarin

This review originally ran Sept. 15, 2021, for the film’s world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival.

Like many an entertaining addict, Hildy Good is a great storyteller, providing withering judgments about the people in her orbit amidst all the latest gossip. But like all addicts, the stories she tells always exonerate herself and her behavior — she’s just fine, it’s everyone else who’s messed up. And so what if she sneaks wine after having already been sent to rehab? She never drinks before 5pm, so it’s not like she’s an alcoholic or anything.

Sigourney Weaver plunges herself into the role of Hildy in “The Good House,” and it’s been a while since this titan of cinema has been given a character with the complexity (and the screen time) that the actor deserves. Weaver’s droll comic style has surfaced periodically over the course of her career — for someone who came up alongside Christopher Durang, the movies haven’t allowed her to be funny nearly often enough — but here’s a film that gives her the opportunity to be both hilarious and tragic, in control and spinning completely off course.

Directed by Maya Forbes (“The Polka King”) and Wallace Wolodarsky (the underappreciated “Coldblooded”) — who adapted Ann Leary’s novel with co-writer Thomas Bezucha (“Let Him Go”) — “The Good House” gets away with choices that would have ruined lesser films, from giving the lead character a double-meaning name (and putting it in a punny title) to incorporating first-person, spoken-to-camera narration throughout. It’s also the rare movie that’s both a star vehicle and an ensemble piece; this is Weaver’s show all the way, yes, but she’s surrounded by townsfolk played by the likes of Kevin Kline, Morena Baccarin, Rob Delaney, Kelly AuCoin, Paul Guifoyle, and Beverly D’Angelo.

The town in question is the fictional seaside village of Wendover, Massachusetts, a Boston bedroom community where Hildy’s family has lived for generations. Divorced, but paying alimony to her ex and financially assisting two grown daughters, Hildy is in perpetual motion as a real estate agent, schmoozing newcomers to town and making the rounds of local parties.

Those shindigs are less fun for her than they used to be — she was forced into rehab after her family had an intervention for her — so now public-facing Hildy has a club soda while home-alone Hildy cracks into her secret wine stash. Also participating in that intervention was Hildy’s former assistant Wendy (Kathryn Erbe) who filched Hildy’s contacts during that rehab stint and set up shop as a rival. Mind you, that’s how Hildy describes what happens, and over the course of the film, it’s more and more clear that Hildy is a supremely unreliable narrator, the way addicts tend to be.

Joel Edgerton Sigourney Weaver Paul Schrader Master Gardener

A local affair between neglected wife Rebecca (Baccarin) and town therapist Peter (Delaney), a missing child, and most of all, the rekindling of Hildy’s high-school romance with local contractor Frank (Kline) will push Hildy to a reckoning with the high-wire act that is her life. But “The Good House” doesn’t play out as a conventional substance-abuse narrative, mainly because Hildy has a such a strong POV that her version of events, no matter how harrowing or damning, never comes off as treacly or sentimental.

Which brings us back to Weaver’s powerhouse performance. There’s not an ounce of self-pity to Hildy, even as she begins coming to grips with the demons of her past and the pain that she has buried under what Peter calls her “Yankee stiff upper lip.” (Weaver could teach even “Fleabag” star Phoebe Waller-Bridge a thing or two about fourth-wall breaking.)

It certainly helps that “The Good House” provides a solid context for Hildy and her life by making Wendover such a vivid place and its residents so fully present. With Nova Scotia filling in for New England, production designer Carl Sprague and location manager Andrew Sheridan give us a full picture of a town, from vast estates to the beach where working-class families congregate to Frank’s half-finished house, with the drywall still showing. Sometimes, it takes a village to tell a story, and the town (including the deep bench of character actors playing the residents) plays a key role here.

Sigourney Weaver Lost Flowers of Alice Hart

If the film missteps at all, it’s in the last 20 minutes or so, where the writers perhaps overplay their hands at both metaphors and metaphysics, not that the screenplay hasn’t laid the groundwork for both. (Also, if Hildy’s ex-husband left her for a man, as she mentions several times, why does that man never accompany her ex to family functions?)

Those are minor flaws in a film that’s so skilled at juggling its tones: In the broader sense, this is a John Cheever–ish tale of a New England town and its secret infidelities and chemical abuse, with an unspoken but ever-present tension between the townies and the weekenders. As it draws deeper into Hildy’s life, however, “The Good House” almost resembles a horror film in which our protagonist is both killer and final girl, with the stakes and suspense emerging from our anticipation of her hitting bottom and just how bad that’s going to be. Instead of “don’t go in the basement,” it’s “don’t uncork that bottle of Merlot.”

It’s all too rare that audiences are treated to a big-screen examination of a woman’s inner turmoil, let alone a woman in the grandmotherly phase of her life; this one pops with both acrid wit and meaningful drama. (Not to mention that American movies where attractive leads in their 70s enjoy an active and joyful sex life appear about as often as Halley’s Comet.) Let us raise a glass (of sparkling water) to more movies like this one, and more roles like this for Weaver.

“The Good House” opens in US theaters September 30 via Lionsgate and Roadside Attractions.

'The Good House' review: Sigourney Weaver deserves a nod for best actress

MORE: 'The Midnight Sky' review: George Clooney's film finds its heart in its actors

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‘The Good House’ Review: Sigourney Weaver Captivates as a Woman Pretending Not to Be Under the Influence

This review originally ran Sept. 15, 2021, for the film’s world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival.

Also Read: Why Sigourney Weaver Loved Her ‘The Good House’ Role: ‘Women in Their 60s Don’t Really Have a Voice’ (Video)

Also Read: Joel Edgerton and Sigourney Weaver to Star in Paul Schrader’s Next Film ‘Master Gardener’

Also Read: Sigourney Weaver to Star in TV Series ‘The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart’ for Amazon

“The Good House” opens in US theaters September 30 via Lionsgate and Roadside Attractions.

‘The Good House’: For a chance to see Sigourney Weaver, Kevin Kline reunite, film’s flaws easily forgiven

The screen greats co-star (for the third time) in solid drama about alcohol, money, family and late-life romance..

Contractor Frankie (Kevin Kline) and real estate agent Hildy (Sigourney Weaver) reconnect in “The Good House.”

Lionsgate/Roadside Attractions

The magnificent Sigourney Weaver speaks directly to us in the solid and resonant drama “The Good House,” and I mean that in more ways than one. Weaver delivers a powerhouse performance as Hildy Good, a 60-something real estate agent on Boston’s North Shore who is only starting to acknowledge she’s had a serious drinking problem for most of her adult life, and the work certainly speaks to us. But Hildy herself breaks the fourth wall from time to time to address us directly, whether she’s introducing characters as they arrive on the scene, tossing a sarcastic one-liner our way or making excuses for her alcoholism.

We’ve seen this device in so many films and TV series it’s long past its sell-by date, but when Weaver as Hildy talks to us, she does it in such a casual, offhand manner (with the other characters in the scene remaining oblivious, of course, as if they’re in a stage play) that it’s an effective technique, as we can see how skilled Hildy has become at massaging the truth in order to cover her tracks and excuse her actions. She’s lying to us even as she’s lying to the people in her life.

Based on the Ann Leary novel of the same name and co-directed by the team of Maya Forbes and Wally Wolodarsky, “The Good House” is that rare modern-day comedy/drama featuring a romance between two older characters, and given those characters are played Weaver and the equally invaluable Kevin Kline (with whom she co-starred in 1993’s “Dave” and 1997’s “The Ice Storm”), it’s an absolute pleasure and privilege to watch these two gifted pros effortlessly commanding the screen together. They’re as good as they’ve ever been.

Weaver’s Hildy is in a spiral some 18 months after her family staged an intervention and she went through the paces in rehab, only to start secretly drinking the minute she got out. (Hildy rationalizes her behavior by claiming drinking wine isn’t really drinking, and it’s too bad her daughters never met her mother, “because then they’d know what a real alcoholic looks like.”) She’s also on the brink of financial ruin, after her former protégé (Kathryn Erbe) stole most of her clients.

As Hildy breaks open one bottle of wine after another while keeping up a running commentary on events, “The Good House” becomes almost too crowded with supporting players, including Hildy’s well-meaning but whiny grown daughters (Rebecca Henderson and Milly Brown); her ex-husband (David Rasche), who left her for a man but remains a caring friend, and a psychiatrist (Rob Delaney) who’s having an affair with a married woman (Morena Baccarin) who just moved into town, among others. (The supporting players are all excellent.)

Mostly, though, there’s Kline’s Frankie Getchell, a contractor who handles everything from garbage pickup to snow removal to house renovation, and though Frankie looks scruffy and is called a “garbageman” by some, he’s actually one of the wealthiest people in town. “There was a time in my life when I was quite in love with Frankie Getchell,” says Hildy, “and you would’ve been too.” As you might imagine, there’s a chance that romance could be rekindled after all these years.

“The Good House” takes an alarming and not altogether convincing shift in tone in the final act, taking on some deadly serious business involving not one but two characters disappearing, with the possibility both are dead. You might not buy all the plot machinations, but as for the sight of Weaver and Kline together again: That’s an easy sell.

Marist's Jake Ritter (12) decides to tuck the ball and run against Morgan Park.

The Good House REVIEW – A Good Movie

Sigourney Weaver shines in this feel-good drama.

Whenever Sigourney Weaver and Kevin Kline are paired together, you know you’re in for a treat. They first starred together in political comedy Dave, before working together again for Ang Lee’s The Ice Storm. The Good House unites them again 25 years later.

Weaver plays Hildy Good, a real estate agent in Wendover. Her husband left her after coming out of the closet, her assistant stole her clients, and her daughters depend on her in some financial way. So, it comes as a surprise to Hildy when she returns home one day and is met with an intervention. The problem? She drinks too much, often driving while tipsy, and even having blackouts. Hildy does not want to go to rehab, but with the threat of never seeing her granddaughter again pushed forth, she has no choice but to go. While the intervention is done so that Hildy can see that she has a problem, she doesn’t look at it that way.

She goes to rehab to placate everyone, but doesn’t really believe that she’s an alcoholic. So when she gets back, she continues drinking again, hiding her habit from her family. She makes excuses to us – Hildy makes the fourth wall quite a fair bit – as we see slip back into her old patterns. Hildy is so focused on problems outside of herself – she wants to help her friends sell their house so they can relocate, she tries to help newcomer Rebecca (Morena Baccarin) build some form of connection with the town and she hires an assistant to give her something to do after all her college applications got rejected.

Trying to hasten a house’s sale along, she hires her high school flame Frank to do some work on the interiors. Hildy and Frank were very much in love, but she was going to college, and he was enlisting, so they broke up. But after every conversation the pair have together, it’s pretty obvious that they haven’t gotten over each other. Weaver and Kline have effortless chemistry together, crafting a wonderful romance between their characters, despite Kline not being a very big part of the movie. So much of their romance and relationship develop non-verbally, and there’s such a fun contrast between Frank’s shy nature and Hildy’s forward advances. If she didn’t move things along, the man would have no difficulty quietly pining after her from the sidelines.

The Good House is a vehicle for Weaver to strut her acting chops, which she does with finesse, making Hildy a flawed but relatable character. Because the story is focused on Hildy, the rest of the characters don’t get as much development. Baccarin is lovely but underutilised, with no other characterisation beyond her romantic relationships.

The narrative doesn’t flow in the most conventional way, which I liked, but others might struggle with the seemingly meandering storyline. This is because Hildy is our narrator, and she’s trying to play down the seriousness of her alcoholism by distracting us. She wants us to believe it’s just social drinking and that she has things under control, but slowly, we start to see through the lies she’s told herself.

The Good House does such a stellar job in portraying an issue like this with such nuance and complexity. It’s also a reminder that it’s okay to ask for help and to confront our dark realities – only then can we begin to heal.

Review screener provided .

READ NEXT: 10 Best Feel Good Movies on Netflix

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The good house.

Common Sense Says
Parents Say 1 Review
Kids Say 0 Reviews

Common Sense Media Review

Alcoholism dramedy conjures sobering message; sex, nudity.

Parents Need to Know

Why Age 14+?

Language includes "damnedest," "jackass," "s--t," and a couple of uses of "f---i

Lots and lots of drinking. Most of the storyline is about a character's belief t

Sex. A breast is partially exposed from the side in several scenes. Passionate k

A couple of car brands are used to explain a character. Computer brand logo is s

Any Positive Content?

Ask for help.

Hildy Good is an aspirational woman in many ways; she demonstrates compassion an

Female main character in her 60s/70s is financially successful, supporting her e

Language includes "damnedest," "jackass," "s--t," and a couple of uses of "f---ing."

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

Lots and lots of drinking. Most of the storyline is about a character's belief that she's in control of her problematic drinking and that everyone who criticizes her is wrong (this is turned around by the end). Driving under the influence. Pot smoking.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

Sex, Romance & Nudity

Sex. A breast is partially exposed from the side in several scenes. Passionate kissing.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

Products & Purchases

A couple of car brands are used to explain a character. Computer brand logo is seen in what may be product placement.

Positive Messages

Positive role models.

Hildy Good is an aspirational woman in many ways; she demonstrates compassion and truly cares about those in her community. But she also has flaws, including a dependency on alcohol that she smugly refuses to believe she doesn't have under control. A male love interest sets boundaries and treats women with respect.

Diverse Representations

Female main character in her 60s/70s is financially successful, supporting her entire family, including her ex-husband, who's gay. Characters in their 60s and 70s have full, well-rounded lives, including sexual passion. Characters with autism. Characters with mental illness (anxiety, depression). A few people of color in background/supporting roles.

Did we miss something on diversity? Suggest an update.

Parents need to know that The Good House is a wry portrait of a woman with an alcohol dependency. Hildy Good ( Sigourney Weaver ) knows from her infamous ancestor -- accused Salem witch Sarah Good -- that "women who don't care what people think of them are hanged in the public square." So when she's accused of having a drinking problem, she hides it from her family and neighbors' prying eyes. While serious, the movie's themes are handled well and delivered with humor, and relatability is likely to be high for those with loved ones who've struggled with drinking. On the other hand, those who are in recovery themselves may want to be careful: Wine and cocktails are filmed with detailed, longing attention. In addition to lots of drinking, there's a scene that includes lighting a joint. Language includes "s--t" and "f---ing" but isn't constant. The film is notable both for telling the story of a mature woman and for showing the fullness of her life beyond her children, including career, romance, and sex (there are a few glimpses of Weaver's exposed breast). To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

Where to Watch

Videos and photos.

Parent and Kid Reviews

Parents say (1)

Based on 1 parent review

This movie depicts the alcohol to a T

What's the story.

In THE GOOD HOUSE, Hildy Good ( Sigourney Weaver ) is the top Realtor in Wendover, Massachusetts. She's invested in the townspeople, as were the ancestors who lived in the small town before her, including Sarah Good, one of the first accused witches of Salem. Like Sarah, Hildy maintains her innocence when she's accused of being possessed by the potent potion known as alcohol. The drama is based on the bestselling novel by Ann Leary and co-stars Kevin Kline , Morena Baccarin , and Rob Delaney .

Is It Any Good?

Hildy Good is an excellent example of a woman who's lived a big life and is still haunted by the demons of the past. It's a little about her mistakes, but it's more about carrying the weight of others on her shoulders since childhood. Hildy is the great-great-great, etc., of Sarah Good, one of the first women falsely accused of witchcraft in the United States. As marginalized women with tremendous strength often do, Hildy overcomes generational trauma by rising far, far above it. So when townspeople -- and her own relatives -- accuse her of being bewitched by alcohol, she's prepared with 350 years of lessons on how women can be marginalized by accusations and gossip.

That's the story of The Good House , though the witchcraft element is underused. Don't expect flying on broomsticks or a Witches of Eastwick- type payoff here: This well-made dramedy about the complexities of single, senior womanhood is far more grounded. What it's really about is portraying someone with an alcohol dependency who's in denial. Using wit and a charming main character, filmmakers Maya Forbes and Wallace Wolodarsky tackle the complexities of two topics that films tend to avoid: being a single woman in her 60s or 70s and alcohol addiction. And they manage to make it funny and relatable. And the acting? Weaver and Kevin Kline 's romantic chemistry carries the ease of actors who've played love interests multiple times. The Good House may not be the film audiences think they're in for, but Weaver is so good in the role that it's impossible not to be enchanted.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about how The Good House portrays drinking . Do you think it's realistic? Is drinking glamorized?

Hollywood is often accused of ageism when it comes to depictions of older women. How does The Good House compare with other ways you've seen women in their 60s and 70s portrayed in the media?

What happened during the Salem witch trials? Why do you think Sarah Good was targeted? Do you think Hildy's statement that women need to be careful of their public image is still true?

How is Hildy shown to be a contributing citizen of Wendover? Where does her compassion go deeper than that? Why is it important to be invested in our community and the people in it?

Movie Details

In theaters : September 30, 2022
On DVD or streaming : November 22, 2022
Cast : Sigourney Weaver , Kevin Kline , Morena Baccarin
Directors : Maya Forbes , Wallace Wolodarsky
Inclusion Information : Female actors, Latino actors, Female writers, Black writers
Studios : Lionsgate , Roadside Attractions
Genre : Drama
Topics : Book Characters
Character Strengths : Compassion
Run time : 103 minutes
MPAA rating : R
MPAA explanation : brief sexuality and language
Last updated : February 10, 2023

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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Cast & crew
User reviews

The Good House

Life for New England realtor Hildy Good begins to unravel when she hooks up with an old high school flame. Based on Ann Leary's 'The Good House.' Life for New England realtor Hildy Good begins to unravel when she hooks up with an old high school flame. Based on Ann Leary's 'The Good House.' Life for New England realtor Hildy Good begins to unravel when she hooks up with an old high school flame. Based on Ann Leary's 'The Good House.'

Maya Forbes
Wallace Wolodarsky
Thomas Bezucha
Sigourney Weaver
Kevin Kline
Morena Baccarin
37 User reviews
70 Critic reviews
62 Metascore
3 wins & 1 nomination

Top cast 35

Frank Getchell

Rebecca McAllister

Peter Newbold

Wendy Heatherton

Brian McAllister

Cassie Dwight

Patch Dwight
(as James LeBlanc)
Jake Dwight

Henry Barlow

Robert Sanderson

Lisa Sanderson

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Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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Did you know

Trivia The whole film was shot in Nova Scotia, which stands in for Massachusetts.

Hildy Good : Where are blackouts when you need them?

Connections References The Witches of Eastwick (1987)
Soundtracks Time of the Season Written by Rod Argent Performed by The Zombies Courtesy of Master Marquis Enterprises Ltd.

Technical specs

Runtime 1 hour 44 minutes
Dolby Digital

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Home » Movie News » The Good House Review

The Good House Review

Last Updated on October 10, 2022

Plot: The Good House follows Hildy Good, a wry New England realtor and descendant of the Salem witches, who loves her wine and her secrets. Her compartmentalized life begins to unravel as she rekindles a romance with her old high-school flame and becomes dangerously entwined in one person’s reckless behavior. Igniting long-buried emotions and family secrets, Hildy is propelled toward a reckoning with the one person she’s been avoiding for decades: herself.

Review: Believe it or not, it has been over a decade since Sigourney Weaver was the lead in a feature film. While she has acted steadily in major supporting roles or as part of an ensemble, Weaver’s last top-billed performance was in 2007’s The Girl in the Park. At 72, Weaver has had key roles in James Cameron’s Avatar franchise and was even a Marvel villain in Netflix’s Defenders series, but The Good House is the biggest showcase for the legendary actress in quite some time. Luckily, The Good House is a charming and sweet drama that brings out one of Sigourney Weaver’s best performances in years and is her second awards-worthy performance of 2022.

Based on the novel by Ann Leary, The Good House feels as inviting as a good book. With an ensemble cast of recognizable actors and relative unknowns, The Good House manages to build a realistic community of characters that feel as ingrained in the fictional New England town of Wendover as the stereotypical Boston accents peppered through the film. Part comedy and part drama, The Good House defies genre by just being a good story about a character that is instantly identifiable to anyone who has family members who drink a little too much. The trailers may have you believe that this is a romance aimed at older audiences, but it is rather a sweet and relatable story that works for viewers of all ages and walks of life.

Sigourney Weaver plays Hildy Good, a realtor and functioning alcoholic who is struggling with debt in the wake of a stint in rehab. Hildy is a great character for Weaver that plays on the actress’s ability to command a scene while still being vulnerable and likable. Hildy also breaks the fourth wall regularly throughout the movie which helps the audience relate to her even as we see events unfold that make her a less than reliable narrator. Hildy becomes entwined with Rebecca McAllister ( Morena Baccarin ), to whom she recently sold a home. Hildy also contends with her gay ex-husband (David Rasche) and their two adult children (Rebecca Henderson and Molly Brown). There is also the local psychiatrist, Peter Newbold (Rob Delaney), whom Hildy confides in from time to time as well as her former colleague turned nemesis Wendy Heatheron (Katheryn Erbe). All of these characters weave in and out of Hildy’s daily life and factor into her secret drinking which is not exactly a secret.

For the first half of the film, Weaver guides us through Hildy’s daily life and struggles, building the film’s community in a way that feels cozy and welcoming. Kevin Kline appears in several scenes in the early going as Frank Getchell, Hildy’s former crush and friend. It is not until the hour mark of the 102-minute movie that things between Hildy and Frank begin to develop, something the trailer makes seem to be the central plot of the film. From there, the chemistry between Weaver and Kline, which they used to great effect in The Ice Storm as well as Dave , carries the story from a light comedy-drama to a deeper level. Both Weaver and Kline are so good as performers that their interactions with each other are a pleasure to watch and make you root for this couple to work out their problems to solve themselves. Being a movie about addiction, The Good House doesn’t make it easy on Hildy but still embraces the challenges real people face in situations like this.

Written by directors Maya Forbes ( Infinitely Polar Bear ) and Wally Wolodarsky ( The Simpsons ) alongside Thomas Bezucha ( Let Him Go, Marvel’s Secret Invasion ), The Good House is not a story of addiction as much as it is a look at how an addict can justify their actions and behaviors, or at the very least exist in denial of them. While I have not read the book, the film seems to take a lighter angle on some of the narrative elements from the source material which makes for a more engaging film experience but one that is nonetheless worth emotionally investing in. At times, the movie does feel like it ventures into the safety of so many films about characters over the age of fifty-five, but Forbes and Wolodarsky never take this into the cliche rom-com territory of so many Diane Keaton and Meryl Streep films.

The Good House works thanks to the easy-going chemistry of Sigourney Weaver and Kevin Kline, who should make as many movies together as they possibly can. Weaver herself proves time and again that she is just as bankable of a leading lady in her seventies as she has ever been. Hollywood doesn’t spend enough time with actors of this caliber anymore and The Good House is the type of movie that is often relegated to streaming or worse. The Good House is a movie that many will skip over but should spend the time with as it is just as engaging a portrait of New England life as Manchester by the Sea and every bit a showcase for the one and only Sigourney Weaver.

The Good House

About the Author

Alex Maidy has been a JoBlo.com editor, columnist, and critic since 2012. A Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic and a member of Chicago Indie Critics, Alex has been JoBlo.com's primary TV critic and ran columns including Top Ten and The UnPopular Opinion. When not riling up fans with his hot takes, Alex is an avid reader and aspiring novelist.

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THE GOOD HOUSE – Review

With the temps falling and the leaves slowly changing, lots of folks may be thinking of taking a trip to New England. Perhaps you could “hunker down” in a quaint old house by the water. Hey, if you’ve got the moola, maybe you could just buy the place, and make it your getaway, or permanent “digs”. Oh but most of us would have to do this vicariously, maybe at the movies. But who would you contact about such a fantasy home, say in a rustic lil’ village? And that is answered in this week’s star-powered release. Surely such a spot would be free of worries, “no hassles, no hustles”, right? Not really, as this film’s focus finds out. It seems you’re never safe from those “inner demons”, not even at THE GOOD HOUSE.

That person living in such a primo place is the town’s number one realtor Hildy Good (Sigourney Weaver). Well, former number one, since that title is held by her former assistant Wendy (Kathryn Erbe), who “poached ” the top clients when she went out on her own. This was just after Hildy “went away” for a time, a year ago after an intervention. Hildy was ambushed by her two daughters, Emily and Tess, along with her ex-husband Scott (David Rasche), and trusted aide Wendy. This prompted a stay in a rehab facility and a promise that she’ll attend “meetings” (she bailed after the first couple). Sure the real estate market is tough, but luckily she can call on her childhood crush, surly, grizzled, laid-back Frankie Getchell (Kevin Kline) to send out one of his work crews, or even himself, to make a house more “homey”. Also taking the edge off the “job” is the box of vino that Hildy keeps hidden in her house’s “work shed” (just a glass or two…or three with her two doggies). Of course, she’s slipping into her “old ways”, so when work frustrations are paired with her knowledge of an affair between her new best pal, bored rich housewife and drinking buddy (she’s unaware) Rebecca (Morena Baccarin) and upstairs from her office shrink Peter (Rob Delaney), Hidly runs to the arms of Frankie, after more of “the grape”. Is there any way this rekindled romance can sober up (in more ways than one) Hildy and free her from her family’s cycle of self-medication?

This story of remorse and regret is an engaging showcase for Weaver’s powerful performance. Her steely intelligence shines through, and the decision to have her “break the fourth wall” and talk directly to us through the camera lens lets us relish her superb comic timing. It’s also a better way to “get inside her head” as she engages in near-constant “bargaining” (“I’ll only have a glass or two when I’m home, at night, with the pups”) and her denials, tempered with a “Yankee stubbornness”. She can “handle it” and keeps all the “plates spinning”…until she lets them fall and crash, one after another. In their third screen outing, Weaver has a “chemistry shorthand” with the always charming Kline, whose Frank tries to project an aura of casual coolness, a free-spirited rambler. However, he can’t mask concern about his spiraling former fling. Baccarin excels as the small-town bombshell “trophy wife” whose dazzling smile can’t hide her loneliness. Delaney (so good in “Catastrophe”) is the passive-aggressive intellectual desperate to conceal his wrecked marriage. Plus there are a couple of brief turns by two acting vets. Paul Guilfoyle (“CSI”) is Hildy’s irritating reminder of her family’s deception as he tells her that they miss her at the “meetings”. And Beverly D’Angelo oozes star power as the local beauty queen who’s always around for the part, and to be the lil’ devil on Hildy’s shoulder.

A directing “tag team tackled this film with Maya Forbes and Wally Wolodarsky sharing the reigns and also joining Thomas Bezucha in adapting the novel by Ann Leary. They expertly set up the “picture perfect” town of Wendover, MA (though shot in gorgeous Nova Scotia), then slowly peels back its layers to reveal the sadness and scandals. It’s not PEYTON PLACE, but it’s not what Hildy is trying to sell to the rich “city folk”. They wisely limit her “talks to us” so as to not overdue the whimsy and get precious or cloying. It’s a slow, steady, simmering pot of drama with dashes of comedy and romance before it almost boils over into suspense and tragedy in the final act. Sure, we’ve seen those battling the booze many times before, but Weaver puts a fresh spin on Hildy’s struggles, making us root for her even as the vino flips a switch and she’s in full belligerent b*#l-buster mode. She’s the reason to “close the deal” on THE GOOD HOUSE.

THE GOOD HOUSE is now playing in theatres everywhere

Jim Batts was a contestant on the movie edition of TV's "Who Wants to be a Millionaire" in 2009 and has been a member of the St. Louis Film Critics organization since 2013.

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’12 to Midnight’ Review – Werewolf Movie Channels the Spirit of Classic Charles Bronson Cinema

What do you get when you combine the edgy cop-thriller films from the 1980s with the werewolf genre? The answer is 2024’s 12 to Midnight , co-produced by Millman Productions, Cannon Fire Productions, Delirium, Ron Lee Productions, and Salem House Films. Delco Horror Haven , the Philly area’s non-profit org dedicated to supporting all things indie horror, recently hosted their third film premiere event in Media, PA with a screening of the film.

In a bad mental place after the brutal murder of his wife, Detective Toth ( Robert Bronzi , Death Kiss, Exorcist Vengeance ) shoots up some perps in a convenient store and thwarts an attempted armed robbery. Instead of planning a parade in his honor, Toth is suspended by his captain because he was both drinking and off-duty at the time of his heroics. Toth’s captain, Rhodes, is played by Daniel Roebuck , who will next be seen in Terrifier 3 in theaters October 11.

After a recent string of murders appears to have been the handiwork of the same psycho that murdered his wife, Toth cleans up his act and is put back on the case. Now he has the chance to avenge her murder as well as end the lunatic’s killing spree for good. Toth even seeks help from his old friend Marco, who is played by another recognizable face—UFC Hall of Famer Tito Ortiz . Toth also teams up with Sheriff Stacy Cooper ( Sadie Katz , Transmission ), who is tired of the body count increasing on her watch and has skin in the game, protecting her daughter Vanessa ( Juliet Biscotti , F-Word ). Can Toth and Cooper effectively work together and take down the supernatural menace?

In providing some context for the uninitiated, Hungarian actor Bronzi is a dead ringer for Charles Bronson and stars in some homages to the late actor’s films with twists implemented into them. For example here with 12 to Midnight , it is wordplay off Bronson’s 1983 film 10 to Midnight . And instead of Bronson pursuing a murderer who gets naked to kill people, it’s Bronzi pursuing a murderer who gets naked in order to wolf-out and kill people. It is a well-intentioned homage to films of that era that the filmmakers really lean into. Even producer Robert Savakinus specifically stated that fact during the screening’s Q&A session.

You will figure out that the killer is inhuman in the first few minutes of running time, but you won’t know WHO is the werewolf because the movie also stirs in the whodunnit factor. There’s a bunch of suspects, but you won’t know which character is the vicious furry until the final reveal, and that is part of the fun.

Speaking of fun, let’s get into the good and the bad of this production. Beginning with the acting, it is overall pretty good whether it is from the main stars or those with smaller roles like Searra Sawka ( Hell House LLC: Origins ) who plays Jessica or Eric Francis Melaragni ( Shelby Oaks ) as Buff. As far as the story goes, the overall main plot is pretty good when director Mark Savage ( Hell’s Coming for You, Stressed to Kill ) is solely focused on that. But the other subplots needlessly extend the running time, which is a little long in the tooth (hard pun) for this type of film. Another highlight is the writers taking liberties with werewolf lore in a way that actually makes sense to the plot and not changing the lore for the sake of changing it to seem edgy.

The cinematography is also well done and quite atmospheric, and the decision to use the “ghost town” borough of Centralia as one of the shooting locations for some key scenes is another added bonus. The Pennsylvania town has been long known as the inspiration for Silent Hill and if you’re not familiar with the town and its history, it’s worth a Google search and reading up on it. While the cinematography and locations are positives, the editing is a little iffy in some places. Lastly, the SFX are hit and miss. For example, the creature itself unfortunately does not look that great and would have been better served being protected from being fully shown by using some camera and lighting tricks. However, the creature’s transformation effects are actually very impressive, as well as other gore effects utilized throughout the film. All the effects are practical, and it is always refreshing to see practical effects usage even if they all aren’t winners.

If you are an old fan of those old ’80s crime thrillers that were borderline horror movies, like 10 to Midnight , or you love werewolf flicks and can appreciate independent cinema, you should check this one out. 12 to Midnight is available now to watch on Direct TV.

If you live in the Greater Philadelphia area, you can attend the Delco Horror Haven Invasion Weekend film festival , stocked with indie flicks, food trucks, raffles, and more, on September 28-29 in Media, PA . Tickets and more information on the event at delcohorrorhaven.org .

Champion for bad films, Jaws fin-atic, heavy metal horror aficionado.

‘Hayride to Hell’ Exclusive Trailer – Bill Moseley and Kane Hodder Reunite in Halloween Horror Movie

Breaking Glass Pictures is releasing the horror comedy Hayride to Hell on the road to Halloween, and Bloody Disgusting is exclusively debuting the film’s official trailer today.

Starring horror legends Bill Moseley and Kane Hodder , who previously worked together on Old 37 , Hayride to Hell will be released on Digital and On Demand on September 24 .

Take a ride on the Hayride to Hell by watching the official trailer below.

The team previews, “Bill Moseley, known for his roles in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 and House of 1000 Corpses , brings his intense, chilling presence to the role of Farmer Sam. Kane Hodder, famous for his portrayal of Jason Voorhees in four Friday the 13th films, adds his unique, menacing charm as the corrupt Sheriff Jubel. Their pairing makes Hayride to Hell a must-see for horror enthusiasts and a tribute to the legends of the genre.”

“Set on the Coxe Family Farm in rural Willis County, Farmer Sam (Bill Moseley) exacts his bloody revenge on unscrupulous local town-folk, including Sheriff Jubel (Kane Hodder), who menace him and attempt to steal the farm that has been in his family for 200 years.”

Directed by Dan Lantz ( Alice and the Vampire Queen, Alpha Rift, Bloodrunners ) and written by Kristina Chadwick and Robert Lange, Hayride to Hell had its premiere at the iconic Colonial Theatre in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania, in 2022. The film was shot on Lange’s family-owned Sugartown Strawberries Farm in Lavern, Pennsylvania, which has been in his family since 1896. was shot on Chadwick and Lange’s farm in Pennsylvania.

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Screen Rant

Transformers one director shares absolutely brutal review declaring his movie not good enough to be watched on a plane.

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Is Transformers One Suitable For Children? Parents Guide For Transformers Movie

Transformers one timeline: how it's connected to michael bay movies addressed by franchise producer, transformers one's 90% rotten tomatoes score proves the franchise badly needed three changes, transformers one timeline: how it's connected to michael bay movies addressed by franchise producer.

Transformers One director Josh Cooley has shared an absolutely brutal review of the animated prequel, which declares his movie isn't even good enough to be watched on an airplane. Reviews for Transformers One have been overwhelmingly positive, with the movie currently sitting at a 90% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes. The film has been praised for its vibrant animation, gripping story, and complex characters, with some critics declaring it the best movie in the franchise since 1986’s Transformers: The Movie . This high praise, however, hasn't been delivered by every critic who's reviewed the film.

Now, Cooley has responded to a review of Transformers One from Mark Kennedy of The Associated Press , joking about one line that claims the in-flight map on a flight is better than the movie. The review also goes on to criticize the film for using established Transformers lore so heavily, and for the level of violence involved in its action sequences. Check out what Cooley had to say about the scathing review below:

LOL! “Transformers One” isn’t good enough to watch on a plane, even a trans-Pacific flight. The inflight map is better." Great idea, who owns the inflight map I.P.? I'm IN.

What Transformers One's Negative Review Says About The Movie

Not everyone will enjoy transformers' latest outing.

While the majority of critics have praised Transformers One 's story , characters, and animation, Kennedy's critiques include calling the movie " dull " and stating Optimus Prime (Chris Hemsworth) and Megatron's (Brian Tyree Henry) falling out doesn't offer a good lesson to kids. His arguments highlight how, despite being praised by almost every critic, the movie isn't going to be for everyone. However, his critiques also exhibit the film as delivering what its marketing promised, that being an origin story for Autobot and Decepticon conflict and plenty of action as Transformers battle one another.

Transformers One is aimed at family audiences, but are elements of the film a little too action-heavy and intense for younger Transformers fans?

Cooley's humored response also indicates the director is unfazed by a negative review of the film, pointing out Kennedy's opinion for laughs instead of trying to be malicious. However, the reviewer didn't have only negative notes about the movie , having praised most of Transformers One 's cast and the initial transformation sequence. It appears even scathing reviews of the film can still find some qualities to praise, even if the divide between the AP critic's review and others is extremely wide.

Our Take On The AP's Negative Transformers One Review

It manages to highlight the movie's positive attributes.

A Transformer whips out two blades in Transformers One

Even though Kennedy wasn't pleased with Transformers One , his writing about high-octane fight sequences and reliance on the franchise's lore manage to highlight parts of the film that sound positive for most moviegoers. While it's understandable how some of these ideas could be alienating for audience members, it will depend on how well the film is able to explain them within the confines of its story. But, with the majority of critics satisfied with the final product, it seems the movie will be able to deliver on its promising premise.

Transformers One is projected to earn around $30 million at the domestic box office during its opening weekend.

Source: Josh Cooley /Twitter; AP

Transformers One

Transformers One is an animated action-adventure movie that marks the first animated feature-length film for the series in decades. The film will be a prequel to the franchise, and will tell the story of Optimus Prime and Megatron in their early years, how they met, and a closer look at the war on their home planet, Cybertron.

Transformers One: Release Date, Cast, Story, Trailer & Everything We Know

'Heretic' Review: Hugh Grant Preaches Bad News About the Good Word in Religious Horror | TIFF 2024

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When it comes to religious horror films , most entries in the genre usually stay in fairly familiar territory. Demon possession, evil antichrist babies, and the devil manipulating one’s actions are all within the usual realm of the religious horror movie. Rarely, however, do horror films deal with the actual fear of having faith in a religion, the uncertainty of putting your trust in something that might be false, or the inner turmoil that is a crisis of faith. Heretic , the latest film from writer-director team Scott Beck and Bryan Woods (writers of A Quiet Place , Boogeyman , 65, and Haunt ), focuses less on the horror and more on the religion in their A24 film , a smart move that makes it stand out within the genre.

What Is 'Heretic' About?

Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East star as Sister Barnes and Sister Paxton, respectively, two missionaries in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, spreading the word of the Mormon church to any who will listen. But their mission to save souls has been fruitless, with most people ignoring them altogether. Yet the church has received a response from Mr. Reed ( Hugh Grant ), who said he’d like to learn more about the religion, so the two women of the church head to his house to preach the gospel.

Mr. Reed seems open to what these two have to share. He invites them into his home, offering to introduce them to his wife who is baking a blueberry pie, and engages with them in a discussion of the Mormon faith and his search for the one true religion. However, once Mr. Reed leaves the two alone, they start to question whether they should be there at all. They discover that there doesn’t seem to be a Mrs. Reed, they’re locked in the house, and Mr. Reed seems even more knowledgeable about their own religion than they are. As they delve deeper into Mr. Reed’s house to find a way out, they will have to come to grips with their faith and decide if they will leave this house with the same faith they came in with.

'Heretic' Smartly Chooses Religion Over Horror

Hugh Grant standing in a chapel between a green and brown door.

Instead of leaning into the horror, Beck and Woods prioritize the religious questions inherent in Heretic . This can often feel like an Introduction to 101 primer at times, but the film is having a blast at breaking down the religious hypocrisies that people with strict beliefs might not otherwise know. If anything, Heretic seems like it’s attempting to scare those with a close-minded viewpoint towards “one true religion” than it is about frightening with jump scares or gross imagery. Yet Beck and Woods aren’t just criticizing organized religion and how so many faiths owe themselves to prior teachings; they’re also taking down those who believe themselves to be beholden to some great truths that others can’t comprehend. Mr. Reed presents his discussions of faith from a position of power and understanding that he feels Barnes and Paxton can’t conceive of, yet it’s easy to find the holes in his own dogma, and the flaws in what he is also preaching.

Espousing his religious rants with great gusto and excitement is Grant as Mr. Reed, a delightfully strange and exciting role for the actor. Grant has been on a roll lately with villainous performances , both in Paddington 2 and Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves , and his role in Heretic is a solid addition to this lineup. Like those other films, Heretic knows that with Grant at the helm, all you really need to do is step back, aim the camera at him, and let him go on a tear. Here, Grant is reveling in destroying the spirit of these two girls , pointing out the holes in logic within their religion, and genuinely enjoying the back-and-forth that this pair provides in this dialogue about faith. Heretic is at its best when it lets Grant take the reins with a lengthy monologue and go off on his visitors, using Monopoly as a metaphor for religion, singing Radiohead songs, and doing a Jar Jar Binks impression. It’s basically everything you could want from a villainous Grant role.

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Balancing out Grant on the pro-religion side of things are Thatcher and East, who are solid in these roles and defending their faith despite the situation they’re in. Beck and Woods’ screenplay leads us to assume certain things about these characters, while shifting our expectations the further we go down this rabbit hole. Thatcher’s Sister Barnes came to the church later, whereas East’s Sister Paxton seems to be more blindly invested in what she’s been taught. Thatcher is great at matching Grant’s criticisms while holding her own, but it’s East who has the film’s most interesting shift. The film makes us so concerned about the history of Sister Barnes that we sort of take Sister Paxton for granted, and especially as the film gets deeper into this house, East’s character becomes quite a pleasant surprise in how she preserves her belief.

The Deepeer 'Heretic' Dives Into the House, the More the Film Starts to Falter

Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East standing in a doorway looking down a dark stairwell in Heretic.

Unfortunately, the farther Beck and Woods take us into this house, the more this narrative starts to fall apart . For the first few rooms in Mr. Reed’s house, Heretic is primarily focused on a conflict of faiths, led by Grant’s performance, a simple yet effective direction for the film. But the further the film delves into the darkness of this home, the less compelling it becomes. Part of that is because Grant becomes less of the film’s focus, but also because Beck and Woods’ screenplay begins to explore concrete answers and play in potential miracles. What started as an absorbing discussion shifts into goofier ideas and questionable presentations of faith. The film’s look even loses some of its luster, as the homey, comforting feel of Mr. Reed’s home gives way to dark rooms that are barely lit. Cinematographer Chung Chung-hoon ( Wonka , Last Night in Soho and frequent collaborator of Park Chan-wook ) films these latter scenes more like a horror film and as the film starts to move away from these heated discussions, the impact of the story gets lost in the end.

Heretic is a clever twist on the religious horror genre , bolstered by three strong performances, particularly Grant’s gregarious yet haunting Mr. Reed. It certainly falls into a disappointing purgatory in the final third, but Beck and Woods’ approach to the genre is a refreshing one, exploring the hypocrisies of organized religion in a way we rarely see in mainstream cinema. And hey, Grant does a pretty great Jar Jar .

Heretic is a religious horror film that prioritizes the religious discussion, led by a delightfully dark performance by Hugh Grant.

Heretic wisely chooses to narrow in on the religious aspects leading this horror story.
Hugh Grant is wildly fun and over-the-top in another great villain role.
The film features several monologues about religion that are a delight to watch.
The further this film answers its own questions, the more it starts to fall apart.
Even the film itself isn't as interesting to look at in its third act, with the cinematography almost too dark.

Heretic is an upcoming horror thriller that plunges two young missionary women into a deadly game of cat and mouse. Their mission to convert others takes a terrifying turn when they knock on the door of the sinister Mr. Reed. As the situation spirals out of control, the missionaries must grapple with their faith and summon every ounce of their survival instincts to endure the nightmarish ordeal.

Heretic had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival. It hits theaters on November 15.

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‘Transformers One’ Is an Entertaining Look at the Complexities of Friendship and Growing Up

Can breaking protocol be necessary for growth?

When I asked my 11-year-old son (our resident Transformers expert) what he'd thought of the latest CG-animated film Transformers One , he replied with, "I loved it!" Then, after taking a beat, he added, "It made me think about how your friends can sometimes turn out to be different than who you thought they were."

That would open the door to a conversation about the plot points of the new film–out in theaters on Friday, September 20–and the deeper themes of friendship, honesty, support, and disappointment.

Did we discuss the movie's thrilling action and crips animation? Sure. Did we list our favorite character cameos and surprises? Absolutely. But what I found most surprising as a dad was actually talking to my son about the importance of breaking protocol.

Parents/Paramount Pictures

Old Characters and New Origins in 'Transformers One'

Transformers One , directed by Josh Cooley ( Toy Story 4 ) tells the origin story of iconic Transformers characters Optimus Prime and Megatgron. Before they were enemies, they were friends living on the planet Cybertron. They also had different names. Optimus was once known as Orion Pax (voiced by Chris Hemsworth) and Megatron was once known as D-16 (voiced by Brian Tyree Henry).

In this story, Orion Pax and D-16 are part of a group of lowly worker bots who don't have cogs–the vital piece of machinery that allows a bot to transform. Their sole purpose is to mine for Energon, which is their planet's energy source that has stopped flowing freely after the mysterious disappearance of the Matrix of Leadership.

After making an important discovery that could reveal the location of the Matrix, Orion Pax and D-16 team up with bots B-127 (voiced by Keegan-Michael Key) and Elita-1 (voiced by Scarlett Johansson) and set of on a perilous journey to find it. While on the path, they uncover a centuries-old conspiracy that will launch civil war.

Paramount Pictures

Themes That Are More Than Meets the Eye

Sitting in the theater watching these kid-versions of bots that will one day become heroes, I had two thoughts: The first, "Boy, I'm glad there aren't any humans in this one." The second, "Boy, these bots sure are carrying a lot of human emotion."

It turns out making the bots more human was the crux of bringing the themes of the film to life for director Josh Cooley.

"Seeing these characters as friends before they became enemies is what made me really want to do this movie," Cooley tells Parents . "It's a great kind of tragic arc–a Shakespearian arc–and I knew if we could sell that friendship in the beginning, it would [payoff for audiences] knowing that it's not gonna last."

But seeing where these characters end up is just the bottom end of the sandwich, so to speak. The real meat is the thematic journey in between. Cooley sheds light on some of the more compelling themes of the film.

Character traits should always have room to evolve

What's noticeable at the beginning of the film is how the character traits of Orion Pax and D-16 appear to be different from how fans have come to know the grown-up versions of their characters. D-16 is a lot more buttoned up and dedicated to following protocol, no questions asked. His ideal is "nothing bad can happen when you follow protocol."

Orion Pax, on the other hand, is a lot looser, driven by curiosity and ambition that doesn't really fit inside neatly-framed rules. Cooley says this was by design.

"D-16 will [eventually] want to take control of everything, so it made sense to make him a little bit more of a rules follower in the beginning. And Orion, who doesn't really follow the rules in the beginning, [will eventually] be forced into a position of leadership. So it was nice to see their characters start in one place and have their arcs lead them to another," he explains.

This reminds me as a parent who's raising young kids to not be so rigid in not allowing them to explore and make mistakes along their journey of self-discovery. Their experiences will be just as formative as my guidance.

Shared experiences can shape differing worldviews

As the characters go through their journey in the film, they share experiences that begin to reshape how they see their world. Similar to two young kids who get along really well in elementary school, but may start to lose touch after meeting new people and having new experiences in middle school and beyond–it can be disorienting and sometimes liberating.

Cooley says displaying the very real rift that a kid goes through was an intentional way of saying growth is messy.

"Once an [incident] occurs with our characters, they suddenly have two different world views on how to fix the situation. And what I love about it is you understand where [each character] is coming from," he says. "It's a sucky situation, but you understand why it happened."

My son is currently going through this stage of learning how differences can ultimately send him on an alternate path from those he thought were friends. The tough part is understanding that different isn't necessarily bad and learning to be okay with that.

Disappointment with leadership is inevitable

There aren't any traditional parental figures in the movie, but there are plenty of examples of leadership. The characters have their run-ins with the leaders they have as well as their own turns with leadership at different points. Every step of the way, we get glimpses at how leadership falls short to a certain extent, causing measures of disappointment.

Watching the film through a dad's lens, I definitely felt the reality of knowing disappointment is inevitably on the horizon, no matter how hard you try to make all the right decisions. Because I'm human, and humans fall short.

D-16's character in particular has a very idealistic view of leadership at the beginning of the film, almost approaching it as a super fan.

"With [D-16], it was like 'Hey, not only do I like to follow the rules, but I like to follow the rules under this guy. He's gonna save us all,'" Cooley explains. "And when [D-16] realizes things aren't that way, it pisses him off."

Cooley adds how Brian Tyree Henry's performance beautifully portrays the disappointment and anger the character would eventually go through. I can attest to that, for sure. It's a great performance.

Knowing your history is vital toward improving your future

What drives these characters–Orion Pax in particular–is the need to find out what's happened to the Matrix of Leadership. He's convinced this artifact is the key to restoring energy flow to the city so it can become self-sustaining again. One of the main ways of doing this is by breaking protocol to learn more about Cybertron's hidden history.

Does breaking protocol present a danger to the status quo that may provide security for some? Yes. Is breaking protocol necessary for growth? Also yes.

"It was important to have Orion's character strive for something and not just go along with the rules because that's what D-16 is doing," Cooley notes. "It was a mindset to make him driven but also a little fun and naughty."

Cooley goes on to say putting Orion Pax in the center of learning about the bots' history set him directly on the path toward becoming a big piece of their history, himself. And for the fans who know what comes of his character, that's not a bad thing.

Healthy transformation requires responsibility

With a Transformers movie, you'd expect to see a lot of transforming going on. But there's actually much less physical transforming than emotional transformation–and that's for the better. This doesn't mean there aren't plenty of cool fight sequences where the characters discover their abilities for the first time. But those moments are earned and they don't come without the weight of responsibility.

"Transformation is the theme of the movie," says Cooley. "Our characters are basically growing up in the story. They start off not having that cog and [are eventually] gifted one. And then there's a key line in the middle of the movie where someone says, 'I've given you the power to change your world. It's up to you to decide how to do that.'"

Transforming Expectations in Parenting

I did expect to be entertained by Transformers One in the same way any animated action adventure might engage me. But I didn't expect the film to provide as many layers for parents and kids to sift through, regarding the power of honesty, the necessity of teamwork, and even the importance of dealing with anger.

The writing and the performances allowed me to hear both the kids' and parents' perspectives through the characters, and know that the road we're on is rough. It's not so much about having all the right answers, but rather working together to make sure everyone is at least pointed in the right direction.

Cooley agrees, saying, "I just love the title being Transformers One. It's not just because it's the first one. It's because [the characters are striving] to work together all as one."

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‘The Shadow Strays’ Review: Timo Tjahjanto’s Exhausting Action Epic Is Too Much for its Own Good

David ehrlich.

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Alas, that muchness — beautiful as it might be in theory — is also something of a double-edged sword, and Tjahjanto still isn’t precise enough to use it without disfiguring his own vision in the process. Which is to say that, like “ The Night Comes for Us ” before it, Tjahjanto’s latest and most ambitious symphony of stabbings is another exhausting monument to its own excess; a graceless orgy of death and dismemberment that’s easier to appreciate for its spirit than it is to enjoy for its execution(s). Tedious, numbing, and always falling just short of the hard-boiled cool that it’s too derivative to reach for itself, “ The Shadow Strays ” is the work of a filmmaker whose enthusiasm continues to outstrip his skill. And while that giddy imbalance has always been the basic lifeblood of genre cinema, the endless silhouette cast by Tjahjanto’s sprawling Netflix epic makes it easier than ever to lose sight of the fun we’re supposed to be having with it.

“The Shadow Strays” begins as only a movie so devoted to its “more is less” approach ever could: With both a wall of expository text and a cryptic quote (credited to Medusa) that adds nothing to the action that follows. The gist is that our cruel and unforgiving world has given rise to an ultra-secret clan of mercenaries who will kill anyone for the right price, regardless of morals. They’re known as Shadows, they wear all black tactical gear which is a bit too chunky to look as cool as it should, and they will fuck your shit all the way up without thinking twice.

Sidelined by her organization until she can prove that she doesn’t care about collateral damage (Shadows are given a strict regimen of pills to stifle their emotions), 13 is left to wait things out in a squalid Jakarta high-rise… where she immediately develops an emotional attachment to a teenage boy named Monji, who soon finds himself kidnapped by the same big-time local bad guys who murdered his drug-addicted mother. A little tenderness can be a dangerous thing to have in a world so tough, and it isn’t long before 13 — scarred by a childhood loss of her own — is bleeding a trail straight to the heart of the Indonesian underworld, much to the chagrin of her employer. The words “paid time off” truly mean nothing to some people.

And so we’re left to wait for the fight scenes, which are frequently “awesome” but seldom exciting. Typical of the director’s work, the combat is too fast to meaningfully engage with the environment around it (which explains why the last hour’s worth of carnage is set in a series of empty spaces), the camera always feels like it’s a few crucial frames ahead or behind of where it should be for maximum impact, and the grappling style of Pencak silat has been suffused into the very fabric of compositions that tumble upside down and back to their feet again on a gimbal — which is never as satisfying to watch as it sounds on paper.

There’s no meaningful sense of escalation to the staging, and the performer’s skill and physical sacrifice is often diminished by geysers of digital blood, along with other CGI affectations that distract from the dynamism at hand. The beat where a bad guy’s face is shoved into the fakest-looking burner fire you’ve ever seen is typical of a film where the effort is rarely worth the reward, while a top-down shot elsewhere in the same sequence allows us to savor the raw technical aptitude that “The Shadow Strays” so often loses in its eagerness to be as sick as possible.

“The Shadow Strays” premiered at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival. It will be available to stream on Netflix starting Thursday, October 17.

Want to stay up to date on IndieWire’s film reviews and critical thoughts? Subscribe here to our newly launched newsletter, In Review by David Ehrlich, in which our Chief Film Critic and Head Reviews Editor rounds up the best reviews, streaming picks, and offers some new musings, all only available to subscribers.

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