Wednesday 13 March 2013

House at the End of the Street - Very Shue


Against the wishes of her mother, Elissa begins a relationship with a boy with a troubled past and a hidden secret.


Dubious misleading horror-esque trailer and marketing aside House at the End of the Street is a visually slick, gritty looking film by director Mark Tonderai but David Loucka's screenplay is basic, oddly Jonathan Mostow, yes thee great Mostow surprisingly offers a derivative story with little imagination or suspense.

Sadly not even the talents of the lovely and gracefully ageing Elisabeth Shue nor it's fresh lead Jennifer Lawrence can inject anything into this psychological paint-by-numbers thriller.

It's not that it's a bad film, it's very well made, but it doesn't define the genre - with others of it kind arguably being more satisfying. That said, it certainly may appeal to teens or newcomers to the genre.

To Mostow and Loucka's credit there is one good twist but no amount of gaffer tape or women sporting dirty vest tops and chiselled youngsters no matter how appealing they may be to some can lend a hand to this uneventful coming of age celluloid cliché.