La maison sur l'océan

As predictable as this film is, it moved me in many ways. I am a single father, 58 years old, whose life largely revolves around a wonderful twelve year old boy. He'd better not go down the road of Kevin Kline's teenage kid or I'll kill him! (just kidding-don't call Child Protective Services just yet).

California Cinematic Dreamin' aside, the people here are real. Their vulnerabilities are in the open and they deal with each other as best they can. Kline's son is confused about more than his sexuality, far more. His first girlfriend accepts him and, more importantly, her own sexuality, with a maturity in no way undermined by a delightfully playful demeanor.

As in similar films, the viewer has to suspend reality when the doomed character accepts his fate with no mention of palliative, much less curative, medical intervention. His condition is never fully described but a quick, distant shot of murmuring doctors examining x-rays (x-rays? No MRIs, CAT scans or PET scans in a CA hospital?) brings home that the architectural model builder has hit a brick wall.

The cast is first-rate - everyone plays his/her role convincingly.

The message of the film is, of course, the enduring need for community. And this celluloid community is moving and loving. A truly fine film. (Yep, I cried into my popcorn.)

I weeped like a child. Not at the end like everyone else, my manliness was able to get it all out a little before. I'd say this is a good movie, but it's all been done before. There was one slutty character that didn't make any sense, which I found distracting. The partial focus on the adolescents was a nice change for tear-jerkers. Guys can relax- let your girlfriends/wives take you to Life as a House- you'll get points and you'll enjoy it, too.

Excellent and realistic humor to boot.

People have said that Hayden Christiansen's performance was whiny and unbelievable, but, speaking as a 16 year old, I have to say I found it more believable than any other actor portraying a teenager ever. He was angst-y, angry, especially his parents, moody, distrustful, etc. And that's everything we are. Speaking as an expert whiner, yes, teenagers really are that whiney and we are that mad at the world and Hayden pulls off the anger and frustration perfectly. Some of the lines he said were familiar to me because I've heard them before in my own home. Hayden's performance was no less than stellar and he perfectly acts the rebellious, outraged teenager of the 2000s. I should know. :)

Sense I've seen this move it has been my all time favorite! Not only do the actors play wonderfully, but the storyline of the movie is exquisite! It's about a Man(Kevin Kline) and his struggle in life with his job, family, and health. Through the move he gets in touch with his troubled son Sam(Hayden Christensen) and ex-wife Robin(Kristin Scott Thomas) a lot of anger in the beginning of the movie that transforms into smiles and laughter, it's amazing to see how the characters change so much. If you like to laugh and cry and all that good stuff you'll love this movie, Watch it, NOW! Although it truly is an excellent movie, I would not recommend this movie to anyone younger than 13, a lot of cursing, some drug usage and sexuality.

I was 12 when I discovered this film, after Attack of the Clones came out.

I am now 30 years old, and I have yet to find a film that speaks to me the way this film does.

The story is filled with believable characters and relationships. The dynamics between Sam and his parents through the film definitely reflected my relationship with my family as I was a troubled youth (though my problems were vastly different and caused by abuse). As a 12 year- old watching this, I saw in Sam what I didn't want to become. Sadly, the events in my life parellled me to him. The movie was, at one point taken away from me, as it was blamed for my rebellion (by my abusers). I didn't see the movie again until I was 18, and survived my own battles with depression and drugs. As I movied into adulthood, I figured my ability to identify with the film had waned. Surprise! I relate to it now more as an adult. I relate with not only Sam more, but with George, Peter, Allyssa, and Robin. Especially after loosing my mom to Cancer.

This is a film for the ages, and I look forward to watching it with my children as they move into their teen years.