Open House

I thought that the acting was above average for a horror picture but there were very few tense moments in this, it could have been much more intense during the murder scenes then it was though it was done better then the typical slasher film. It was an interesting idea with a different kind of plot but there are no real surprises or twist to this movie which left me feeling just OK about this movie, there simply wasn't a wow factor or anything that makes this film stand out. the main actor is from "The Hurt Locker" and was very good as the bad guy. Overall an average movie, just not great since it really wasn't creepy or scary in anyway.

Alice (Rachel Blanchard) is selling her house. She returns after the Open House. She finds her friend Jennie (Anna Paquin) murdered and she gets taken captive by David (Brian Geraghty). Her ex Josh (Stephen Moyer) shows up and finds Lila (Tricia Helfer) in the hot tub. He gets murdered by Lila who turns out to be David's murderous partner.

This is written and directed by Andrew Paquin, Anna's brother. Obviously, she got all her friends to work on this project. The acting talent is top rate. There is good creepiness out of Geraghty and Blanchard is a solid victim. The story is fine especially for a straight forward horror thriller. The directing is much less competent.

Credit IMDb A couple on the verge of a nasty divorce attempt to sell their empty love nest and move on with their lives, separately. After a successful open house they are horrified to discover, days later, that a potential buyer didn't leave their home. While Alice is being held captive in the basement, the unannounced house guest moves in upstairs. She senses her capture is being kept a rebellious secret. She knows her way only way out if she can only get out alive.

This had potential, but it just rubbed me the wrong way. I felt no sympathy for Blanchard's character, no tension, no scares, and the ending ruined some decent tension in the finale..

Performances. Brian Geraghty is OK as the conflicted psycho, but nothing more. Rachel Blanchard is easy on the eyes, but a bit disappointing in her role, while Anna Paquin probably gives the best performance.

Bottom line. Annoying villains, cheap plot, and an ending that just pis*** me off, when tension was finally apparent. Give it a miss.

3 1/2 10

If you like watching anorexic women - watch this movie. It is disturbing and distracting to watch Trish Helfer walk around in a bikini with neck bones, hip bones, rib bones and the rest of her bones poking under her skin. I spent a good majority of the film wondering why no one had the decency to tie her up and force feed a couple burgers while explaining that she looks like a walking skeleton and this would scare the audience more than the sub par script.

You also have to suspend some reality to believe that the brother is afraid of her. One quick slap and he could have broken all those protruding bones in her 80lb body.

Anna Paquin and Steven Moyer - just a bait and switch since they had about 10 minutes of screen time.

End of movie - no idea since I turned it off. Then I ate a sandwich. Try it sometime Trish.

This is quite a slick looking low-budget entry that is nothing if not well shot. It is a combination of Slasher, Home Invasion, Psychological Movies that has nothing new to offer. A sleek vista of external pretty structures and people who can be extremely ugly internally.

This is finely acted and the killings are brutal and there is an air of tension but it all seems rather vapid considering all the carnage with some incestuous carnal knowledge that is hardly explored or explained.

It is so thinly written and the short running time hardly allows for much in-depth display of interesting complex psychopathy. The Movie moves along with some intrigue but it is all as anorexic as the supposedly alluring and sexy dominatrix.

After all, it is worth a view for fans of perversion and playful and detached sociopaths who look like the ordinary, well groomed neighbors who may live on your block in the last house on the left. The original owners should have put a panic room in the cellar. View with low expectations and you might find this OK from a first time Director that has a better eye for architecture than the arcane or so called Cult Movies.