Review of House of Sand and Fog (2003) by Bridgette — 13 Sep 2008

One of the most despressing movies that I've seen in quite some time. It is for that very reason that I'd been reluctant to see it, despite a powerhouse performance from both Connelly and Kingsley.

Perhaps, for me, the biggest impediment the movie had to overcome was the smugness and selfishness of both characters whose lives are forever altered by the bungalow. Since this movie is adapted from a novel (which I haven't yet read), I'm not sure how faithful the adaptation is.

While the movie was a bit slow and the main characters difficult to identify with, somewhere around the middle of the film the pace picked up. The characters became more human, more fragile, and just when it seemed that a decent resolution would come.

..tragedy explodes three-fold. While this movie isn't one of my favorites, I cannot deny that the scene where the colonel prays in the hospital and Connelly's breakdown are quite memorable. The supporting cast is also very convincing.

Was there a real bad guy? Apart from an inefficient government, the house almost seemed to be the villain at times. Final verdict, good movie but don't watch it if you're hoping for a happy ending.