Review of In the House (2012) by Janet B — 01 May 2013

A bored teacher encourages a promising young student to write a story that results in him insinuating himself into the life of a middle class classmate for inspiration. In The House is one of those self aware deconstructions of the creative process, coming across as a kind of blending of Adaptation and The Lives Of Others.

The core of the story is essentially the symbiotic relationship between story teller and his audience whose voyeuristic appetites are represented by the teacher whose need for an engaging narrative rather than the dreariness of day-to-day life result in unfortunate repercussions for all involved.

The manipulative young student reminded me somewhat of the characters in Funny Games, although the approach is far more artistic rather than sadistic and Ernst Umhauer's performance has just the right combination of vulnerability and creepiness.

The story does not have quite the impact it could have as his motivations are never fully explored but the final "Rear Window" scene is a really nice touch and it's a smart and intelligent little comic drama that will appeal to fans of Charlie Kaufman.