Review of The House of Yes (1997) by Antonio A — 14 Nov 2007

WERE YOU POOR? DID YOU EAT CHICKEN POT PIE?

Never in my life have I seen a film so full of memorable one liners, the highest of high-camp dialogue, biting humour and the darkest comedy. The House of Yes will go down in history and Parker Posey deserves to be forever known as the Queen of the Indies for this highly creative piece of work.

It's Thanksgiving 1983 in a wealthy suburb of Washington D.C. and the Pascal family, an affluent French-American family is preparing for the traditional festivities. The problem is that nothing is carried out according to tradition in this house or within the dysfunctional family which it houses. Mommy Pascal isn't sure of the paternity of any of her children, or what quite happened to her late husband. The boys are, well, boys, and the daughter in the family has a rather malicious mean streak to her, despite being a gracious hostess. She's also under the impression that she and her twin brother are destined to share absolutely everything in life (everything!) and is so fixated with the Kennedy family that she is affectionately known in the Family as Jackie-O, a fantasy that she carries out disturbingly flawlessly, thanks to a collection of Oleg Cassini in her wardrobe, pearls and hair that would've made Mrs. O. herself a little envious. She is also so psychotically funny that you cannot help but to start quoting her once the lights go up and the credits come down. She also does a top-notch of dealing with the fiancee of the man she loves...her own twin brother.

I've heard this film compared to Heathers a couple of times; admirers of Heathers and its dark humour shouldn't hesitate to see this film, but neither should anyone else who loves smart, witty, sophisticated yet irreverent comedy!