House of Sand and Fog (2003)

Featured Audience Ratings

• Lewis C

  
  "I have taken us so far off our course, but now it is time to return. It is time for us to go home to our destiny." There are no good or bad characters in House of Sand and Fog. Just a lot of flawed individuals who seem to unintentionally make matters worse at every turn.… More
  "I have taken us so far off our course, but now it is time to return. It is time for us to go home to our destiny." There are no good or bad characters in House of Sand and Fog. Just a lot of flawed individuals who seem to unintentionally make matters worse at every turn. This isn't a feel-good movie, to say the least. The story is about a conflict over a house that is very important to several different people. The woman that it originally belongs to is wrongfully evicted from it, and it ends up being sold to an exiled Iranian man who needs the house as part of a plan to provide for his family. An unimaginable amount of conflict and tragedy ends up resulting from this unfortunate situation. I'm an avowed fan of these kinds of dour dramas. House of Sand and Fog has all the emotional power of a movie like Revolutionary Road or Little Children, without the heavy-handed preachiness of Crash. This movie isn't trying to teach you anything or tug on your heartstrings, it's just a well-told story about tragedy. Combine that with solid writing, a good score, and a great cast (lead by Jennifer Connelly and Ben Kingsley), and you have a movie that is a fine example of the drama genre.

• Dan S

  
  An extremely powerful film. Kingsley gives a performance that should be up with the bests of all-time, where Connelly, strikingly beautiful, gives an Oscar-worth one as well. A deep story that is rich in characterization as well as with things such as material possessions and how much… More
  An extremely powerful film. Kingsley gives a performance that should be up with the bests of all-time, where Connelly, strikingly beautiful, gives an Oscar-worth one as well. A deep story that is rich in characterization as well as with things such as material possessions and how much we place value in them. A heck of a depressing story with people who are extremely troubled and have very few redeeming qualities, but in the end it really makes you take a strong look on how much you place value on items, such as a simple house, and the effects these possessions can have on your life.

• Mike S

  
  Solemn and well-directed drama, about a family who gets in bitter conflict with the previous owner of their newly bought house. The first half is pretty slow, but it builds up tension well for what happens in the second, where things really shift into high gear. One thing I really… More
  Solemn and well-directed drama, about a family who gets in bitter conflict with the previous owner of their newly bought house. The first half is pretty slow, but it builds up tension well for what happens in the second, where things really shift into high gear. One thing I really appreciated about the film, was the fact that it was very hard to predict the final outcome of the plot. That, along with its superb acting and refined script, makes it into an above-average drama, and one I'd gladly recommend. Be aware though that it's very tragic in tone. So if you're looking for something cheerful with a happy end, you may want to look elsewhere.

• Fernando Rafael Q

  
  Powerful and very sad, HOUSE OF SAND AND FOG is a tragic film, brilliantly directed by Vadim Perelman, in his debut. Both Jennifer Connelly and Ben Kingsley are amazing in their performances. Sir Ben would've been flawless if it wasn't for the whole hospital moment, which I… More
  Powerful and very sad, HOUSE OF SAND AND FOG is a tragic film, brilliantly directed by Vadim Perelman, in his debut. Both Jennifer Connelly and Ben Kingsley are amazing in their performances. Sir Ben would've been flawless if it wasn't for the whole hospital moment, which I found very fake. Shohreh Aghdashloo was very good, too. The beautiful cinematography contrasts with the heavy, gloomy tone of the film.

• Curtis L

  
  Yikes...very driving story of bad situations gone worse. Compelling from start to finish. Not to mention Jennifer Connelly is impossibly hot in it.

• Robert C

  
  This film sucked me in, chewed me up and then spat me out. I was left feeling drained and slightly depressed, but also very thoughtful about what I had just experienced. The sign of a great film in my book. If you like predictable heartwarming films, look elsewhere.

• Michael S

  
  Really, really sad.

• jay n

  
  Beautifully acted, especially by Shohreh Aghdashloo, but so grim there is no real viewing pleasure

• Luke B

  
  Overrated and dull. Kingsley's accent is unintentionally hilarious. Connelly is brilliant in her role, but is an unlikeable charcter. Other than that it is a drama that fails to leave a lasting impression.

• Drew S

  
  Given all the ridiculously depressing roles she takes on (and with such aplomb!), I'm surprised that Jennifer Connelly is as happy a woman as she is. This movie is an absolutely superb drama with a massive moral question and no clear answer, leaving it up to the viewer to… More
  Given all the ridiculously depressing roles she takes on (and with such aplomb!), I'm surprised that Jennifer Connelly is as happy a woman as she is. This movie is an absolutely superb drama with a massive moral question and no clear answer, leaving it up to the viewer to decide. The atmosphere is sad and oppressive and the performances are haunted.

• Jens S

  
  Thriller drama with beautiful 2nd unit photography of the landscapes and great acting performances. Ben Kingsley is outstanding as always, and Jennifer Connelly still manages to get hotter each year. Good movie, but not a feel-good flick.

• Leigh R

  
  Sad.

• Nate Z

  
  [center][img]http://img163.imageshack.us/img163/5875/photo088md.jpg[/img][/center] [color=darkred][/color] [font=Arial][color=darkred]Cold Mountain[/color][/font] [font=Arial][color=darkred][/color][/font] [font=Arial][color=darkred]Premise: At the end of the Civil War, Inman (Jude… More
  [center][img]http://img163.imageshack.us/img163/5875/photo088md.jpg[/img][/center] [color=darkred][/color] [font=Arial][color=darkred]Cold Mountain[/color][/font] [font=Arial][color=darkred][/color][/font] [font=Arial][color=darkred]Premise: At the end of the Civil War, Inman (Jude Law, scruffy) deserts the Confederate lines to journey back home to Ada (Nicole Kidman), the love of his life he’s spent a combined 10 minutes with.[/color][/font] [font=Arial][color=darkred][/color][/font] [font=Arial][color=darkred]Results: Terribly uneven, [i]Cold[/i][i]Mountain[/i]’s drama is shackled by a love story that doesn’t register the faintest of heartbeats. Kidman is wildly miscast, as she was in The Human Stain, and her beauty betrays her character. She also can’t do a Southern accent top save her life (I’m starting to believe the only accent she can do is faux British). Law’s ever-changing beard is even more interesting than her prissy character. Renee Zellweger, as a no-nonsense Ma Clampett get-your-hands-dirty type, is a breath of fresh air in an overly stuff film; however, her acting is quite transparent in an, “Aw sucks, give me one ‘dem Oscars, ya’ll” way.[/color][/font] [font=Arial][color=darkred][/color][/font] [font=Arial][color=darkred]Nate’s Grade: C[/color][/font] [font=Arial][color=#8b0000][/color][/font] [font=Arial][color=darkred]House of Sand and Fog[/color][/font] [font=Arial][color=darkred]Premise: Kathy (Jennifer Connelly) has lost her family home due to a bureaucratic error, and a former Iranian colonel (Ben Kingsley) and his family move in for a rock-bottom price. Neither is willing to budge, and their turf tussle soon becomes a tragedy.[/color][/font] [font=Arial][color=darkred]Results: Perhaps the first real estate thriller, [i]House of Sand and Fog[/i] is a smartly written, emotionally harrowing film with phenomenal acting. Kingsley is superb and deserves a Best Actor nomination. Shohreh Aghdashloo is heartbreaking as Kingsley’s wife, who doesn’t know a lot of English but loses sleep over the word “deportation.” The drama is meant to convey that both sides have a convincing claim to the house, but who are audiences going to side with, an American screw-up who could have avoided the whole mess by mailing in a letter, or a hard-working family ere the son is willing to take a second paper route to help out? The final act is a bit overly bleak, and the cop boyfriend character is an easy go-to for plot turns. [i]House of Sand and Fog[/i] is one of the more compelling films of the year AND the beautiful Connelly gets naked a few times. What more could you want in a prestige picture?[/color][/font] [font=Arial][color=darkred]Nate’s Grade: B+[/color][/font] [font=Arial][color=#8b0000][/color][/font] [font=Arial][color=#8b0000][/color][/font] [font=Arial][color=#8b0000]The Last Samurai[/color][/font] [font=Arial][color=darkred]Premise: Alcoholic Civil War vet (Tom Cruise) is hired by the Japanese emperor to modernize his army. After being captured by samurai, he finds solace and fights alongside his former enemy against the emperor’s modernized army.[/color][/font] [font=Arial][color=darkred]Results: A miscast Cruise is not turning Japanese, no matter if he really thinks so. [i]The Last Samurai[/i] is a conservative by-the-book epic the limply transports the framework of [i]Dances with Wolves[/i] and effectively creates [i]Dances with Japanese People[/i]. Don’t believe me? Let’s go to the videotape. Civil War vet (check) haunted by massacre of Native Americans (check), finds peace with a foreign culture (check), falls in love with one of the foreign women (check), and must battle the invading former culture that threatens his new happiness (check). The film does have lovely cinematography and production design, if that means something to you.[/color][/font] [font=Arial][color=darkred]Nate’s Grade: C+[/color][/font] [font=Arial][color=#8b0000][/color][/font] [font=Arial][color=#8b0000][/color][/font] [font=Arial][color=#8b0000]21 Grams[/color][/font] [font=Arial][color=darkred]Premise: A mathematician (Sean Penn) in need of a heart transplant, a recovering addict (Naomi Watts) mourning the loss of her husband and children, and an ex-con (Benicio Del Toro) who’s found redemption in Jesus, are all linked by a horrific car accident. The aftermath will bring them together out of grief, guilt, and revenge.[/color][/font] [font=Arial][color=darkred]Results: The greatest asset [i]21 Grams[/i] has, bar none, is the trio of breathtaking performances. De Toro gives a powerful performance as a man consumed by grief and seeking answers in the unknown. Watts gives the definition of a raw performance. What isn’t cool is the structure, told out of order like the director’s first film, the brilliant [i]Amorres Perros[/i], translated: [i]Love’s a Bitch[/i]. But the mixed-up structure of [i]21 Grams[/i] is needlessly complicated d frustrating, plus it pulls you out of the movie. I’m sure there’s a rationale reason for it, but the surprises and expectations it produces are minimal. The whole thing would have been better plunked in an old-fashioned linear structure. The sensational performances and intelligent story will stay with you long after the film ends.[/color][/font] [font=Arial][color=darkred]Nate’s Grade: B+[/color][/font] [font=Arial][color=#8b0000]Big Fish[/color][/font] [font=Arial][color=darkred]Premise: Estranged son Will (Billy Crudup) travels back home in an effort to know his ailing father Edward Bloom (Albert Finney; Ewan McGregor as the younger version). Will hopes to learn the truth behind a man who spent a lifetime spinning extravagant tall tales.[/color][/font] [font=Arial][color=darkred]Results: Despite a shaky first half, [i]Big Fish[/i] becomes a surprisingly elegant romance matched by director Tim Burtion’s visual whimsy. McGregor’s shining big-grinned optimism is charming. Not to be confused with the similar but too mawkish [i]Forrest Gump[/i], Burton’s father-son meditation will have you quite choked up at its moving climax. Fair warning to those with father issues, you may want to steer clear from [i]Big Fish[/i]. You know who you are.[/color][/font] [font=Arial][color=darkred]Nate’s Grade: B+[/color][/font]

• Mike N

  
  [indent][img]http://images.rottentomatoes.com/images/tomatoes/small_rotten.gif[/img][color=white]..[/color][color=black]1/10 Movie: [url="http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/TheOrder-1125368/"]The Order (2003)[/url][/color] [/indent]'House Of Sand And Fog' is a great… More
  [indent][img]http://images.rottentomatoes.com/images/tomatoes/small_rotten.gif[/img][color=white]..[/color][color=black]1/10 Movie: [url="http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/TheOrder-1125368/"]The Order (2003)[/url][/color] [/indent]'House Of Sand And Fog' is a great flick. So emotionally powerful...just wow. Kingsley and Connelly are both terrific. One of the year's best.[url="http://www.rottentomatoes.com/vine/showpost.php?p=3675859&postcount=1287"]My review[/url] On the flip side, do NOT go see 'The Order' (not that I ever thought you would in the first place). [url="http://www.rottentomatoes.com/vine/showpost.php?p=3670613&postcount=1284"]My review[/url] Other than that, I've been stunted all day. Not sure what's up with these recurring headaches. I almost never got 'em, and just as 2004 begins, I've now had a string of 3 (that lingered for hours, some even days). They're not bad. Just...annoying. Stupid brain. :p My mind, at the moment: [img]http://userimages.rottentomatoes.com/profiles/44011/824400e1d371b23f.jpg[/img] [size=1]Yeah, this is my cartoon. One of my "symbols", if you will, that I always draw on most pads of paper that I have access to. Not all of my cartooning is so crude, however. :p[/size] So...everybody else's noggin been doin' OK?

• Deb S

  
  The film firstly follows Kathy (Jennifer Connelly) as she is evicted from her beach house due to taxes that she didn't owe. Kathy realizes that the government wronged her and her only recourse would be to sue, but meanwhile she is homeless. The house is sold on at an auction… More
  The film firstly follows Kathy (Jennifer Connelly) as she is evicted from her beach house due to taxes that she didn't owe. Kathy realizes that the government wronged her and her only recourse would be to sue, but meanwhile she is homeless. The house is sold on at an auction before the error is corrected. Cue Ben Kingsley as a Middle Eastern refugee Colonel Behrani who fled to America and worked his fingers to the bone to get enough money to make a property investment and try to get back a fraction of the upper class lifestyle he and his wife Soraya (Shohreh Aghdashloo) and son Esmail (Jonathan Ahdout) were accustomed to. Behrani's desire to make a better life for himself and his family is perfectly rational and is indeed lauded in the American culture. He wants to sell the house off after buying it at a fraction of the value. The big moral dilemma is who`s in the right? Riveting performances from Jennifer Connelly and Ben Kingsley in this story that transcends the surface issues and deals with prejudice, pride, desperation and obsession! Make no bones about it, this is a not the usual feel good Hollywood film but a dark and bleak film with no clear hero or villain, just regular people caught up in events that will eventually break them and destroy their lives.

• Mike T

  
  Jennifer Connelly gives us a heartbreaking, passionately realized piece of acting in this film. Overall, it works effectively as a dark drama, and I have a lot of respect for the amount of texture and complexity involved in the story itself. Roger Deakins' cinematography is… More
  Jennifer Connelly gives us a heartbreaking, passionately realized piece of acting in this film. Overall, it works effectively as a dark drama, and I have a lot of respect for the amount of texture and complexity involved in the story itself. Roger Deakins' cinematography is striking and powerful in its exuding of the film's visually subtle gloom.

• Alec B

  
  Let me just say that the book is one of the best novels I have ever read and this is a pretty good adaption. The performances are spot on, I mean absolutely perfect for the characters. I have two issues with the film. One: they changed the ending of the film from the book. Not that… More
  Let me just say that the book is one of the best novels I have ever read and this is a pretty good adaption. The performances are spot on, I mean absolutely perfect for the characters. I have two issues with the film. One: they changed the ending of the film from the book. Not that the film's ending is bad, it is good i just think it would have been braver to follow the book instead. Interestingly enough anyone who thinks this was a depreasing ending, the book is even more so. My second issue is that the plot seems almost absurd at points in the film, the trouble is that the book lets us see into the minds of these people and their actions make more sense. A lot of that is lost on film, but even with that said the actors carry the film regardless.

• Andre T

  
  A very dense , hard and strong drama film directed by Vadim Perelman. The screenplay by Perelman and Shawn Lawrence Otto is based on the novel of the same name by Andre Dubus III.The story concerns the battle between a young woman and an immigrant Iranian family over the ownership of… More
  A very dense , hard and strong drama film directed by Vadim Perelman. The screenplay by Perelman and Shawn Lawrence Otto is based on the novel of the same name by Andre Dubus III.The story concerns the battle between a young woman and an immigrant Iranian family over the ownership of a house in Northern California. The film was nominated for three Academy Awards, Best Actor (Ben Kingsley), Best Supporting Actress (Shohreh Aghdashloo), and Best Original Score (James Horner).Because the hard thematic this movie can be a depressing, but the performances, the cinematography and the musical score worth, making this a great movie.

• Sarah P

  
  Wow...Ben Kingsley was awesome and I loved the dynamics at work in this movie.

• Ivan D

  
  Andre Dubus III's book, which I have read almost a year ago, conveyed much painful emotions with straightforward words rather than taking the risk of getting branded as too pretentious with poetic chapter interludes. The adaptation by director Vadim Perelman, exposed the tragic… More
  Andre Dubus III's book, which I have read almost a year ago, conveyed much painful emotions with straightforward words rather than taking the risk of getting branded as too pretentious with poetic chapter interludes. The adaptation by director Vadim Perelman, exposed the tragic story's overlooked beauty, literally seen through the gloomy fog enveloping the screen at times(by masterful cinematographer Roger Deakins), and content-wise, viewed upon the pitch perfect performances by all the actors involved(particularly that of the great Ben Kingsley). Jennifer Connelly, with her beautiful face, should have been there starring on cute love stories, but she has chosen otherwise. She would rather put her ethereal face as a palette of sadness and pessimism, her actions an expression of the gloom, and her eyes a window for some hope. There's two key visual connections between this film and Darren Aronofsky's "Requiem for a Dream"(which also starred Ms. Connelly): One is the ever recurring figure of her standing in the docks, looking towards the ocean(she even had one in "Dark City", but its theme was about hope, so I'll drop that). And two, the "fetal position", which both of her characters did as they reached the verge of ultimate tragedy. "House of Sand and Fog" is not just a simple novel-to-film adaptation, it was inspired filmmaking on the works, and one can always see that in any film, even with the most despairing of themes.

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