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House of Sand and Fog
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House of Sand and Fog (2003)

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User Rating: 7.8/10 (21,751 votes)
Photos (see all 31 | slideshow) Videos (see all 2 videos )

Overview

Director:
Vadim Perelman
Writers (WGA):
Andre Dubus III (novel)
Vadim Perelman (screenplay) ...
more
Release Date:
26 December 2003 (USA) more view trailer
Genre:
Drama more
Tagline:
Some dreams can't be shared.
Plot:
An abandoned wife is evicted from her house and starts a tragic conflict with her home's new owners. full summary | add synopsis
Awards:
Nominated for 3 Oscars. Another 7 wins & 16 nominations more
User Comments:
Incredible Comment On Cultural Gap In America more

Cast

 (Cast overview, first billed only)

Jennifer Connelly ... Kathy

Ben Kingsley ... Behrani

Ron Eldard ... Lester

Frances Fisher ... Connie Walsh

Kim Dickens ... Carol Burdon
Shohreh Aghdashloo ... Nadi
Jonathan Ahdout ... Esmail

Navi Rawat ... Soraya

Carlos Gómez ... Lt. Alvarez

Kia Jam ... Ali
Jaleh Modjallal ... Yasmin

Samira Damavandi ... Little Soraya
Matthew Simonian ... Little Esmail

Namrata Singh Gujral ... Wedding Guest (as Namrata S. Gurjal-Cooper)

Al Faris ... Wedding Guest
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Additional Details

MPAA:
Rated R for some violence/disturbing images, language and a scene of sexuality.
Runtime:
USA:126 min
Country:
USA
Language:
English | Persian
Colour:
Colour
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS
Certification:
Portugal:M/12 | Iceland:12 (video rating) | USA:R (certificate #40189) | Iceland:14 | South Korea:15 | Argentina:16 | Australia:MA | Canada:14A | Chile:14 | Czech Republic:15 | Finland:K-15 | Germany:12 | Netherlands:12 | New Zealand:R16 | Norway:15 | Singapore:M18 (re-rating) (uncut) | Singapore:NC-16 (edited for re-rating) | Singapore:R(A) (original rating) | Sweden:15 | Switzerland:16 (canton of the Grisons) | UK:15
MOVIEmeter: ?
^ 3% since last week why?
Company:
DreamWorks SKG more

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
Numerous location shots in Northern California establish the action as occurring in the San Francisco Bay Area. The actual house was over 400 miles away, in Malibu. more
Goofs:
Plot holes: The county may have the right to attach property to satisfy a business tax lien, but the process is nothing like in the movie. First, the lien is bought by an investor who is paid interest from repayment of the lien or sale of the property. This usually takes many months or years. If the property is sold, the money remaining after the lien is paid goes to the property owner or estate - it is certainly not kept by the county. more
Quotes:
[first lines]
Officer at End: Are you Kathy Nicolo?
Kathy: Yeah.
Officer at End: Is this your house?
more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in Lucky Number Slevin (2006) more
Soundtrack:
Shab more

FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
162 out of 193 people found the following comment useful:-
Incredible Comment On Cultural Gap In America, 25 December 2003
Author: josephinerenae3 from Chicago, IL

First of all, anyone who says that s/he didn't "get the point of this movie" needs to go back to watching movies produced solely by Jerry Brukheimer because the point could not be more apparent to anyone of any intelligence. House of Sand and Fog is a commentary on the cultural gap between American-born citizens and immigrants from war-ridden countries such as Iran. Unfortunately that gap is shown for what it is: wider than ever.

The character of Kathy is portrayed brilliantly by Jennifer Connelly as an emotionally unstable young woman caught up in the turmoil of losing both her husband and her family's home within eight months of each other. Kathy ignorantly fails to realize that the house her dead father has left her brother and her is in jeopardy of being put up for auction due to unpaid taxes. Kathy comprehends, too late, that the thirty years it took her father to pay off their home has been in vain when it is sold to an Iranian family shortly after auction. Her character is pinned against Ben Kingsley's Colonel Behrani when Behrani buys Kathy's auctioned house in order to return his own family to a sense of stability. The audience is conflicted by its empathy for both character's need to satisfy his and her own pride in family and the preservation of his and her heritage.

The catalyst for the two characters' conflict with each other is drawn from the supporting character of Officer Lester (Ron Eldard), a representation of the ignorance and lack of empathy some Americans feel towards people whose lives have led them to seek better ones in the United States. While Behrani's main motive is to protect his family and give it a sense of security, Lester puts his own selfish pleasures before the wellbeing of his own family. Behrani and Lester are complete opposites, Behrani clearly the nobler. It is clear why Kingsley chose to do this role: Kingsley's portrayal of an Iranian refugee is both superb and honest, not to mention Oscar-worthy. The film shows that there are greater sacrifices in this world than those materialistic in nature. Ironically many Americans might find that point hard to absorb, probably the reason why they are so quick to write off House of Sand and Fog as "one of the worst movies" they have ever seen. House of Sand and Fog is a film, not a movie. Those who give this film a thumbs down need to get a dictionary and distinguish the difference between the two terms. Andre Dubus III's novel has been done justice. Thumbs up.

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Message Boards

Discuss this title with other users on IMDb message board for House of Sand and Fog (2003)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
Tragedy without substance WingsOfWax
More sad. Book or movie? Harri542
How did Nadi know that the tea...(spoiler) JaySherman7
Miscasting is the real tragedy here barneyljc
Most depressing movies? B-J-C
Behrani and his wife survive? *SPOILERS* teral_goe
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