An ostensibly old-fashioned family drama that proves, despite an awkward final act, to be one of his most satisfying recent films, and indeed the darkest.
80
EmpireDavid Parkinson
EmpireDavid Parkinson
Challenging the truism that you can never go home, this doesn't entirely integrate its political subtext. But the storylines are involving, the setting is picturesque and the performances are impeccable.
The House by the Sea feels like the work of a filmmaker gazing back over his own filmography as one might across a sparkling blue sea, and observing its tides.
60
CineVueJohn Bleasdale
CineVueJohn Bleasdale
The House By the Sea is ultimately a deeply satisfying and occasionally moving experience.
The film’s first hour and last reels are now a not completely organic fit, taking things from an intimate and personal level to a global scale while skipping over an awful lot of things in between.