Houseguest
A fast-talking con man fleeing a $50,000 mob debt infiltrates a suburban family’s Christmas season by pretending to be an old friend.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Mild
- Complexity
- Simple
- Violence
- Mild
- witty
- breezy
- irreverent
- holiday movie night
- casual comedy viewing
What critics said
Critics broadly found the fish-out-of-water premise and lead pairing surprisingly unfunny, with the comedy wearing out its welcome quickly.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Kevin Franklin poses as Gary Young's childhood friend while evading mob enforcers.
A fast-talking con man is forced to navigate an affluent Pennsylvania suburb and a family under strain.
Christmas decorations, a Christmas tree, and a Christmas party frame Kevin's intrusion into the Young household.
Kevin is characterized as a con man whose mouth is bigger than him, using verbal performance to escape danger.
Films like Houseguest, and why
The Man Who Knew Too Little
fish out of water comedy, mistaken identity, and escalating suburban chaos
Uncle Buck
family-centered comedy driven by a charismatic outsider disrupting domestic routines
The Whole Nine Yards
1990s comedy built around deception, criminal complications, and broad comic misunderstandings
Movie Details
- Director
- Randall Miller
- Release Date
- 1995-01-06
- Runtime
- 109 min
- Rating
- 5.5 / 10 (81)
Cast
- Sinbad
- Phil Hartman
- Jeffrey Jones
- Kim Greist
- Stan Shaw
- Tony Longo
- Paul Ben-Victor
- Mason Adams
- Chauncey Leopardi
- Talia Seider
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Houseguest about?
- A fast-talking con man fleeing a $50,000 mob debt infiltrates a suburban family’s Christmas season by pretending to be an old friend.
- What is Houseguest like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Houseguest as brisk, its intensity as mild and its storytelling as simple.
- Is Houseguest violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Houseguest as mild.
- What did critics think of Houseguest?
- Critics broadly found the fish-out-of-water premise and lead pairing surprisingly unfunny, with the comedy wearing out its welcome quickly.
- Which films are like Houseguest?
- Films with a similar feel include The Man Who Knew Too Little, Uncle Buck, and The Whole Nine Yards.
- How long is Houseguest?
- Houseguest runs 109 minutes.
- Where can I watch Houseguest?
- In United States, Houseguest is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
