Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Mild
- Complexity
- Simple
- Violence
- None
- breezy
- juvenile
- warm
- family movie night
- 90s nostalgia
What critics said
Critics broadly found the film dull and repetitive, citing clichéd writing, thin characterization, and an implausible treatment of family conflict.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Grover and Stacy imprison their divorcing parents in the basement to force them to reconcile.
The siblings react to Janet and Ned's decision to divorce after eighteen years of marriage.
The central comic premise confines the parents to the basement while the children manage their forced reconciliation.
The high-school protagonist and his younger sister judge their parents' behavior as childish and take control of the household.
Films like House Arrest, and why
The Parent Trap
shared teen-led family comedy, rebellious children, and exaggerated domestic conflict
Problem Child
shared child-centered mischief, family dysfunction, and broad 1990s comedy
The War with Grandpa
shared adolescent rebellion, dysfunctional parents, and warm family-comedy framing
Movie Details
- Director
- Harry Winer
- Release Date
- 1996-08-14
- Runtime
- 109 min
- Rating
- 5.4 / 10 (147)
Cast
- Kyle Howard
- Jamie Lee Curtis
- Kevin Pollak
- Jennifer Tilly
- Christopher McDonald
- Sheila McCarthy
- Wallace Shawn
- Caroline Aaron
- Mooky Arizona
- Herbert Russell
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 House Arrest about?
- When their parents decide to divorce, two determined siblings imprison them in the basement and recruit friends to repair their families through increasingly chaotic juvenile logic.
- What is House Arrest like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of House Arrest as brisk, its intensity as mild and its storytelling as simple.
- Is House Arrest violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in House Arrest.
- What did critics think of House Arrest?
- Critics broadly found the film dull and repetitive, citing clichéd writing, thin characterization, and an implausible treatment of family conflict.
- Which films are like House Arrest?
- Films with a similar feel include The Parent Trap, Problem Child, and The War with Grandpa.
- How long is House Arrest?
- House Arrest runs 109 minutes.
- Where can I watch House Arrest?
- In United States, House Arrest is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
