Life as a House
A terminally ill father recruits his estranged teenage son to build a house and rebuild their fractured family during one transformative summer.
Overview
A poignant journey of a father seeking redemption and connection with his estranged son.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Mild
- melancholic
- sentimental
- bittersweet
- reflective evening
- family drama night
What critics said
Critics found the film emotionally manipulative and contrived but credited its strong performances, especially Kevin Kline, Kristin Scott Thomas, and Hayden Christensen.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
George's terminal cancer motivates him to build a house and reconnect with Sam and Robin during his remaining time.
George's replacement of his inherited shack with a house parallels his attempt to rebuild his identity and family bonds.
Sam begins the summer engaged in self-destructive behavior but is drawn into George's construction project and family confrontation.
George's rundown shack stands amid ostentatious southern California houses, emphasizing economic and emotional divisions.
Films like Life as a House, and why
The Bucket List
shared themes of terminal illness, family reconciliation, and emotionally direct domestic drama
The Descendants
shared father son reconciliation, grief, and bittersweet humanism
October Sky
shared coming-of-age family conflict, youthful alienation, and warm but melancholy tone
Stepmom
shared terminal illness, parent child intimacy, and tearjerker emotional register
Movie Details
- Director
- Irwin Winkler
- Release Date
- 2001-10-25
- Runtime
- 125 min
- Rating
- 7.1 / 10 (463)
Cast
- Kevin Kline
- Hayden Christensen
- Kristin Scott Thomas
- Jena Malone
- Mary Steenburgen
- Ian Somerhalder
- Jamey Sheridan
- Scott Bakula
- Sandra Nelson
- Sam Robards
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 Life as a House about?
- A terminally ill father recruits his estranged teenage son to build a house and rebuild their fractured family during one transformative summer.
- What is Life as a House like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Life as a House as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Life as a House violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Life as a House as mild.
- What did critics think of Life as a House?
- Critics found the film emotionally manipulative and contrived but credited its strong performances, especially Kevin Kline, Kristin Scott Thomas, and Hayden Christensen.
- Which films are like Life as a House?
- Films with a similar feel include The Bucket List, The Descendants, October Sky, and Stepmom.
- How long is Life as a House?
- Life as a House runs 125 minutes.
- Where can I watch Life as a House?
- In United States, Life as a House is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
