ursaminor7 A fun romantic comedy with Maggie Smith and Michael Caine as charming ghosts of a formerr era. The romance of the "alive" characters is fairly formula, but it is fun to watch Smith and Caine banter as they fade in and out of reality. Nothing serious, but a great movie for lovers of the theatre, or for bibliophiles.

jerry758 The house is great. The movie is sweet, but boring. The characters are 2-dimensional (or less), and it has all been done before, and better (Topper, for example). Spader, who I usually like a lot, seems to have not a clue of what he is doing. Physical comedy by him looks clumsy, character motivation or depth is nonexistent. I did not like his character as a person or as a comedic device. Michael Caine overacted (as usual) but that is OK for the role. A pleasant hour movie that ran 1:40. I'd rent it if you are in the mood for a "chick flick", and it does have its moments when Spader is not on center stage. But it could have been a whole lot better!

Gardiner if it weren't for the incredible talent that both MAGGIE SMITH and MICHAEL CAINE possess this movie would not be worth watching. seeing them both together is an ABSOLUTE TREAT. maggie smith is a genius, if she wants to make you laugh she makes you laugh, if she wants to make you think she makes you think and if she wants to make you sad she makes you sad - and often she can do this all in one scene. james spader doesn't seem to know what to do most of the time and that polly walker takes herself much too seriously... she looks good but come on - stop acting like you LOOK GOOD and start acting like a real person. the story itself seems to go in too many directions at once. there are so many elements you WISH were more developped and are not.

FredNurk This movie has a good cast although one would think from the way James Spader acts that the Director really wanted Hugh Grant for the part. Indeed the actress playing his girlfriend looks a lot like Elizabeth Hurley. She has an accent that hints of Julie Christie from "Heaven Can Wait." This movie is not in that league either. A previous reviewer emphasized how nice the house was. If anything the house should have had the leading role. Maggie Smith and Michael Caine overacted in the context of their roles as old thespians but with such a lame script even those greats couldn't do much with it. Behind their professionalism was the hint that even the greats have to appear in stinkers sometimes.