brett-76260 This movie missed a lot of viewers because it was released shortly after 9/11. It has a great story and the acting is outstanding. Well worth watching...

SnoopyStyle Sam Monroe (Hayden Christensen) is a mess and doesn't get along with his stepfather. His mother Robin Kimball (Kristin Scott Thomas) divorced from his father George Monroe (Kevin Kline) 10 years ago. George gets fired from his hated architectural job. He's dying from cancer and decides to tear down his shack to build his dream house. He has a combative relationship with his next door neighbor Colleen Beck (Mary Steenburgen). Her daughter Alyssa (Jena Malone) is Sam's schoolmate and she likes Sam. George forces Sam to spend the summer with him building the house. School drug dealer Josh (Ian Somerhalder) recruits Sam to prostitute himself and they're arrested by the police.I am not a Hayden Christensen fan. Other than 'Shattered Glass', I rarely like his performances. For this movie, he's well cast for this whiny bitter teen character. He has a pathetic self-indulgent streak that is perfect for this role. This movie can be overly sentimental. I would rather not have some of the sappy talk between Sam and Robin. It needs to stay focused on the father and son relationship. There are also a few too many people sleeping around. That cul-de-sac turns into orgy central all of a sudden. There is a solid foundation of a sentimental movie in the middle of everything.

AbhiMathews Life as a House is an inspirational movie that revolves around the relationship of a terminally ill father(George Monroe) and his troubled son(Sam Monroe). Both of them struggle to enjoy the true value of life and are emotionally hurt. Although everything changes once George is diagnosed with an incurable form of cancer and this movie depicts the transformation of their lives together. Despite being sick, George manages to keep his condition covert and he chooses to make the most of his time while he still has a chance. Sam is a misunderstood teenager who has just never received the necessary guidance to move forward in life, and looks to narcotics as an escape from the the hardships of the real world. Realizing his time is fading, George calls his son over for the summer to share what precious time he has left and to make a lasting impact that will hopefully steer Sam in the right direction. Regardless of the great story line and good performances from Kevin Kline and Hayden Christensen, the movie is below par in a few categories. The supporting actors were poorly cast and their acting seemed to be completely fake in several scenes. The focus on unnecessary side stories also adds time to the film which disengages viewers due to its dullness and uninteresting themes. The soundtrack and filming was also lackluster and failed to serve this movie justice. Despite the weak performances and substandard technical aspects, Life as a House is a breathtaking film. The shortcomings of this movie pale in comparison to the overall plot and acting from the father-son duo. This movie is very deep and emotional, and touches on a lot of sensitive subjects. Exemplifying the true importance of life, Life as a House is a very strong movie that deserves to be recognized as one.

moonspinner55 Screenwriter Mark Andrus attempts to write for beleaguered middle-aged adults as well as 'misunderstood' high school kids in "Life as a House", and neither group comes off especially well. Kevin Kline, a divorced and unemployed model-maker recently fired from an architectural design firm, decides to tear down his ramshackle oceanfront abode to build his dream home (perhaps not the ideal time); he also chooses this unintended respite to get reacquainted with his pierced, pill-popping teenage son, who wears eye makeup to show us he's rebellious (also to allow his stepfather to call him "queer" so we can see what an insensitive jerk the guy is). Andrus doesn't miss a beat: we also get Kristin Scott Thomas as Kline's still-loving ex-wife who harps at him exhaustively when she's not coyly flirting (she pays a visit and whispers, "I dreamed about your house last night..."). The moody, foul-mouthed son has enough problems to star in his own movie; he berates his father, too, with such dialogue as, "You can't promise me anything because you don't have anything to promise!" It's a groan-worthy soap opera accented with little bits of naughty business (like Kline urinating in his yard when his plumbing goes out) which serve no purpose except to make us snicker. It turns out the kid isn't "queer" after all once he begins trading jaded endearments with the conveniently-placed doe-eyed lass next door, and Kline gets his way with the city ordinance after taking a chainsaw to a cabinet and installing that all-important enclosure around his toilet. If only real life were so simple! * from ****