THE HOUSE: Nothing To Cash In

Comedy is the most divisive genre in the Hollywood landscape. I’ve said it time and time before but what makes one person laugh can make another roll their eyes into the back of their skull for an eternity; it is simply so selective. More than many, though, my opinions towards this genre tends to challenge (or outright contradict) the general consensus: last year’s critically-thrashed The Nice Guys went completely amiss on me. Will Ferrell and Amy Poehler‘s The House has been received even less favourably than Melissa McCarthy’s Boss; does this mean I’ll love it? Is it even more likely, considering my absolute love for all things Poehler, that it will be an absolute triumph? Well, erm…

College is expensive and after losing their daughter’s scholarship, Scott (Ferrell) and Kate (Poehler) decide to launch an illegal casino in a basement to raise money for her tuition. As with most comedies, the premise acts only as a vehicle for the shenanigans and farce to play out, with the talented actors riffing and improvising along the way. Alongside Ferrell and Poehler, Jason Mantzoukas, Nick Kroll, Ryan Simpkins and (in a jaw-dropping moment) Jeremy Renner join the cast, all helmed by comedy director and one half of the the writing team, Andrew Jay Cohen.

While Poehler is easily one of my favourite comedians in the industry, Ferrell has never been my cup of tea, making this pairing an interesting one to say the least. Thankfully, Poehler’s natural charm helps dull the grating Ferrell’s inclination towards the wide-eyed, over the top shtick he always gravitates towards; it is present here, but a little more digestible because of her easing the situation.

Cashing in only on the talent’s talent

Unfortunately, the script does neither of them any favours at all and it is only by their natural talents that they get by here, creating some relatively humorous moments but nothing more substantial. They often feel restricted by the characters who are as one-dimensional as they come. Scott is bad at math and Kate loves her daughter and… there is not a lot else to them. It is fair to say you don’t come to a film like this for the character work and development, but The House barely even gets them off the ground. Ferrell and Poehler are wholly to thank for their characters, because the script pretty much gives up on them from the get go.

Everybody else is decent enough, including Mantzoukas who brings a committed performance to the fold, as well as a genuinely shocking ‘omg’ cameo from Renner (I would love to know how they swung that) – but they are facing an uphill battle with lacklustre characters and writing.

Simply, many of The House’s problems boil down to the script. I certainly chuckled a handful of times and did have a smile on my face for the most part, but nothing is memorable and I am having a difficult time recalling anything noteworthy now. Except for one scene that is enough to convince any director to give Miss Poehler a flamethrower in every single role she takes, it is oddly flat and uninspired throughout, lacking a sparkle that is imperative for a film like this – particularly one that sells itself on the name of its leads – who, in this case, happen to be two of the most popular comic actors working in Hollywood today.

Poor hand in the script

Andrew Jay Cohen does better as a director than as a co-writer. Thanks to some lovely production design (honestly, the casino is beautiful and the provider of some really great shots), he operates in a slick way that keeps the runtime at a merciful 88 minutes. Many would be tempted to have a comedy with two of the genres’ firecrackers as their leads overcook, dwelling on their improvisation and efforts, but Cohen knows when to restrict the film and crack on with things; the film wastes no time to start with either, jumping into the main narrative in just a couple of minutes, helping maintain that tight-ish runtime.

Now, if only Cohen could have injected some life and excitement into the script to pick things up every now and then – but he doesn’t and it just remains so flat and lifeless for the majority of its runtime. An infrequently positioned set piece may come along and prevent you from demanding your money back there and then, but they are never sustained long enough to count for something. With no disrespect intended to the weekly night show, it is like an SNL sketch that runs on for far too long – there’s a reason they are kept to a few minutes a lot of the time.

It is a shame that The House never learns how to utilise its plethora of talent effectively. Ferrell and (particularly) Poehler are two of the most consistent comedians in the industry but even they cannot find much life here. The script is like a Saturday Night Live sketch stretched out over almost 90 minutes, which in itself would be fine if it provided our duo and their supporting players with some stronger gags; alas, it does not, leaving the comedians to do all of the heavy lifting – and there’s only so much you can do revolving around such a thin idea.

In Conclusion: The House

The House is utterly forgettable and the unfulfilled potential is damning. If you temper your expectations appropriately, you may be able to find some light, frothy entertainment here, mainly due to the film cashing all its chips in on the naturally humorous leads, but failing to provide them with funny content (or interesting characters) to riff off. This Amy Poehler and Will Ferrell’s double-hander is serviceable but there’s nothing here to bring the house down. I’ll see myself out.

Like a hangover after the type of night our duo host, you’ll struggle to remember much of The House when all is said and done – you might not want to either.

What are your thoughts on The House?