Review: The House (2017)

The House (2017)

The House is quite typical for what you would expect from a Will Ferrell / Amy Poehler comedy these days. It has the same type of humour, plot and tone as many of their other recent and relatively uninspired outings. There is the usual plethora of 'subversive' comedy that centres upon crude jokes, gross-out gags, and Ferrell and Poehler's well-known exaggerated performances. This is one that will still entertain (if you are in the mood for it) but is overall very forgettable and will, as quickly as it came, disappear into the history books.

The film is about Scott and Kate Johansen (Ferrell and Poehler), the parents of Alex (Ryan Simpkins), who have just learned that a local fund that was being used for college scholarships is now going to be used for a public swimming pool development. With Alex's prospects of going to college now eliminated, Scott and Kate team up with their zany, gambling-addicted friend, Frank (Jason Mantzoukas) to start their own underground casino to save up money for Alex's tuition. As one would predict, there are the usual antagonists - here, being the local council and a police officer who try to uncover and dismantle their casino operations. That pretty much sums up the whole film. There really is nothing unique about this film, in comedy or story, but, like I said, it carries with it a base-level of entertainment. It might make for a good choice for a weekend hangover or maybe if you want to just hang out with some friends some evening and smoke a joint together. Otherwise, this one is very passable.