I weeped like a child. Not at the end like everyone else, my manliness was able to get it all out a little before. I'd say this is a good movie, but it's all been done before. There was one slutty character that didn't make any sense, which I found distracting. The partial focus on the adolescents was a nice change for tear-jerkers. Guys can relax- let your girlfriends/wives take you to Life as a House- you'll get points and you'll enjoy it, too.

Excellent and realistic humor to boot.

Actually, that's a 7.5. Let me break it down for ya: The good: Kevin Kline... oh, Kevin Kline, he plays this part so naturally, and he definitely holds the entire movie together (which is needed, as it has a lot of loose ends). In fact, I could watch the movie again just to see his performance. Every word he says (even if it is a contrived "revelation" about living life to the fullest or something like that, which is the writer's fault, not his) oozes with humanity, and the scene in which he destroys his models after being fired will go down as one of my favorite scenes of all time...that's right... all time. Watch this movie for Kevin.

Scott Thomas: excellent actress, plays the part well, you struggle along with her during the emotional roller-coaster (sorry for that cringe-inducing cliché, and the one I just used to describe it). Her and Kline make quite the on-screen pair.

The metaphor: The house... it's SO obvious and in your face but I love it anyway. Tearing it down (as well as a lot of tearing down/coping with family history that is explored well in the movie, especially in an unbelievable scene between Kline and Christensen that ends beautifully like this... "Build this house with me.") Incredible.

The not so good: Christensen: I know, I know, everyone and their dog praises him in this role...I just don't see it. Whiny to the point of nausea...not in that "playing the character well" way but in a, well, nauseating way. He is saved by Kline in most scenes. Nothing much to see. And his character changes so quickly and unnaturally, which leads me into...

The writing: The first 75 minutes of the movie are, for the most part, so beautifully written... witty, touching, bloody emotional. The rest is filler (in my opinion). All issues are resolved easily and predictably. And the ending... I mean come on, why? In my head I pretend it was never there,it makes the movie better in hindsight, which, if I may quote the movie, is "like foresight without a future." Yeah, that was in the first 75 minutes.

I DO recommend this movie. Most of the performances are great, and there is some very good dialogue all over the place, just look out for the occasional giant heaps of maudlin fodder being crammed down your throat (alright, alright, it made me cry a little so it did its job.)

"Life is a House" tells of a dying architect (Klein) who razes his dilapidated shanty and builds a new home. The house in "...House" is a metaphor..tearing down the old, building the new, putting asunder old regrets while erecting a legacy for those left behind. Entertaining though contrived, "...House" sports a solid cast, doesn't get too weepy or sappy, is full of poignancy, and sanitized for audience protection. In the final analysis, "...House" delivers good old fashioned three star Hollywood entertainment which will be enjoyed by all but the most cynical.