The House of Yes (1997)
Directed by: Mark Waters
Premise: A mentally unbalanced young woman (Parker Posey) flips into a murderous rage when her brother (Josh Hamilton) returns home for Thanksgiving and reveals he’s engaged.
What Works: The House of Yes is a great example of dialogue. Adapted from a stage play, the film features snappy, rhythmic speech that drives the picture along. Unlike some stage adaptations, The House of Yes translates well because it successfully adapts the material into a cinematic presentation. The performances are great all around, but especially Parker Posey who is able to take the highly stylized dialogue and sell it.
What Doesn’t: There is little push and pull between Posey and Hamilton’s characters. While the film moves along, more direct conflict leading to the climax would have driven the film to a more shocking finale.
DVD extras: None.
Bottom Line: The House of Yes is one of those early Miramax gems that hopefully more people will discover as time goes on. It is successful as an adaptation and as a film in its own right. Fans of Wes Anderson and early Quentin Tarantino films ought to check this out.
Episode: #94 (April 30, 2006)