The House (2017 film)
| Company type | Film |
|---|---|
| Industry | Entertainment |
| Founded | 2017 |
| Founder | Andrew J. Cohen, Brendan O'Brien |
| Headquarters | Los Angeles , United States |
| Products | Comedy film |
| Parent | Warner Bros. Pictures |
The House is a 2017 American comedy film helmed by director Andrew J. Cohen, who also co-wrote the screenplay alongside Brendan O'Brien. The cast includes Will Ferrell, Amy Poehler, Jason Mantzoukas, Nick Kroll, and Jeremy Renner. The storyline centers on a couple who establish an illicit casino within a friend's residence to finance their daughter's university education.
Principal photography commenced on September 14, 2015, in Los Angeles. Distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, the film premiered on June 30, 2017. It was met with unfavorable critiques and did not recoup its investment, earning $34 million globally against a production budget of $40 million.
Plot
While visiting Bucknell University, Scott and Kate Johansen caution their daughter Alex about the challenges associated with college life. Alex gains admission to the university, anticipating financial support from a local scholarship fund. However, during a community meeting, city councilman Bob Schaeffer reveals that the scholarship program will be discontinued to allocate funds toward constructing a public pool, leaving the Johansens disheartened.
After unsuccessful efforts to obtain money through loans, salary increases, or Kate's reinstatement at work, the couple travels with their friend Frank Theodorakis to Las Vegas. Although they initially win some money gambling, they ultimately lose their winnings. Upon returning home, Frank convinces them to launch an underground casino in his house as a means to raise tuition funds and help him reconcile with his estranged spouse.
The casino rapidly gains popularity and becomes profitable. When Councilman Bob becomes suspicious due to decreased attendance at town meetings and initiates an inquiry, the Johansens encounter a card counter connected to mobster Tommy Papouli. Following Scott’s accidental injury to the gambler’s finger—earning him the moniker "The Butcher"—local apprehension ironically increases patronage.
As they near their financial target, Bob and Officer Chandler confiscate their earnings and demand the casino be shut down. Despite this, they persist in running it until Papouli arrives and a confrontation leads to the house catching fire. After confessing their operation to Alex, they team up with Chandler—who had released them—to retrieve the seized funds from Bob.
Chandler reveals Bob’s corrupt scheme involving embezzlement of municipal funds alongside town treasurer Dawn Mayweather. After an unsuccessful attempt to detain the Johansens, Bob crashes his vehicle and rushes back to town hall where he is confronted and taken into custody. Scott and Kate recover the money required for Alex’s college tuition.
Cast
- Will Ferrell as Scott Johansen
- Amy Poehler as Kate Johansen, Scott's spouse
- Jason Mantzoukas as Frank Theodorakis, close friend of Scott and Kate
- Ryan Simpkins as Alex Johansen, daughter of Scott and Kate
- Nick Kroll as Bob Schaeffer, corrupt city councilman
- Allison Tolman as Dawn Mayweather, city treasurer and spouse of Joe
- Rob Huebel as Officer Chandler
- Michaela Watkins as Raina Theodorakis, Frank's former wife
- Jeremy Renner as Tommy Papouli, local organized crime leader
- Cedric Yarbrough as Reggie Henderson
- Rory Scovel as Joe Mayweather, retired at 30 and Dawn’s husband
- Lennon Parham as Martha
- Andrea Savage as Laura
- Andy Buckley as Craig
- Natasha Kojic as Supermodel (credited as Natasha Key)
- Kyle Kinane as Kevin Garvey
- Steve Zissis as Carl Shackler, enforcer for Tommy Papouli
- Sam Richardson as Marty
- Randall Park as Buckler
- Jessica St. Clair as Reba
- Alexandra Daddario as Corsica
- Jessie Ennis as Rachel
- Gillian Vigman as Becky
- Wayne Federman as Chip Dave
- Sebastian Maniscalco as Stand-Up Comic
- Linda Porter as Elderly Woman
- Ian Roberts as College campus driver
Production
On February 25, 2015, New Line Cinema secured the comedy screenplay The House, authored by Brendan O'Brien and Andrew J. Cohen, with Cohen making his directorial debut. The film features Will Ferrell portraying a husband who collaborates with his spouse and neighbors to establish an illicit basement casino after their daughter's college scholarship is withdrawn. Ferrell and Adam McKay served as producers through Gary Sanchez Productions, in partnership with Good Universe and O'Brien.
On June 12, 2015, Amy Poehler was cast as Ferrell's wife. Four days later, Jason Mantzoukas joined the project as their best friend, a compulsive gambler who sparks the idea for the casino. Ryan Simpkins was added on August 28 to play their daughter. Cedric Yarbrough was brought on September 15 to portray Reggie Henderson, a suburban gambler frequenting the underground casino. Rob Huebel signed on September 18, followed by Allison Tolman and Michaela Watkins on September 21, who took on roles as a financial advisor and Mantzoukas' character’s spouse, respectively. Nick Kroll also became part of the ensemble during that month.
Mariah Carey was originally slated for a cameo appearance but withdrew due to what co-star Rob Huebel described as "multiple unrealistic demands."
Principal photography commenced on September 14, 2015, in Los Angeles.
Release
The House premiered on June 30, 2017, distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, having been initially scheduled for release on June 2, 2017.
Box office
The film grossed $25.6 million domestically across the United States and Canada, with an additional $8.6 million from international markets, culminating in a worldwide total of $34.2 million against a production budget of $40 million.
In its North American debut, The House opened alongside titles such as Despicable Me 3, Baby Driver, and the wider release of The Beguiled. Forecasted to generate between $10 million and $14 million from 3,134 theaters, it earned $3.4 million on its opening day—including $800,000 from Thursday night previews—and concluded its first weekend with $8.7 million. This marked the lowest opening weekend for a film starring Will Ferrell. During its second weekend, the movie collected $4.8 million—a decline of 45.2%—ranking seventh at the box office.
Critical response
According to Rotten Tomatoes, the movie holds a 20% approval rating based on 81 reviews, averaging a score of 3.7/10. The critical consensus reads: "The House wastes a promising concept and a talented ensemble on shallow characters and a lack of comedic drive." On Metacritic, it earned a score of 30 out of 100 from 22 critics, reflecting "generally unfavorable reviews." Audience feedback via CinemaScore assigned it a grade of "B−" on an A+ to F scale.
Accolades
| Year | Award | Category | Recipient | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Golden Trailer Awards | Best Comedy | The House | Template:Won |