Housebound

Plot synopsis:
Kylie, a troubled young woman, attempts to steal the safe from an ATM. Her accomplice knocks himself out while attacking the ATM with a sledgehammer, and, when she is slowed by attempting to save him, the police capture both. Due to her history of recidivism, she is sentenced by the judge to house arrest for eight months under the care of her mother, Miriam. Kylie does not get along with either her mother or her step-father, Graeme, both of whom she considers to be nothing but boring annoyances. A security contractor, Amos, explains that Kylie's ankle monitor will alert the police if she ever leaves the premises of her mother's house.
Kylie is further frustrated when Miriam calls a radio talk show and says that her house is haunted. After a disembodied hand grabs her ankle in the basement, Kylie becomes convinced that an intruder is in the house. Amos, responding to an alert from her ankle monitor after it reports tampering, takes Miriam's suggestion of a haunting seriously, much to Kylie's annoyance. Amos promises to return with ghost hunting equipment and perform a thorough examination of the house for free. When Kylie expresses continued skepticism, Amos chides her for having a closed mind.
After a series of unexplained experiences, including repeatedly encountering the same animatronic teddy bear, Kylie comes to believe that there may be a ghost in the house. Dennis, a clinical psychologist assigned to Kylie, becomes concerned with what he believes to be possible delusions in both Miriam and Kylie. After reviewing footage from security cameras, Amos does not believe her reports and accuses her of lying. However, once Graeme reveals to Kylie that their home was once a halfway house and the site of a horrific murder, Amos once again becomes interested. As they investigate further, they discover evidence of the crime, including an orthodontic retainer. During a visit, a blackout occurs, and Dennis is attacked by an unknown assailant. The police are skeptical of Miriam's insistence that a ghost is responsible, but they do not push any further.
When Kylie and Amos discover that her neighbour uses a retainer, Kylie breaks into the man's house and wakes him as she attempts to take his retainer. After she flees back to the family's home and hides in the basement, Kylie panics when she believes the neighbour to be stalking her, and she accidentally stabs Graeme, who has also entered the basement. As Graeme recuperates in the hospital, Amos in turn attempts to break into her neighbour's house. The neighbour says that he is not the killer, and he tells the story of a young savant, Eugene, whom he adopted. Eugene is an expert at mechanics and electronics, and he disappeared a year previous to the killing, though the neighbour believes him to be possibly responsible.
At the same time, Kylie accidentally discovers Eugene's secret hallways in their house, and she flees. Kylie and Amos separately converge at the police station, and Amos corroborates her wild stories of a serial killer who lives in hidden passageways. However, the police find no evidence, and Dennis convinces all involved that it would be best if Kylie were institutionalized. Once Dennis reveals that he wears a retainer, Kylie becomes suspicious of him. When she confronts him with evidence that he was an intern at the halfway house, he turns hostile and attempts to kill Miriam and Kylie. He kills a policeman. When Amos arrives at the house, Dennis incapacitates him. Kylie and Miriam flee into the secret tunnels, where they encounter Eugene.
Realizing that their paranormal activity has been Eugene all this time, they are at first frightened but realize that he is friendly. Dennis stabs Eugene, and, after an extended hunt that results in Dennis' presumed death, he knocks out Kylie and begins to strangle Miriam. Eugene wakes Kylie and hands her a weapon, which she uses to stab Dennis. As Dennis sees that the weapon is connected to a long cable, Eugene throws a switch, and high voltage explodes Dennis' head. Months later, all have recovered, Amos finally removes Kylie's ankle monitor, and Eugene has seemingly become an accepted (albeit mostly unseen) member of the household.

Tags: paranormal, plot twist

Review:
Delinquent serial-offender Kylie is sentenced to nine month's house arrest at her family home in a small town on New Zealand's Twin Coast Highway, forcing her to move back in after many years with her slightly loopy mother, who we learn has long been convinced that the house is haunted.
Initially more than a little sceptical, Kylie soon begins to experience unexplained phenomena herself, and before long local security contractor/probation officer Amos (who is principally responsible for ensuring Kylie doesn't leave the premises) offers his services as an amateur paranormal investigator.Part ghost story, part murder mystery, it would be counter- productive to know any more about the plot before viewing, as various revelations and red herrings keep the mystery quotient high.
Also one particular character is presented in a manner that pushes the film firmly into farce territory; one of a couple of aspects that could have been executed slightly more believably, as absurd as that sounds in relation to a film of this type.The performances are all top notch; Morgana O'Reilly has great fun with Kylie's mardy persona, Glen-Paul Waru is perfect as likable doofus Amos and Rima Te Wiata excels as Kylie's dotty but ultimately caring mother.
Just when you think you know which way it's heading, it either makes fun of the standard clichés or skips them entirely, casting us into a twist and turn that starts it all over again with an entirely new plot development.
I also enjoyed the fact that even though this film gets pretty violent and gory at times, overall it is a good-natured, feel good movie that, like a roller coaster ride, is scary and fun and shocking and harmless all at the same time.
As the mystery deepens, Kyleigh, her mother and Amos all realise that they're gonna have to solve it before whatever it is that dwells in the house engulfs and destroys them all...Housebound is a very pleasant surprise comedy horror gem from New Zealand, but with nicely done scares and a creepy atmosphere to go with the chuckles, which come mainly via hilarious interactions with the dysfunctional trio.
With some gold one liners and effective scares, it's emerged as one of the better horror viewings of this year and while frequently hilarious, it's primarily a horror thriller that simply tempers things with some very deft comedic relief.Overall a highly recommended gem from New Zealand and it went down well with the audience at the Dead by Dawn festival where I caught it, so any horror fan should keep an eye out for this one.
I went into this not expecting much, bored one night at home and saw it on demand, the trailer portrayed it as a straight-up haunted house type horror, which it is not.I don't usually care for horror movies that can also be classified as comedic, I like the scares, chills, and suspense of a good horror move and tend to stay away from the super campy or "funny" types.
It's well worth watching even for those who don't typically like horror.And I have to add that the scene at the end of the movie, where the epic "fight for their life" begins, is so funny, I was simultaneously nervous and tense while also laughing hysterically..
Nobody strains to give a comedy performance, in best Antipodean tradition the humor is totally deadpan.The set-up is similar to the forgettable Famke Janssen horror flick 100 Feet but this film does the premise of being under house arrest in a haunted house justice.
'Housebound' plays out with some typical horror elements, but the main character refuses to follow suit and every time something 'unusual' happens, she tackles those situations more level headed than most horror movie characters, which creates some great humor.
The 9th Annual Toronto After Dark Film Festival opened last evening with a sell-out crowd on hand for the screening of Housebound, a New Zealand horror film that takes on the tried-and-tested genre device of the haunted house.Morgana O'Reilly plays Kylie Bucknell, a troubled young woman who is sentenced by the local courts to home detention after a failed ATM robbery and is ordered to house arrest under the care of her mother Miriam (Rima Te Wiata).
Security officer and self-anointed ghost hunter Amos (Glen-Paul Waru) also assists in the deliberate tickling of the audience's funny bone as he teams with Kylie for an unlikely duo that were a Scooby snack eating dog away from being the New Zealand Mystery Inc.Writer/director Gerard Johnstone makes his feature film debut with Housebound and proves he can deliver the goods on a multiple genre platform to please most audiences.Housebound may be a bit uneven as it switched from ghost story to violent cat-and-mouse murder solving, but it has just enough of everything to ensure that audiences are provided with valued entertainment.
This is a great little movie, but you have to accept it for what it is: it's quirky, it's British comedy, and it's also a murder mystery with a smattering of paranormal worked in.If you go into it expecting either a traditional horror film or a traditional comedy, you won't like it.
The truth, however, is far stranger than a simple case of disgruntled ghosts: as Kylie investigates, with a little help from security man Amos ( Glen-Paul Waru), she unravels a decades old mystery surrounding an unsolved murder.Kiwi comedy/horror Housebound was recommended to me by my colleague Helen, to whom I'm very grateful: it's scary, funny, and utterly demented, with a plot that constantly surprises, starting off in a seemingly supernatural vein but evolving into something altogether different by the end.
It takes a lot for a movie to make me jump in fright, or laugh out loud, but Housebound managed both several times, with effective scares and wonderfully quirky Kiwi humour throughout (best moment: "Jesus!"—trust me, it's hilarious!).
Housebound is half dry-witted comedy and half mystery-horror and Kiwi Gerard Johnstone has one twisted but amusing imagination.If you look up the word Idiosyncratic in the dictionary you will find the movie poster for Housebound.
Housebound is one peculiar oddball of a film that is, among other things, most certainly unique.Hailing from New Zealand, Housebound tells the story of Kylie Bucknell, a hooligan constantly in trouble with the law who is housebound by the courts for her most recent infraction, or as Americans know it as: house arrest.
The chemistry between O'Reilly and Miriam, played by Rima Te Wiata, is uncanny and Te Wiata's Miriam is a delightful nitwit.Thank goodness for the twisted mind of Gerard Johnstone to think up and then execute this ambitious creation whose narrative and plot are superb.Once the film focuses on the mystery of the house occurrences it manages to authentically convey what real life people would naturally think and do under the circumstances.Housebound is a subtly nuanced horror comedy that is uniquely realistic as opposed to the typically outrageous romp that most horror-comedies are nowadays.
Very confused at the high ratings...there is absolutely nothing original about the story and how its directed...it does painstakingly make attempts at humor that truly falls flat mainly because Morgana O'Reilly is just horrible in this mess...as for horror I am not sure what was horrific other than the standard bumps and creaks and noises and doors opening by themselves....If you want to watch a nearly 30 year old Woman chain smoke, act like a 14 year old with a snotty attitude and dark snarky moods employing the F word when challenged....THIS is your movie...there is absolutely nothing interesting about the performances in this movie...there is indeed the odd witty retort coming from Kylie's very fastidious Mother but other than that...there is no real humor and using the last part of the show to get the gratuitous blood scenes in does not a horror movie make....the most interesting aspect of this movie are the rare glimpses of the Kiwi Countryside and I have to admit a New Zealand accent is interesting to listen to.....I watch a lot of classic horror and this is one the most boring and over-hyped I have ever seen...how Peter Jackson approved of this is beyond me...maybe he felt an obligation.....
Its just a good fun, and occasionally slightly scary film, with a cracking script, a cracking cast and satisfying denouement.The first lead actress is how so much attitude, that if I ever happen upon her in real life (unlikely since I don't live anywhere near new zealand) I wouldn't dare ask for her autograph.
"Are you familiar with the term dissociative identity disorder?"After having watched the hilarious New Zealand mockumentry, What We Do in the Shadows, I decided to follow it up with another Kiwi film written and directed by first time director Gerard Johnstone.
Usually when you have a film like this, it is either more concerned in delivering on the comedy or on the horror, but very few times does it actually manage to do so on both ends.
At first you think it's going to be a parody of haunted houses or supernatural horror movies, then it becomes a suspenseful mystery, and it continues to deliver twists up to the very end of the film.
It was hard to like the main character of this film, Kylie, played by Morgana O'Reilly because she was completely into herself and treated her mother horrendously.
I couldn't stop laughing at some of the scenes and really thought about them even after the film ended, but this is no joke this movie definitely has some scary moments.Just watch it and enjoy!!!!.
Not many horror/comedy films that can really scared the hell out of you while leaving you laughed like hell afterward, look no further as Housebound is that kind of film at its best.
Overall, this is such a bloody brilliant horror/comedy film from New Zealand that really brings out the best in both genres it's trying to be and never fails to entertain from the start till finish.
If this is what is termed as a good New Zealand movie, what the heck is a bad one like?!I actually turned this junk off ten minutes from the end because I knew it wasn't going to improve with anything.What a waste of time this was..
The movie shifts between horror and comedy so easily, it's as if Psycho and Home Alone happening at the same time at the same house.
These are not clean cut personalities of usual on-screen haunting victims, at first they might not be likable, but in the end one can't help but to laugh at them or cheer for their potential survival.Story revolves around Kylie Bucknell (Morgana O'Reilly) after she botches a robbery attempt, thus sentenced for house arrest.
It's worth the time to check this one out, I love the main character, she does very good.Don't go into this movie serious but just enjoy and let it flow, no matter the silliness at times.This is definitely a small little unexpected hidden gem, I'm sure many will enjoy if given the chance.This is something fresh and new than the regular movies I have watched.
Housebound deserves it's critical acclaim because it strives to be different, and not only does it do this, it does it well, very well in fact.Housebound is a good film to watch if you are looking for that perfect and effective blend between horror and comedy.
It has a low 2 star rating (as of now) on Netflix for some reason, so I didn't want to waste a perfectly good horror movie night on it given that I get time to watch them (though I love them) so rarely.
For a change, it was nice to see a movie that was not full of plot holes and only once left me wondering what the f*** this character is thinking (and I believe that that scene was supposed to make me feel that way...so another score to the positive in that case).
Giving us, the viewers, all the background we need to start to create a backstory in our minds.The film then follows what seems like a normal haunted house story until it's twisted on its head and we are shown other possibilities (can't really say more without ruining it for you).
This is played on throughout by Gerard, when you think you have worked out what is going on, he throws in another smokescreen, using all the rules of horror to twist it around and then as you start to get on top, he throws in another misdirection with the use of some top comedy to knock you off the scent.It's not a complex story nor does it try to be, it just a fun roller-coaster of a ride through one outrageous situation to another.
We have a rebellious young women, pushover parents, a suspicious neighbor, a man living within the walls of the house, a few twists, genuine scares and laugh out loud moments.The film has very good cinematography and excellent sound effects.
One thing leads to another and before long we learn a strange backstory for the house that includes the murder of a young girl, a strange neighbor and Kylie having to question what she believes about everything.The plot of the story isn't very unique but it has a few laughs and, honesty, the young lady who plays Kylie did such a good job acting out her despicable attitude, she really had me wanting to yank her around a bit.
I watched it because it seemed like it would be a good late night suspense / horror movie.
I enjoyed watching the film(On Netflix), It was a different than the creepy house is haunted type horror that floods the cinemas.
I think that if you are reasonably intelligent and have seen a few horror movies before watching this, you won't experience any real plot surprises.
Of all the movies that are out there on DVD and VOD for Halloween right now, 'Housebound' is really a winner if you are looking for a movie that delivers a good dose of comedy along with some genuine suspense and just enough heart and family drama to make you care about the characters involved and their relationship.The story is about a young delinquent woman who is forced to move back in with her Mom after the court places her under house arrest.
At the same time, she must mend the damaged relationship she has with her mother and family, but all this stuff is done with wonderful subtlety and never weighs the movie down with sappy nonsense.The movie's plot takes some wild twists and turns, some of them coming out of nowhere, but you easily forgive this and some of the movie's other many flaws just because of how much fun the whole thing is.While it does deliver some very genuine moments of creepiness and suspense, this movie is really, at the end of the day, more comedy than horror.
All along the movie is great with a great story line, but the final third is magnificent, I am a big fan of dark humor films, and this one is really a must if you are into this kind of films, for me it really is a modern dark humor masterpiece; a script written beautifully, also very we'll directed, the whole movie is based in the house and it is given a dark ambient that makes the whole situation a lot more scary and overall great acting from it's actors I loved the acting of Morgana O'Reilly (Kylie) and Rima Te Wiata (Kylie's mother Miriam) Again really impressed I loved it don't even hesitate to watch it..
It's always a pleasure to discover good horror-comedy movies.It takes some time for the plot to unfold and might be boring at first, but when the the action begins it is worth it.
It has more funny scenes than your average horror-comedy, and some became instant favorites.Generally: original humor, nice characters, some things are predictable and some are not.If you are a fan of the genre definitely check it out.
So great.Writer-director Gerard Johnstone says, "I wanted to make a horror movie my mother could watch, because the story really is a love letter to her." He succeeded.
After few recommends that I got from my friends to check out this movie, I finally manage to see it."Housebound" starts with troublesome young girl Kylie being arrested and sentenced to nine months of house prison, but things get worse when her house turns out to be haunted by the spirit of the dead girl that was murdered exactly in her room 15 years ago...
Yes, it's suppose to be horror-comedy, but movie doesn't do both really well - it's not particularly "scary" or atmospheric, nor it's very funny (like Evil Dead 2 or Shaun of the Dead) and some jokes fall flat.
It's getting real hard to do this hooptober with some ounces of bad slime that I've been reviewing, this film is a horror comedy which I didn't know going in, I laughed about once so you can tell it didn't achieve it's goal although some people actually like this more power to them I don't see the appeal.
If you don't know or can't decide what genre of film to watch, Housebound is the one, great storyline involving horror, comedy, action, drama, mystery, crime and probably some others too.
The plot is quite good and quite unique for a horror movie and also has some nice twists.Housebound is also decently scary and has some nice funny moments here and there.I think that this movie will keep you interested for its entirety due to its nice combination of mystery,horror and black humor/comedy.
Overall,I think Housebound is a movie worth watching especially if you like horror-mystery movies.You will be positively surprised..
By the way, the movie's genre is comedy/horror, and only New Zealand's movie of that kind I have seen is Peter Jackson's "Dead alive".
I mean how many times have you ever viewed a good natured, engaging and charming comedy/mystery/horror film?