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House of D - A Movie Review

'House of D' is an underrated Robin Williams film.

By Marielle SabbagPublished 4 years ago 3 min read
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Sometimes all you have to do is run to solve your problems.

House of D is a 2004 film about a pre-teen boy who is trying to understand life. Having gone through many tragedies of his own, Tommy looks at the good in life going on adventures with his good old friend Pappas and making his unstable mother laugh.

Over time I have learned how important it is the re-watch movies. House of D is a well-acted film. What makes the film memorable are the excellent performances delivered by the late Anton Yelchin and Robin Williams. Life is not always easy. House of D expresses the importance of looking on the bright side in life and running after your dreams.

Tommy is a clown who enjoys being a rebel. But that’s not how his life is. Anton Yelchin dove into his character. He was a natural. I commend his powerful honest emotional performance when Tommy’s life is crumbling to pieces.

My favorite aspect of Tommy’s character is how he makes it his job to look after those who should be taking care of him. Tommy’s relationship with each character reflects his different personalities and how they have affected him.

You can never go wrong with Robin Williams. I always loved how Williams was open to playing a range of different characters on the screen. Pappas is a mentally challenged man who looks up to Tommy. At first, I thought his arc had some issues. After a second viewing Pappas’s journey reflects the true moral of his character.

The friendship that Tommy and Pappas share is endearing. Anybody can be friends. While the film is based more on Tommy’s perspective, Pappas learns a valuable lesson that helps him think differently about himself. Labels change.

The casting choices for House of D are remarkable. Tea Leoni, Erykah Badu, David Duchovny, Frank Langella, Zelda Williams, Orlando Jones, and many more brought this deep story to life. There is no such thing as a small part. Each character evolved in the film. Change is real.

Honorable mention goes out to Erykah Badu as a woman who is detained. I like how she became an unexpected character to help Tommy. The way they communicate is creative with Badu holding a glass high above in her chamber so she can see out to the streets. You never know who is going to help you in life.

The setting for House of D acts as a character of its own. New York City is a great location. Whether it was intentional, I like how the closed-off spaces made for genuine instances of feeling trapped. Now that Tommy is not out in the open he is forced to confront his reality in these tight spaces. The film dons a message on the importance of traveling.

The writing for House of D is the strongest element. I did not realize that David Duchovny not only acted as a significant character in the film but he also directed and wrote this feature. Duchovny did an excellent job in this well-told heartfelt story drawing audiences in. It is a character-driven film.

Life is hard. Change is real. Accept change. Places change like people change. In a way, the movie has two stories. Avoiding childhood memories or the places in which you grew up is not the path to fall. Keep memories alive.

House of D is one of the most underrated Robin Williams films in my opinion. I recommend that you find it and watch this film about a deep story about growing up even when you are an adult. The film will forever preserve the talents of Yelchin and Williams.

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About the Creator

Marielle Sabbag

Writing has been my passion since I was 11 years old. I love creating stories from fiction, poetry, fanfiction. I enjoy writing movie reviews. I would love to become a creative writing teacher and leave the world inspiring minds.

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