House at the End of the Street (2012) or, The Dull House

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A scarcely dressed co-star Jennifer Lawrence looks caught in a dire situation on this poster for Mark Tonderai's House at the End of the Street

A single mother and her teenage daughter moves into a house. But in the neighboring house, in which a sweet college boy now lives alone, the boy's brain-damaged sister killed their parents. - Or did she?

House at the End of the Street is written by David Loucka (The Dream Team (1989)), with Jonathan Mostow (Breakdown (1997)) contributing story elements, and directed by Mark Tonderai (Hush (2008)).

Elisabeth Shue (Heart and Souls (1993)) seems despondent, and Jennifer Lawrence (Joy (2015)) as the (as usual) very mature high school protagonist actually gives an honest performance, which nevertheless can't salvage the film. In fact perhaps a really bad performance from her might have made it a bit of fun at least. Max Thieriot (My Soul to Take (2010)) is sweet to look at but fatally unbelievable as the standard issue psychopath villain, - whom Lawrence falls in love with.

House at the End of the Street is an awful mess of teen-drama romance and delayed, hopeless horror. Whether it makes any sense is hard to determine, because it is so lethally dull.

Watch a trailer for the film here

Cost: 10 mil. $

Box office: 44.2 mil. $ 

= Big hit (returned 4.42 times its cost)

[House at the End of the Street was released 21 September (North America, UK and Ireland) and runs 101 minutes. Shooting took place from August - September 2010 in Ontario. The release was reportedly delayed to cash in on Lawrence's growing fame, - a strategy that paid off: The film opened #2, behind End of Watch, to a 12.2 mil. $ first weekend in North America, where it spent one more weekend in the top 5 (#5) and grossed 31.6 mil. $ (71.5 % of the total gross). The 2nd and 3rd biggest markets were the UK with 3.8 mil. $ (8.6 %) and Germany with 1.4 mil. $ (3.2 %). Tonderai returned with 18 TV credits prior to his theatrical return with Spell (2020). Lawrence returned in The Devil You Know (2013); Thieriot in Dark Horse (2012, TV movie), Texas Rising (2015, miniseries) and theatrically in Point Break (2015). House at the End of the Street is rotten at 12 % with a 3.80/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

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Breakdown (1997) - Mostow arrives with action-packed, flawed thriller

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A blue-faced Kurt Russell seems to be caught in a scarlet dilemma on this poster for Jonathan Mostow's Breakdown

On their way through Arizona's raw desert, an attractive couple's Jeep breaks down, and the wife catches a ride to the next café, while her husband waits and lets the engine cool down. But when he is able to get to the café shortly after, his wife has disappeared...!

 

Breakdown is written by Sam Montgomery (Sawbones (1995, TV movie)) and co-writer/director Jonathan Mostow (Beverly Hills Bodysnatchers (1989)).

It starts well as a typical 'country-folk-are-cruel-and-hostile' thriller with a well-playing Kurt Russell (Captain Ron (1992)), who gives good fullness to his character. The film develops increasingly action-packed with some good cardboard-type villains, and despite Russell pouring plenty of emotions into his performance, it is correct what one critic noted: The third act especially needs that Russell's character gets mad and shows that he is capable in terms of violence, - because Breakdown wants plenty of action. (Speaking of the action, there is a scene in which Russell hangs under a truck, in which it is obvious that it isn't driving fast, when he drops an object down onto the road.)

But Mostow can stage suspense and action, which some other scenes in Breakdown demonstrate, but on the whole this is a lightweight and thin-legged time-killer.

 

Watch a short TV spot for the film here

Cost: 36 mil. $

Box office: 50.1 mil. $ (North America only)

= Uncertain, but probably a flop (projected return of 2.22 times its cost)

[Breakdown premiered 24 April (Los Angeles) and runs 93 minutes. Russell was paid 15 mil. $ for his performance. Shooting took place from April - June 1996 in Nevada, Utah, Arizona and California. The film opened #1 to a 12.3 mil. $ first weekend in North America, where it remained in the top 5 for another 3 weekends (#3-#3-#5), grossing 50.1 mil. $. The international gross figures are regrettably not reported online. Figuring on an 80 mil. $ world gross total, the film would rank as a flop. Roger Ebert gave the film a 3/4 star review, translating to 2 notches over this one. Mostow returned with Directors on Directors (1997, TV documentary series), From the Earth to the Moon (1998, miniseries) and theatrically with U-571 (2000). Russell returned in Soldier (1998). Breakdown is certified fresh at 82 % with a 7.20/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

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