movie reviews for the good house

The Good House

Wine doesn’t really count as drinking, Sigourney Weaver ’s character insists in “The Good House.” She’s not really drinking alone, because the dogs are with her in the kitchen as she pours merlot from her secret stash into a coffee mug. And she’ll be extra careful this time, she promises, so she’s fine to drive into town after downing a few glasses.

These are among the many lies Weaver’s Hildy Good tells herself—and tells us in frequent, fourth wall-breaking confessions—to keep the reality of her alcoholism at bay. Based on the novel by Ann Leary , the romantic dramedy “The Good House” touches on some piercing and deeply relatable truths about drinking, and about women’s drinking in particular: that it gives us swagger, that it helps us hang with the big boys, that it lets us present the best version of ourselves to the world. Even when the film falters, Weaver consistently finds room to explore the many fascinating flaws revealed by her character’s addiction. Her performance, and her effortless connection with frequent co-star Kevin Kline , remain engaging even after the direction from Maya Forbes and Wally Wolodarsky grows unfocused.

Hildy’s narration is wry and wise, sometimes conspiratorial and increasingly contradictory, as she shows us around the charming (and fictional) New England town of Wendover. She’s been the queen bee realtor for decades in this insular hamlet, but all that’s changing as nouveau riche families barge in from nearby Boston. Hildy’s proud of the fact that her family’s been a fixture in Wendover for centuries—dating to the time of the Salem witches, one of whom is her ancestor. (Cue the on-the-nose use of “ Season of the Witch ,” among the movie’s many perky music choices.) Now divorced (since her husband left her for a man) and infrequently in touch with her grown daughters, Hildy is struggling to determine who she is. And although she’s freshly out of rehab—after an intervention that’s played for laughs in the script from the husband-and-wife directing duo and Thomas Bezucha —being sober is not part of her new identity.

Watching Hildy try to keep all the balls in the air is both a source of humor and tension, as the disparity between who she is and who she pretends to be steadily widens. She’s losing clients and dodging phone calls from the Range Rover dealership, asking for her lease payment. And in no time, she’s switching from wine to vodka to help her cope. That’s all human and true, and Weaver plays it with subtlety and great comic timing.

But the one source of stability in her life comes from Kline’s Frank Getchell, her high school flame and first love. He’s the town’s cantankerous contractor/handyman, and his disheveled appearance and down-to-Earth demeanor would never suggest he’s the richest guy around. Their hesitant fumblings toward rekindling their romance are amusing and sweet—the kind of relationship older audiences don’t get to see often enough in the movies anymore. After co-starring opposite each other in the ‘90s in “ Dave ” and “ The Ice Storm ” Weaver and Kline have a warm, easy comfort in each other’s company, as well as a prickly, teasing affection. It’s like pulling on a favorite, old cardigan you forgot you had.

So much works so well for so long in “The Good House” that it’s frustrating when the film casts its eye elsewhere and begins paying way too much attention to the town’s peripheral figures. Rob Delaney co-stars as the therapist whose office is upstairs from Hildy’s; he’s obviously going through some kind of personal and professional flux of his own. Morena Baccarin is a newcomer, the beautiful wife in a wealthy couple that’s just bought a giant waterfront estate, but everything in her life isn’t as perfect as it appears. Kathryn Erbe is the former protégé of Hildy’s who stole all her clients when she formed her own agency; there’s not much to her beyond icy glances and snobbery. And Beverly D’Angelo breezes in and out as Hildy’s childhood best friend and longtime drinking buddy.

None of these characters is nearly as richly drawn or interesting as Hildy and Frank, but increasingly, the story turns toward them and others. They feel like contrivances and plot devices, especially in some third-act melodrama that comes out of nowhere and whips the story up into an empty frenzy. It’s so wild, you’ll wonder what’s really happening and what she’s hallucinating. The film clearly seeks deep emotions from us that it never earns. If anything, you’re more likely to feel annoyed by all these distractions.

But there are worse ways to spend an afternoon than on a lobster boat in the shimmering sunshine with Sigourney Weaver and Kevin Kline. Dressed in a barn jacket and a knit Patriots hat, getting messy out on the water, Hildy finally appears to be where she belongs. And she doesn’t have a drink in her hand.

Now playing in theaters. 

Christy Lemire

Christy Lemire is a longtime film critic who has written for RogerEbert.com since 2013. Before that, she was the film critic for The Associated Press for nearly 15 years and co-hosted the public television series “Ebert Presents At the Movies” opposite Ignatiy Vishnevetsky, with Roger Ebert serving as managing editor. Read her answers to our Movie Love Questionnaire here .

• Sigourney Weaver as Hildy Good
• Kevin Kline as Frank Getchell
• Morena Baccarin as Rebecca McAllister
• Rob Delaney as Peter Newbold
• Beverly D’Angelo as Mamie Lang
• David Rasche as Scott Good
• Rebecca Henderson as Tess Good
• Molly Brown as Emily Good

Cinematographer

• Andrei Bowden-Schwartz

Writer (novel)

• Catherine Haight
• Maya Forbes
• Wallace Wolodarsky
• Thomas Bezucha
• Theodore Shapiro

Leave a comment

Now playing.

Merchant Ivory

The Deliverance

City of Dreams

Out Come the Wolves

Seeking Mavis Beacon

Across the River and Into the Trees

You Gotta Believe

Latest articles.

“Risky Business” Remains One of the Most Daring Films of the ’80s

Venice Film Festival 2024: Separated, Maria, Kill the Jockey, One to One: John & Yoko

Experience the Star Trek Movies in 70mm at Out of this World L.A. Event

Home Entertainment Guide: August 2024

The best movie reviews, in your inbox.

Log in or sign up for Rotten Tomatoes

Trouble logging in?

By continuing, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies , and to receive email from the Fandango Media Brands .

By creating an account, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies , and to receive email from Rotten Tomatoes and to receive email from the Fandango Media Brands .

By creating an account, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies , and to receive email from Rotten Tomatoes.

Email not verified

Let's keep in touch.

Sign up for the Rotten Tomatoes newsletter to get weekly updates on:

• Upcoming Movies and TV shows
• Rotten Tomatoes Podcast
• Media News + More

By clicking "Sign Me Up," you are agreeing to receive occasional emails and communications from Fandango Media (Fandango, Vudu, and Rotten Tomatoes) and consenting to Fandango's Privacy Policy and Terms and Policies . Please allow 10 business days for your account to reflect your preferences.

OK, got it!

• About Rotten Tomatoes®
• Login/signup

Movies in theaters

• Opening This Week
• Top Box Office
• Coming Soon to Theaters
• Certified Fresh Movies

Movies at Home

• Fandango at Home
• Prime Video
• Most Popular Streaming Movies
• What to Watch New

Certified fresh picks

• 73% Blink Twice Link to Blink Twice
• 96% Strange Darling Link to Strange Darling
• 86% Between the Temples Link to Between the Temples

New TV Tonight

• 100% Slow Horses: Season 4
• 94% English Teacher: Season 1
• -- The Perfect Couple: Season 1
• -- Tell Me Lies: Season 2
• -- Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist: Season 1
• -- Wise Guy: David Chase and The Sopranos: Season 1
• -- The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives: Season 1
• -- Whose Line Is It Anyway?: Season 14

Most Popular TV on RT

• 71% Kaos: Season 1
• 86% The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power: Season 2
• 96% Terminator Zero: Season 1
• 100% Dark Winds: Season 2
• 92% Bad Monkey: Season 1
• 78% Star Wars: The Acolyte: Season 1
• 100% Pachinko: Season 2
• 96% Only Murders in the Building: Season 4
• Best TV Shows
• Most Popular TV

Certified fresh pick

• 86% The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power: Season 2 Link to The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power: Season 2
• All-Time Lists
• Binge Guide
• Comics on TV
• Five Favorite Films
• Video Interviews
• Weekend Box Office
• Weekly Ketchup
• What to Watch

The Best Shows on Amazon Prime Video to Watch Right Now (August 2024)

100 Best Netflix Series To Watch Right Now (August 2024)

What to Watch: In Theaters and On Streaming

Awards Tour

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice First Reviews: Michael Keaton’s Return as Betelgeuse is Worth the Wait

13 Must-Watch Films at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival

• Trending on RT
• Renewed and Cancelled TV
• Anticipated Movies of 2024
• TV Premiere Dates
• Beetlejuice Beetlejuice First Reviews

The Good House Reviews

If you crave something deeper, and more meaningful, this will not be the movie for you.

Full Review | Original Score: C+ | Mar 6, 2024

The Good House has all the ingredients. They’ve just been overcooked.

Full Review | Apr 26, 2023

File this under movies that start slow but get better as it progresses, topped with a satisfying ending. Sigourney Weaver and Kevin Kline's reunion is definitely the reason to see this.

Full Review | Original Score: 3.5/5 | Apr 2, 2023

Portrait of an accomplished real estate agent suffering from alcoholism and the disease of playing God.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | Dec 29, 2022

Sigourney Weaver's feisty performance as an alcoholic real-estate agent is the main reason to watch this uneven dramedy. The movie's storyline about seeking a redemptive comeback is handled better than the movie's storyline about finding love.

Full Review | Dec 28, 2022

While The Good House has a solid cast, it really showcases Weaver’s talent and versatility.

Full Review | Original Score: 3.5/5 | Dec 2, 2022

Hildy deserves a second chance at love, but the core of the film — in Weaver’s remarkably capable hands — is her love/hate relationship with alcohol. It’s a relationship many of us can relate to. Weaver’s performance makes 'The Good House' pretty great.

Full Review | Original Score: 7.5/10 | Nov 28, 2022

The Good House isn’t a great movie but until its overly melodramatic final 10 or so minutes, it’s a pretty darn good one.

Full Review | Oct 26, 2022

Sigourney Weaver is the star of this movie but I wish Kevin Kline had been more than just a supporting player.

Full Review | Original Score: 7/10 | Oct 13, 2022

Playing with words and mood, The Good House manages a surprising balancing act between lightweight tone and serious subject.

Full Review | Oct 10, 2022

Sigourney Weaver is terrific, handling the role with aplomb. It’s a delicate balancing act with the shift from light comedy to weighty material. Seeing her reunite with Kline after two decades is itself worth the price of admission.

Full Review | Original Score: 3.5/4 | Oct 9, 2022

Sigourney Weaver takes the ball and runs with a performance that strengthens a middling script and reunites her on screen with a frequent acting partner in Kevin Kline.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Oct 8, 2022

An uneven character study that’s redeemed to a great extent by Weaver’s exceptional lead performance.

Full Review | Original Score: B- | Oct 6, 2022

Don't expect flying on broomsticks or a Witches of Eastwick-type pay off here: This well-made dramedy about the complexities of single, senior womanhood is far more grounded.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | Oct 4, 2022

It's a great role for Weaver, who always appears so smartly in-control—we want to believe Hildy's delusions even as we witness their unraveling.

Full Review | Oct 4, 2022

The Good House is a movie that many will skip over but should spend the time with as it is just as engaging a portrait of New England life as Manchester by the Sea and every bit a showcase for the one and only Sigourney Weaver.

Full Review | Original Score: 7/10 | Oct 4, 2022

It proves to be a wonderful vehicle for Weaver who (inexplicably) hasn't been given a role this meaty in a long time. Watching her navigate between comically sardonic and tragically damaged is a treat.

For much of its runtime, this film is a pale shadow of its source material, a rote visualization of a story better suited to the page than to the screen.

Full Review | Oct 3, 2022

Weaver makes it watchable.

Full Review | Oct 2, 2022

What makes the film watchable is Weaver, proving to be an example of another recent film in which the lead actress gives a great performance in a flawed production. She gives a strong, multi-faceted performance but, alas, it’s not enough to save the film.

Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/5 | Oct 2, 2022

Advertisement

Supported by

‘The Good House’ Review: Expending Emotional Real Estate

Sigourney Weaver and Kevin Kline star in a film that hides a story about alcoholism inside a soft focus romance.

• Share full article

By Teo Bugbee

As a real estate agent and as the protagonist of the drama “The Good House,” Hildy Good (Sigourney Weaver) is a confident hostess. The film begins with Hildy describing her life in a small seaside town in Massachusetts, first in voice-over and then in a direct address to the camera.

In the spirit of blasé town gossip, Hildy freely offers her back story. Her husband left her to begin seeing men, and her protégé began stealing her clients. However, the secret that threatens Hildy’s happiness is one that she keeps from herself. She’s an alcoholic, and despite previous stints in rehab, she has not been able to give up drinking.

The film follows Hildy as she tries to rebuild her life and her business through working with her neighbors as clients. She even begins dating her first love, Frank (Kevin Kline). But the omnipresence of alcohol threatens Hildy’s stability. She can’t resist the bottle, and can’t remember what she’s done when she has one in her hands.

The directors Maya Forbes and Wallace Wolodarsky use the film’s style as a sleight of hand. At first glance, the movie appears to be a soft focus romance. Sigourney Weaver and Kevin Kline are beloved performers, still sharp after decades of stardom. The views over the New England harbor charm, and the score cheerily plink-plunks along with assists from the classic rock needle drops. The stylistic placidity draws attention to the disturbance of Hildy’s alcoholism, the way her drinking interrupts even the film’s genre. But the trouble with this cinematic Trojan horse is that the superficial blandness dominates the frame. It’s hard to feel the story’s stakes when the images are always indicating no danger ahead.

The Good House Rated R for language, brief nudity and sexual content. Running time: 1 hour 44 minutes. In theaters.

The Definitive Voice of Entertainment News

Subscribe for full access to The Hollywood Reporter

site categories

Sigourney weaver in ‘the good house’: film review | tiff 2021.

In a comic drama also featuring Kevin Kline, the 'Alien' star plays a New England real estate agent who understands all her neighbors’ problems but is deep in denial about her own.

By Sheri Linden

Sheri Linden

Senior Copy Editor/Film Critic

• Share on Facebook
• Share to Flipboard
• Send an Email
• Show additional share options
• Share on LinkedIn
• Share on Pinterest
• Share on Reddit
• Share on Tumblr
• Share on Whats App
• Print the Article
• Post a Comment

Hildy Good, the whip-smart and self-deluding Realtor at the center of The Good House , spends a significant portion of screen time breaking a wall — the fourth one, that is. In lesser hands, such a narrative device could be distracting or downright annoying. But Hildy, an alcoholic who’s pretending to be in recovery, is played by Sigourney Weaver , who makes every exasperated glance, incisive put-down and dissembling excuse absolutely magnetic. Her direct-to-camera comments are not merely asides but the core of the film. And, in ways both intentional and not, Hildy’s remarks to the audience are far more compelling than what transpires between her and most of the not-quite-dimensional small-town characters who surround her — the key exception being the high school flame Hildy reconnects with, played to perfection by Kevin Kline .

Related Stories

'disclaimer' review: cate blanchett and kevin kline lead alfonso cuaron's dazzling and occasionally silly apple tv+ thriller, oops cate blanchett goes viral for closing car door on kevin kline at 'disclaimer' premiere.

Writer-directors Maya Forbes and Wallace Wolodarsky, working with screenwriter Thomas Bezucha ( The Family Stone ), have adapted Ann Leary’s best-selling novel with an emphasis on its comic edge and a sometimes ham-handed grasp of its not always convincing plot mechanics. The film’s ultimate shift to addiction drama isn’t in itself a problem, but the events that bring Hildy to a devastating point of self-recognition feel like a clutter of contrivances rather than an involving chain of inevitability.

The Good House

Venue: Toronto Film Festival (Gala Presentations)

Cast: Sigourney Weaver, Kevin Kline, Morena Baccarin, Rob Delaney, David Rasche, Beverly D’Angelo, Paul Guilfoyle, Kathryn Erbe

Directors: Maya Forbes, Wallace Wolodarsky

Screenwriters: Thomas Bezucha, Maya Forbes, Wallace Wolodarsky

A big fish in a small pond, Hildy has long been a highly successful real estate agent in her hometown on Boston’s North Shore. The market, though, like all markets, is changing. Wealthy investors and corporate interests are moving in, a onetime protégé (Kathryn Erbe, in a thanklessly cartoonish role) has become a cutthroat competitor, and business isn’t what it used to be. Even so, Hildy keeps playing the role of munificent provider, helping to cover expenses for her aggrieved daughters — the glum married one (Rebecca Henderson) and the angsty aspiring artist (Molly Brown) — and continuing to pay alimony to the ex-husband (David Rasche) who left her for a man (but who, like Hildy, is now single).

The idea of real estate as a window into the soul is central to the source material, and some of Hildy’s comments to us are drawn straight from the novel. She can tell you the state of a marriage after one quick walk-through of a kitchen. Chief among the unhappily marrieds are a pair of well-to-do town newbies (Morena Baccarin and Kelly AuCoin) and a psychiatrist ( Rob Delaney ) and his perpetually dour wife (Laurie Hanley).

Baccarin’s Rebecca becomes a confidant to Hildy, and no kitchen audit is needed to sense her vulnerability and discontent. But mainly the assembled characters’ stories have little dimension other than as plot devices. (Less about plot and more about narrative color are Beverly D’Angelo’s boozy, throaty-voiced friend of Hildy’s, and Paul Guilfoyle’s 12-step veteran and coffee-shop regular, both suggesting the protagonist’s lifelong connections in the community.)

As imperious as she can be, this proud descendant of a Salem “witch” is also damn impressive. Faced with the hard-to-sell house of a working-class couple (Georgia Lyman and Jimmy LeBlanc) who are desperate to move to a larger town and a better school for their autistic son (Silas Pereira-Olson), Hildy masterfully puts together a renovation plan to up their home’s salability. A key part of that plan is Frank (Kline), whose blue-collar scruffiness belies the fact that he’s one of the wealthiest men in town, a thriving garbage-collection service among the businesses he owns.

Driving past a gas station where Frank’s filling up his tank, Hildy swoops in to make her renovation proposal, and their sparring, flirting chemistry jolts the story to a new level. Grooving to the Argent song blasting from his truck radio (one of several boomer-friendly tunes punctuating the soundtrack), Frank looks at Hildy’s Realtor getup and sees a masquerade: “The butcher’s daughter’s gone fancy-pants.”

Other than Frank — and us — who else is worth Hildy’s conversational effort? Many people bore, disappoint or infuriate her (and who can’t relate to that?). It’s a treat to watch her react to the off-the-charts self-involvement of her useless young assistant (a terrifically funny turn by Imogene Forbes Wolodarsky, the directors’ daughter). Unapologetically judgmental and keenly perceptive, Hildy harbors a massive blind spot only when it comes to her own life.

Having been subjected to an intervention — or, as she calls it, an ambush — staged by her family and seen in wry flashback, she’s well past rehab when we meet her. In public she plays the part of someone in recovery, decorously sipping club soda; her evenings are spent downing bottles of merlot. Just as she can’t bring herself to admit the financial strain she’s feeling, Hildy dismisses her daughters’ concern about her drinking as misplaced. (It’s telling that when she refers to “my girls,” Hildy means her dogs.) “Wine is not really drinking,” she asserts. Invoking the therapeutic benefits of booze in a way that recalls Another Round , she declares that she was “born three drinks short of comfortable.” Beneath all these justifications is a sad backstory that speaks to generational differences in how people think about alcohol: Hildy is quick to make the distinction between “a real alcoholic” like her mother and her own high-functioning indulgence.

Forbes, having been a longtime writer-producer of The Larry Sanders Show , understands the friction between professional façade and crumbling spirit. She tackled the subject of mental illness in the well-observed, if insistently upbeat, Infinitely Polar Bear. Observational comedy is her forte, and also that of Wolodarsky ( Seeing Other People ). In The Good House , they don’t quite make the soapy neighborhood developments, or most of the present-day family stuff, matter. In Weaver’s enthralling performance, though, they have their story’s beating heart. And with Bezucha they’ve crafted some deliriously stinging lines for their star.

The chirpy notes of Theodore Shapiro’s score in the film’s early sections are part of Forbes and Wolodarsky’s scheme of misdirection: Like Hildy, they’re trying to convince us that this is all fun. Eventually, they’ll pull the rug out from under us as well as Hildy, with less therapy-speak than one might fear. To their credit, they don’t deny the joyful buzz of intoxication. In a scene of celebration over a big real estate deal, exquisitely played by Weaver, the directors and DP Andrei Bowden Schwartz capture in glowing intimacy the way the drinks blossom in Hildy, the way a certain warming and disinhibition switches on.

Only a couple of characters in this New England-set film (Nova Scotia provides the picturesque maritime ambience) speak with a New England accent. In a way that’s something of a relief; many a fine actor has strained themselves, and our credulity, over those regional vowels (Exhibit A: Mystic River ). Even though Hildy has spent her whole life in Massachusetts, her lack of a Boston accent might be interpreted as a reflection of her worldly, business-minded perspective.

In contrast, the local inflection in Frank’s speech expresses his down home lack of pretension; he’s self-sufficient and, unlike Hildy, couldn’t give a damn what people think of him. With his effortlessly droll, low-key performance, Kline creates quite the mensch. However rom-com formulaic the trajectory of Hildy and Frank’s relationship, it’s impossible not to root for these two sexagenarians, especially during their first awkward date, the conversational lulls filled by the sound of cracking shells and spurting lobster juice.

The two actors’ previous onscreen pairings include The Ice Storm , Ang Lee’s masterpiece and one of the great films about American suburbia. The Good House has nothing particularly incisive to say about its locale, or even about the business of real estate. Hildy’s success means that she’ll be helping to change her burg into one of those tony destinations filled with second homes and showy estates. There are big questions churning beneath the story, yet even Hildy’s personal turmoil feels somehow too neat. In the film’s sharp comic observations, though, and especially its two fine leads, something real and messy sparks to life.

Full credits

Venue: Toronto Film Festival (Gala) Production companies: DreamWorks Pictures, Participant Media and Reliance Entertainment present a Filmnation Entertainment production in association with Faliro House Amblin Partners, Tribeca Productions, FilmNation Entertainment Cast: Sigourney Weaver, Kevin Kline, Morena Baccarin, Rob Delaney, David Rasche, Beverly D’Angelo, Paul Guilfoyle, Kathryn Erbe, Kelly AuCoin, Georgia Lyman, Rebecca Henderson, Molly Brown, Jimmy LeBlanc, Imogene Forbes Wolodarsky, Laurie Hanley, Silas Pereira-Olson Directors: Maya Forbes, Wallace Wolodarsky Screenwriters: Thomas Bezucha, Maya Forbes, Wallace Wolodarsky Based on the novel The Good House by Ann Leary Producers: Jane Rosenthal, Berry Welsh, Aaron Ryder Executive producers: Erika Hampson, Steve Samuels, Christos Konstantakopoulos, Holly Bario, Jeff Skoll, Robert Kessel Director of photography: Andrei Bowden-Schwartz Production designer: Carl Sprague Costume designers: Ann Roth, Matthew Pachtman Editor: Catherine Haight Music: Theodore Shapiro Casting directors: Laura Rosenthal, Jodi Angstreich Sales: UTA, ICM Partners

THR Newsletters

Sign up for THR news straight to your inbox every day

More from The Hollywood Reporter

‘wolfs’ review: brad pitt and george clooney reunite for a cunning caper that never takes itself too seriously — sometimes to a fault, ‘i’m still here’ review: walter salles returns home with the powerful story of a broken family’s resistance, brady corbet’s wildly ambitious period epic ‘the brutalist’ blows minds at venice premiere, gets 13-minute standing ovation, ‘saturday night’ review: jason reitman chronicles the lead-up to the first ‘snl’ show in alternately fresh and frustrating fashion, telluride: don’t bet against sebastian stan, jeremy strong’s oscar prospects for trump origin story ‘the apprentice’, peter weir was forced to intervene with mel gibson, sigourney weaver’s “bad” kissing.

‘The Good House’ Review: Sigourney Weaver Plays a Woman With a Secret Everyone Else Can See

In one of Weaver's best performances, the star brings her alpha, own-the-room energy to a character who's deluded herself into believing that her alcoholism isn't a problem.

By Peter Debruge

Peter Debruge

Chief Film Critic

• ‘The End’ Review: Tilda Swinton and Michael Shannon Took Shelter, but 20 Years Underground Starts to Get Tedious 20 hours ago
• ‘Baby Invasion’ Review: Harmony Korine’s Latest Brain-Barf Synthesizes a Career’s Worth of Big Ideas 23 hours ago
• ‘Conclave’ Review: Ralph Fiennes, Looking Tortured, Leads a Tense Search for a New Pope 2 days ago

A middling movie with a must-see performance at its core, “ The Good House ” does something interesting with the notion of the unreliable narrator. As the unfortunately named Hildy Good (blame novelist Ann Leary, not married filmmakers Maya Forbes and Wallace Wolodarsky for that decision), Sigourney Weaver brings deceptive self-confidence to the role of a small-town Realtor. We meet Hildy introducing a couple to the fictional New England fishing village where the Good family has lived for so long, there’s talk of witches in their past. But Hildy can’t be trusted — not because her character is bad (she’s Good, get it?), but because she’s in denial.

Related Stories

Fubo’s Battle With Venu Sports Is a Stopgap Measure

Greek Oscar Chaos Deepens as Government, Industry Look for Way Forward After 'Unacceptable and Distressing' Selection Fiasco

Popular on variety.

“The Good House” may not be a great movie, but Hildy Good is among Weaver’s best performances. What makes watching this career woman struggle to keep it together so compelling is the gap between how she perceives herself and what the rest of the world sees. Her drinking problem is only part of the picture. There’s also a generational aspect to the way she copes with life’s pressures. At one point, her eldest daughter, Tess (Rebecca Henderson), mentions going to therapy, and Hildy’s reaction reveals that she sees this as a sign of weakness. But her method of self-medicating (with alcohol, obviously) is hardly an indicator of strength, and it’s telling just how destabilized Hildy is when the shrink (Rob Delaney) renting her spare apartment suggests the obvious: that she never really dealt with her mother’s suicide, but instead uses work and various other distractions to escape it.

The filmmakers remain closely aligned with Hildy’s subjective (read unreliable) view of her life through the movie’s miscalculated — and blatantly manipulative — climax, when a local boy goes missing and we’re led to believe that she might be responsible. Hildy’s prone to blackouts (she uses the term “jackpots” to describe embarrassing public displays you can’t take back), and we’ve seen her making excuses for drunk driving more than once already. Could she be responsible? “The Good House” needs something big to get through to Hildy, to shake her free of the delusion that she’s got it all under control. This finale risks turning everything that’s come before into a cheap Nicholas Sparks-style soap. But it’s satisfying to watch how Hildy sees the good in others — like Kline’s scuzzily endearing character — throughout, and the ending reveals where her life was headed, if she’d kept going in the same direction.

Reviewed online, Sept. 29, 2022. In Toronto Film Festival 2021. MPA Rating: R. Running time: 103 MIN.

• Production: A Lionsgate, Roadside Attractions release of a Lionsgate, DreamWorks Pictures, Participant, Reliance Entertainment presentation of an Amblin Partners production. Producers: Jane Rosenthal, Berry Welsh, Aaron Ryder. Executive producers: Erika Hampson, Steve Samuels, Christos Konstantakopoulos, Jeff Skoll, Robert Kessel.
• Crew: Directors: Maya Forbes, Wally Wolodarsky. Screenplay: Thomas Bezucha, Maya Forbes & Wally Wolodarsky, based on the novel by Ann Leary. Camera: Andrei Bowden Schwartz. Editor: Catherine Haight. Music: Theodore Shapiro.
• With: Sigourney Weaver, Kevin Kline, Morena Baccarin, Rob Delaney, Rebecca Henderson.

More from Variety

‘Bridgerton’ Season 4 Casts Yerin Ha as Benedict’s Love Interest Sophie Beckett (EXCLUSIVE)

‘Borderlands’ Blunder Proves Hollywood Hasn’t Mastered Adapting Video Games to Film

‘One Piece’ Season 2 Casts Katey Sagal as Dr. Kureha, Mark Harelik as Dr. Hiriluk

Lee Daniels’ Mom Was Afraid of Him Directing an Exorcism Movie, So He Hired an On-Set Spiritualist to Keep the Cast and Crew Safe: ‘We Prayed Every Day’

Take-Two Earnings Emblematic of Endless Risk-Taking in Gaming Biz

Premium Video Approaches 50 Million Subscribers in Southeast Asia, as Netflix Dominates Viewing Time – Report

More from our brands, ‘saturday night’ turns ‘snl’ origin story into late-night ‘bad news bears’.

Why Iceland Is Making Some of the Best Skin Care and Colognes You Can Buy

Track’s Post-Olympics Problem Tackled by Two Collectives

The Best Loofahs and Body Scrubbers, According to Dermatologists

Harry Potter’s Bonnie Wright Hopes HBO Series Gives Harry/Ginny’s Story More Time Than the Films Did

Common Sense Media

Movie & TV reviews for parents

• For Parents
• For Educators
• Our Work and Impact

Or browse by category:

• Movie Reviews
• Best Movie Lists
• Best Movies on Netflix, Disney+, and More

Common Sense Selections for Movies

50 Modern Movies All Kids Should Watch Before They're 12

• Best TV Lists
• Best TV Shows on Netflix, Disney+, and More
• Common Sense Selections for TV
• Video Reviews of TV Shows

Best Kids' Shows on Disney+

Best Kids' TV Shows on Netflix

• Book Reviews
• Best Book Lists
• Common Sense Selections for Books

8 Tips for Getting Kids Hooked on Books

50 Books All Kids Should Read Before They're 12

• Game Reviews
• Best Game Lists

Common Sense Selections for Games

• Video Reviews of Games

Nintendo Switch Games for Family Fun

• Podcast Reviews
• Best Podcast Lists

Common Sense Selections for Podcasts

Parents' Guide to Podcasts

• App Reviews
• Best App Lists

Social Networking for Teens

Gun-Free Action Game Apps

Reviews for AI Apps and Tools

• YouTube Channel Reviews
• YouTube Kids Channels by Topic

Parents' Ultimate Guide to YouTube Kids

YouTube Kids Channels for Gamers

• Preschoolers (2-4)
• Little Kids (5-7)
• Big Kids (8-9)
• Pre-Teens (10-12)
• Teens (13+)
• Screen Time
• Social Media
• Online Safety
• Identity and Community

How to Help Kids Build Character Strengths with Quality Media

• Family Tech Planners
• Digital Skills
• All Articles
• Latino Culture
• Black Voices
• Asian Stories
• Native Narratives
• LGBTQ+ Pride
• Best of Diverse Representation List

Multicultural Books

YouTube Channels with Diverse Representations

Podcasts with Diverse Characters and Stories

The good house.

• Common Sense Says
• Parents Say 1 Review
• Kids Say 0 Reviews

Common Sense Media Review

Alcoholism dramedy conjures sobering message; sex, nudity.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that The Good House is a wry portrait of a woman with an alcohol dependency. Hildy Good (Sigourney Weaver) knows from her infamous ancestor -- accused Salem witch Sarah Good -- that "women who don't care what people think of them are hanged in the public square." So when she's accused of…

Why Age 14+?

Language includes "damnedest," "jackass," "s--t," and a couple of uses of "f---i

Lots and lots of drinking. Most of the storyline is about a character's belief t

Sex. A breast is partially exposed from the side in several scenes. Passionate k

A couple of car brands are used to explain a character. Computer brand logo is s

Any Positive Content?

Ask for help.

Hildy Good is an aspirational woman in many ways; she demonstrates compassion an

Female main character in her 60s/70s is financially successful, supporting her e

Language includes "damnedest," "jackass," "s--t," and a couple of uses of "f---ing."

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

Lots and lots of drinking. Most of the storyline is about a character's belief that she's in control of her problematic drinking and that everyone who criticizes her is wrong (this is turned around by the end). Driving under the influence. Pot smoking.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

Sex, Romance & Nudity

Sex. A breast is partially exposed from the side in several scenes. Passionate kissing.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

Products & Purchases

A couple of car brands are used to explain a character. Computer brand logo is seen in what may be product placement.

Positive Messages

Positive role models.

Hildy Good is an aspirational woman in many ways; she demonstrates compassion and truly cares about those in her community. But she also has flaws, including a dependency on alcohol that she smugly refuses to believe she doesn't have under control. A male love interest sets boundaries and treats women with respect.

Diverse Representations

Female main character in her 60s/70s is financially successful, supporting her entire family, including her ex-husband, who's gay. Characters in their 60s and 70s have full, well-rounded lives, including sexual passion. Characters with autism. Characters with mental illness (anxiety, depression). A few people of color in background/supporting roles.

Did we miss something on diversity? Suggest an update.

Parents need to know that The Good House is a wry portrait of a woman with an alcohol dependency. Hildy Good ( Sigourney Weaver ) knows from her infamous ancestor -- accused Salem witch Sarah Good -- that "women who don't care what people think of them are hanged in the public square." So when she's accused of having a drinking problem, she hides it from her family and neighbors' prying eyes. While serious, the movie's themes are handled well and delivered with humor, and relatability is likely to be high for those with loved ones who've struggled with drinking. On the other hand, those who are in recovery themselves may want to be careful: Wine and cocktails are filmed with detailed, longing attention. In addition to lots of drinking, there's a scene that includes lighting a joint. Language includes "s--t" and "f---ing" but isn't constant. The film is notable both for telling the story of a mature woman and for showing the fullness of her life beyond her children, including career, romance, and sex (there are a few glimpses of Weaver's exposed breast). To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

Where to Watch

Videos and photos.

Parent and Kid Reviews

• Parents say (1)

Based on 1 parent review

This movie depicts the alcohol to a T

What's the story.

In THE GOOD HOUSE, Hildy Good ( Sigourney Weaver ) is the top Realtor in Wendover, Massachusetts. She's invested in the townspeople, as were the ancestors who lived in the small town before her, including Sarah Good, one of the first accused witches of Salem. Like Sarah, Hildy maintains her innocence when she's accused of being possessed by the potent potion known as alcohol. The drama is based on the bestselling novel by Ann Leary and co-stars Kevin Kline , Morena Baccarin , and Rob Delaney .

Is It Any Good?

Hildy Good is an excellent example of a woman who's lived a big life and is still haunted by the demons of the past. It's a little about her mistakes, but it's more about carrying the weight of others on her shoulders since childhood. Hildy is the great-great-great, etc., of Sarah Good, one of the first women falsely accused of witchcraft in the United States. As marginalized women with tremendous strength often do, Hildy overcomes generational trauma by rising far, far above it. So when townspeople -- and her own relatives -- accuse her of being bewitched by alcohol, she's prepared with 350 years of lessons on how women can be marginalized by accusations and gossip.

That's the story of The Good House , though the witchcraft element is underused. Don't expect flying on broomsticks or a Witches of Eastwick- type payoff here: This well-made dramedy about the complexities of single, senior womanhood is far more grounded. What it's really about is portraying someone with an alcohol dependency who's in denial. Using wit and a charming main character, filmmakers Maya Forbes and Wallace Wolodarsky tackle the complexities of two topics that films tend to avoid: being a single woman in her 60s or 70s and alcohol addiction. And they manage to make it funny and relatable. And the acting? Weaver and Kevin Kline 's romantic chemistry carries the ease of actors who've played love interests multiple times. The Good House may not be the film audiences think they're in for, but Weaver is so good in the role that it's impossible not to be enchanted.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about how The Good House portrays drinking . Do you think it's realistic? Is drinking glamorized?

Hollywood is often accused of ageism when it comes to depictions of older women. How does The Good House compare with other ways you've seen women in their 60s and 70s portrayed in the media?

What happened during the Salem witch trials? Why do you think Sarah Good was targeted? Do you think Hildy's statement that women need to be careful of their public image is still true?

How is Hildy shown to be a contributing citizen of Wendover? Where does her compassion go deeper than that? Why is it important to be invested in our community and the people in it?

Movie Details

• In theaters : September 30, 2022
• On DVD or streaming : November 22, 2022
• Cast : Sigourney Weaver , Kevin Kline , Morena Baccarin
• Directors : Maya Forbes , Wallace Wolodarsky
• Inclusion Information : Female actors, Latino actors, Female writers, Black writers
• Studios : Lionsgate , Roadside Attractions
• Genre : Drama
• Topics : Book Characters
• Character Strengths : Compassion
• Run time : 103 minutes
• MPAA rating : R
• MPAA explanation : brief sexuality and language
• Last updated : February 10, 2023

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

Suggest an Update

What to watch next.

When a Man Loves a Woman

The Girl on the Train

Movies with Strong Female Characters

Romance movies, related topics.

• Book Characters

Want suggestions based on your streaming services? Get personalized recommendations

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

Screen Rant

The good house review: weaver & kline are a winning duo opposite solid ensemble.

Your changes have been saved

Email is sent

Email has already been sent

Please verify your email address.

You’ve reached your account maximum for followed topics.

10 Best DC Movie Villain Quotes That Will Live On Forever

10 avengers movie quotes that aged poorly, harry potter star admits she briefly forgot she was in the magical franchise.

Based purely on its poster, Maya Forbes and Wallace Wolodarsky's The Good House looks like a Nicholas Sparks-eque romance between Sigourney Weaver and Kevin Kline's Massachusetts-based characters. However, as readers of Ann Leary's book know, there is far more to this story, and its film adaptation strives to capture that with warmth and respect. It mostly succeeds, though it can't quite pull off some late-stage twists. Thanks to Weaver's fearless performance, though, The Good House rises above its flaws to become an entertaining and earnest character study.

Residing in the fictional seaside town of Wendover, Hildy Good (Weaver) projects an air of perfection from her very first scene. A realtor eager to score the best listings, Hildy gives the impression she has everything under control, but there are issues lingering beneath the surface. For one thing, her daughters (Rebecca Henderson and Molly Brown) believe she has a drinking problem, even though Hildy only insists on having a glass or two (or more) at night. For another, her business isn't quite as successful as it once was. As Hildy becomes involved with one of Wendover's newest residents (Morena Baccarin) and brushes up against her old fling Frank (Kline), her life becomes increasingly more complicated.

Related: On The Come Up Review: Lathan's Directorial Debut Is Engaging Coming-Of-Age Tale

Forbes and Wolodarsky co-wrote The Good House's screenplay alongside Thomas Bezucha. In confronting Hildy's drinking issues, the movie must walk a very fine line. It never gets bogged down with seriousness, but it also doesn't shy away from its protagonist's dangerous behaviors. The directors smartly bring the audience directly into Hildy's life by having Weaver break the fourth wall. This is, at first, a bit jarring, but eventually it proves to be effective. By making Hildy address the audience herself, The Good House allows her to become a proper unreliable narrator. She continues to assure viewers she has a hand on her drinking, but her actions promise there is a reckoning ahead. Weaver plays Hildy's blithe attitude well, to the point where it's actually hard not to believe her for a stretch. She leans into Hildy's charisma and handles her gradual descent with the skill many have come to expect from the Alien actor .

Filmed on location in Nova Scotia rather than Massachusetts, The Good House perfectly transports viewers to a sleepy New England town. Forbes and Wolodarsky give the film a great sense of place, weaving in gorgeous shots of "Wendover" to firmly establish the community Hildy lives in. The detail to location gives The Good House an extra layer of realism and beauty. In populating the town, the directors have assembled an excellent cast, from Kline and Baccarin to Rob Delaney and Georgia Lyman. This is truly a place where everyone knows each other, and the richness of the community can be felt throughout. If some elements feel a bit awkward, like Hildy's connection to the Salem witch trials, it's smoothed over by the strength of the cast. Kline shines the most as handyman Frank Getchell; his chemistry with Weaver makes up the heart of The Good House , and he balances Frank's playful nature with his more serious side quite well. Baccarin also stands out as Rebecca, Wendover's newcomer, though it feels like there is far more to her than what the script reveals.

If The Good House falters anywhere, it is near the end, when the plot takes a dark turn. Forbes and Wolodarsky don't quite handle the tonal shift well; it's a bit too jarring and melodramatic to mesh with the rest of the story. It's a stretch where Hildy begins to truly question herself and danger seems to lurk just around the corner, and while Weaver commits to Hildy's complete breakdown, The Good House just can't accommodate this kind of change. The same can be said for occasional flashbacks to Hildy's past which, while filling in some key aspects of her character, push the drama closer to silly rather than impactful due to their staging.

For all its more serious moments, The Good House actually feels a lot like comfort food. It could be due to the vivid community the filmmakers have built, or because of Weaver's multifaceted performance. It also could be because, at its core, The Good House is about inner growth and the value in appreciating loved ones. Hildy goes on quite a journey, and it isn't always the happiest. However, there is genuine warmth to be found here, and it ends on a hopeful note that will surely resonate with viewers.

The Good House releases in theaters Friday, September 30. The film is 103 minutes long and is rated R for brief sexuality and language.

The Good House

• Movie Reviews
• 3 star movies

'The Good House' review: Sigourney Weaver deserves a nod for best actress

Weaver turns what could have been a cliched comedy-drama into something more.

Sigourney Weaver is a goddess. From "Alien" to "Avatar," she always comes through with something extra to make her movies remarkable. That is definitely the case with "The Good House," only in theaters, in which Weaver turns what could have been a cliched suburban comedy-drama into something funny, touching and vital.

As Hildy Good, a realtor in her hometown on Boston's North Shore, Weaver is every inch the successful business wiz, which has nothing to do with Hildy being a descendant of a Salem witch, though she is. Hildy is just damn good at her job -- no hocus pocus involved.

Still, Hildy keeps secrets. She's a functional alcoholic who's faking her recovery, a sham that sparks her adult daughters, the unhappily married Tess (Rebecca Henderson) and the unhappily artistic Emily (Molly Brown), to stage an intervention. "Wine is not really drinking," retorts Hildy, trying to laugh them off, despite the vodka she sneaks when no one's looking.

Hildy's problems are real. She's basically supporting her daughters as the real estate market becomes even more competitive. Her protégé (Kathryn Erbe) is trying to steal her clients. And she's forking over alimony to her ex-husband Scott (David Rasche) who has left her for a man, all of which had previously led to a stint in rehab.

We know all this because Maya Forbes and Wally Wolodarsky, the married couple who wrote and directed "The Good House" from the 2013 bestseller by Ann Leary, have allowed Hildy to address the audience directly in comments both hilarious and heartbreaking. The way Hildy says she can define homeowners through the state of their kitchens cuts like a knife.

MORE: 'The Midnight Sky' review: George Clooney's film finds its heart in its actors

Thanks to Weaver's impeccable comic timing and her uncanny ability to bring truth to a soap-opera plot, "The Good House" holds us in thrall. Since alcoholics often don't remember what they do when drunk Hildy is rarely conscious of her worst behavior. Her denial veers close to tragedy in the film's final passages.

The film comes closest to intimacy when Hildy reconnects with her high school crush, Frank Getchell, superbly played by Kevin Kline as a scruffy loner with a droll gift for skewering hypocrites. Despite his unkempt look, Frank is the richest dude in a class-conscious town that snubs him for making his fortune in the garbage collection business.

In a lesser movie, Frank would be Hildy's redemption, the white knight ready to sweep in and save her. But Weaver and Kline -- consummate actors who costarred before in "Dave," and "The Ice Storm" -- never met a cliché they couldn't turn on its dumb head and invest with a tough core of intelligence and wit. They are simply perfection.

The film also deserves credit for showing exactly what alcohol does for Hildy, the way it gives her courage, however false, to face her demons. In grappling with something most addiction movies avoid -- the very real attraction of alcohol -- the film recognizes what it takes to break free and does so without preaching or fake moralizing.

MORE: 'Cry Macho' review: Clint Eastwood is a classic in every sense of the word

It doesn't help that "The Good House" film stuffs in too many characters from the book, though Morena Baccarin scores as a confidante for Hildy and Beverly D'Angelo is a standout as a blackout drunk who shows Hildy what's ahead if she continues to lose herself in the bottle.

Through it all, Weaver, 72, proves she can do anything as an actress. Having received Academy Award nominations for "Aliens," "Gorillas in the Mist" and "Working Girl," she is still without an Oscar. Her triumph in "The Good House" deserves to put Weaver in the race for best actress and to remind audiences what a thrill it is to witness a virtuoso at the top of her game.

Popular Reads

NHL star killed by alleged drunk driver

• Aug 30, 4:58 PM

15 ISIS members killed in US raid: Officials

• Aug 31, 11:00 AM

Harris seen as running better campaign: POLL

• Sep 1, 7:00 AM

Man charged in death of woman missing for 2 years

• Aug 31, 1:27 AM

Trump charged in Jan. 6 superseding indictment

• Aug 27, 6:25 PM

ABC News Live

24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events

• Cast & crew
• User reviews

The Good House

Life for New England realtor Hildy Good begins to unravel when she hooks up with an old high school flame. Based on Ann Leary's 'The Good House.' Life for New England realtor Hildy Good begins to unravel when she hooks up with an old high school flame. Based on Ann Leary's 'The Good House.' Life for New England realtor Hildy Good begins to unravel when she hooks up with an old high school flame. Based on Ann Leary's 'The Good House.'

• Maya Forbes
• Wallace Wolodarsky
• Thomas Bezucha
• Sigourney Weaver
• Kevin Kline
• Morena Baccarin
• 37 User reviews
• 70 Critic reviews
• 62 Metascore
• 3 wins & 1 nomination

Top cast 35

• Frank Getchell

• Rebecca McAllister

• Peter Newbold

• Wendy Heatherton

• Brian McAllister

• Cassie Dwight

• Patch Dwight
• (as James LeBlanc)
• Jake Dwight

• Henry Barlow

• Robert Sanderson

• Lisa Sanderson

• All cast & crew
• Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

More like this

Did you know

• Trivia The whole film was shot in Nova Scotia, which stands in for Massachusetts.

Hildy Good : Where are blackouts when you need them?

• Connections References The Witches of Eastwick (1987)
• Soundtracks Time of the Season Written by Rod Argent Performed by The Zombies Courtesy of Master Marquis Enterprises Ltd.

Technical specs

• Runtime 1 hour 44 minutes
• Dolby Digital

Related news

Contribute to this page.

• See more gaps
• Learn more about contributing

More to explore

Recently viewed.