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House of Sand and Fog

Name: House of Sand and Fog
Genre: Drama
Released: December 19, 2003
Duration: 126 min
Rating: 71
Cast: Ben Kingsley, Jennifer Connelly, Ron Eldard

2003

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 41 Critics

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USER SCORE

Universal acclaim based on 145 Ratings

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9.2

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9.2	Your Score
9.2	User Score Universal acclaim based on 145 Ratings

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HOUSE OF SAND & FOG

Movie Details & Credits

DreamWorks Distribution | Release Date: December 19, 2003 | R

Starring: Ben Kingsley, Jennifer Connelly, Ron Eldard

Summary: A gripping exploration of the American Dream gone awry, House of Sand and Fog is the story of two people driven to desperate measures to claim ownership of a house. (DreamWorks Pictures)

Director: Vadim Perelman

Genre(s): Drama

Rating: R

Runtime: 126 min

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Awards & Rankings

86	#86 Best Movie of 2003
61	#61 Most Shared Movie of 2003

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Metascore

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Critic Reviews

100

Richard Schickel

As reversible misunderstandings grow into irreversible tragedy, it slowly dawns on you that this is a superior, heartbreaking film. Read full review

Desson Thomson

The movie's intense watchability can be traced directly to superb performances by Jennifer Connelly and Ben Kingsley. Read full review

New York Post Lou Lumenick

A grim, challenging movie that will amply reward audiences willing to go along with its ride into the dark depths of its characters' souls. Read full review

The Globe and Mail (Toronto) Liam Lacey

There is both a sense of disappointment and relief when House of Sand and Fog crosses over into improbability, when the viewer can sit back, breathe easy again. All this trouble over the failure to open an envelope. Read full review

Wall Street Journal Joe Morgenstern

Though the film is somber, it certainly commands one's attention, and for a while one's respect.

Empire Angie Errigo

There's a desperately inevitable, powerfully tragic last reel, but getting there is absolute torture. Read full review

Slate David Edelstein

This is a movie that sends you out shuddering, chuckling nervously, wanting to tell the people in line for the next show, "It's the feel-bad movie of the year!" Read full review

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User Reviews

DeWayneP.

Oct 12, 2005

Brilliant! Films just don't get better than this.

0 of 0 users found this helpful

RitaP.

Jan 24, 2006

Not often I consider a film a perfect 10 but there is no other score for a film of this quality.

0 of 0 users found this helpful

cameronmorewood

Nov 17, 2012

The film has a brilliant urgency to it. It is also unrelenting and unmerciful. House of Sand and Fog isn't a blow to the head, it's a blow to the soul.

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

HomeReviewer

May 16, 2012

Throughout this movie, the talented Vadim Perelman uses beautiful cinematographic moments to enhance the already heavy melodrama that is 'House of Sand and Fog'. There are no better words to describe the genre of this movie than tragedy, and that's why so, so many of the reviews use it. ItThroughout this movie, the talented Vadim Perelman uses beautiful cinematographic moments to enhance the already heavy melodrama that is 'House of Sand and Fog'. There are no better words to describe the genre of this movie than tragedy, and that's why so, so many of the reviews use it. It was exactly that, a tragedy. The talented Ben Kingsley was certainly a good choice to play the lead role here; no one can play foreign characters with as much attention to details, deliver high emotion with as much reserve as Kingsley. My last review (You Kill Me) where he was mentioned happens to have referred to this movie 'House of Sandâ… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Spangle

Jun 24, 2015

Dark and moody thanks to brilliant cinematography from Roger Deakins and a great score from the late James Horner, House of Sand and Fog is a pretty good film all-around that manages to be quite thrilling and entertaining given the subject matter. Thanks to the eerie mood set by Deakins andDark and moody thanks to brilliant cinematography from Roger Deakins and a great score from the late James Horner, House of Sand and Fog is a pretty good film all-around that manages to be quite thrilling and entertaining given the subject matter. Thanks to the eerie mood set by Deakins and Horner, the threat of something bad coming around the corner is ever present throughout and, again, Deakins' cinematography is great, exemplified by the shots of fog consuming the home. Man is this thing gorgeous. The acting, in particular from Jennifer Connelly and Ben Kingsley, is really good. The direction is solid and the film is pretty well-written. By the end, it is tough to decide who all to feel bad for, but one thing is certain; everybody loses. Nobody wins in this film and everybody winds up losing quite big. On the negative here, House of Sand and Fog does feature some unnecessary plot points that could have been cut and left the film pretty much unchanged, in particular certain concerns held by some characters that just never come up again and seem to dissipate amongst the larger concerns that arise. Yet, overall, House of Sand and Fog is a good film that features some powerful performances set along a beautiful backdrop in a film that is entirely heartbreaking.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Meth-dude

Aug 18, 2018

With an unbelievable plot, frustratingly stupid characters and a very slow pace, House of Sand and Fog is a disappointment. At least the acting and the cinematography were quite good. If you're expecting a masterpiece you will undoubtedly be disappointed. It's not a bad movie, it's just notWith an unbelievable plot, frustratingly stupid characters and a very slow pace, House of Sand and Fog is a disappointment. At least the acting and the cinematography were quite good. If you're expecting a masterpiece you will undoubtedly be disappointed. It's not a bad movie, it's just not as good as what the critics make it out to be.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

dierregi

Aug 14, 2013

This gloomy tale is about ex-addict Kathy (Connelly) being evicted from her house and Colonel Behrani (Kingsley), a refugee forced to leave Iran with his family due to the fall of the Shah. Behrani buys the house in a desperate attempt to redress is financial situation, thus starting anThis gloomy tale is about ex-addict Kathy (Connelly) being evicted from her house and Colonel Behrani (Kingsley), a refugee forced to leave Iran with his family due to the fall of the Shah. Behrani buys the house in a desperate attempt to redress is financial situation, thus starting an escalating fight with Kathy.

Behrani is a stoic man, burdened with an impractical wife and a couple of children who are eating up all his income. The man works two jobs, while his family seems blissfully unaware of what is going on.
Kathy is introduced while on the phone, lying to her family. The camera shows a dirty house and unopened letters on the floor. Not the sort of introduction to elicit sympathy.

Enraged by being evicted from her house (because she was too lazy to open her mail), Kathy hires a lawyer and proceeds to manipulate Lester, a married cop, into doing some dirty work for her.Like most addicts, Kathy seems incapable to take responsibilities. Throughout the movie she is constantly blaming someone else or on the verge of drowning in self-pity.

The only thing Kathy and Behrani have in common is that they both lie to their families. They both are slightly unsympathetic, but the antipathy award goes to Lester, the policeman who embarks in the extramarital affair with Kathy, dumps wife and kids and starts threating Behrani until the bitter end.

I read the novel and liked the fact that the writer did not take sides. You really get the idea that two wrongs do not make one right. However, the movie failed to produce the same effect. Kathy comes across as the wrong one, the pushy, needy, weak, spoiled woman with a passive-aggressive attitude who can only manipulate or cry her way through life. Therefore, I found the movie disappointing.… Expand

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

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