The House That Jack Built

Name: The House That Jack Built
Genre: Drama, Thriller, Horror, Comedy, Crime
Released: December 14, 2018
Duration: 152 min
Rating: 42
Cast: Bruno Ganz, David Bailie, Ed Speleers, Jack McKenzie, Jeremy Davies

2018

METASCORE

Mixed or average reviews based on 29 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 154 Ratings

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6.8

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6.8	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 154 Ratings

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The House That Jack Built

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Movie Details & Credits

IFC Films | Release Date: December 14, 2018 | R

Starring: Bruno Ganz, David Bailie, Ed Speleers, Jack McKenzie, Jeremy Davies, Ji-tae Yu, Matt Dillon, Riley Keough, Siobhan Fallon, Sofie Gråbøl, Uma Thurman

Summary: Boundary-pushing cinematic visionary Lars von Trier returns with one of his most daring, masterfully provocative works yet. In five audacious episodes, failed architect and arch-sociopath Jack (Matt Dillon) recounts the elaborately orchestrated murders—each, as he views them, a towering work of art—that define his “career” as a serialBoundary-pushing cinematic visionary Lars von Trier returns with one of his most daring, masterfully provocative works yet. In five audacious episodes, failed architect and arch-sociopath Jack (Matt Dillon) recounts the elaborately orchestrated murders—each, as he views them, a towering work of art—that define his “career” as a serial killer. Mixing pitch black humor, transcendent surrealism, and renegade musings on everything from history to architecture to cinema, von Trier fashions a radical, blazingly personal inquiry into violence, art, and the twin acts of creation and destruction. [IFC Films]… Expand

Director: Lars von Trier

Genre(s): Drama, Thriller, Horror, Comedy, Crime

Rating: R

Runtime: 152 min

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Critic Reviews

100

Lorry Kikta

Feb 8, 2019

Some people, including a couple of people I watched the film with, may see The House That Jack Built as pretentious nonsense. Others will see it as the glorification of violence. I see it for what it was intended to be, a work of complicated, violent, hilarious art. Read full review

IndieWire Eric Kohn

May 16, 2018

The House That Jack Built is an often-horrifying, sadistic dive into a psychotic internal monologue, with intellectual detours about the nature of art in the world today, and puts considerable effort into stimulating discomfort at key moments. If you meet the work on those terms, or at least accept the challenge of wrestling with impeccable filmmaking that dances across moral barriers, it’s also possibly brilliant. Read full review

RogerEbert.com Brian Tallerico

Dec 17, 2018

The film finds von Trier wrestling with the claims of misogyny and misanthropy that have followed him his entire career, but not in the way you’d expect. If anything, he leans into both, daring you to look into the abyss with him as he interrogates his own dark side and banishes himself to the underworld. Read full review

The Guardian Peter Bradshaw

May 16, 2018

It is an ordeal of gruesomeness and tiresomeness that was every bit as exasperating as I had feared. Read full review

Empire Olly Richards

Dec 10, 2018

One of von Trier’s most confrontingly horrible films is also one of his weakest. A story about a man disguising his lack of worthwhile contribution with violent self-interest is guilty of every point it’s making. Read full review

Emily Yoshida

May 16, 2018

The film’s most offensive qualities have nothing to do with its grotesque violence and displays of human mutilation, but its terminal navel-gazing and reductive, borderline harmful ideas about art. Read full review

The Playlist Jessica Kiang

May 16, 2018

Perhaps The House That Jack Built is the kind of film you make when you fervently want someone to stop you, to save you from yourself and the demons of your worst nature. Perhaps, this time, we should oblige. Read full review

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User Reviews

seantarani

Feb 21, 2019

Just a sophisticated masterpiece
And I wanna say the most people who dislike this masterpiece are just simple (Idiot)

5 of 8 users found this helpful53

Wolframm

Jun 19, 2020

Insanely terrifying!!!!! And deep!!! It is quintessential of Lars creativity!!!!

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Oliviergeurden

Sep 21, 2020

Different ! Glorious humor....
..........as if killing/murder is “ funny “.Yes? No?
Matt at his all time best. A must see for those “serious “ movie lovers.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Ralfbergs

Jul 12, 2020

It was interesting to watch but kind of felt disappointed by the end of the movie. It is very crazy plot and all but I think for people not seeing the message behind that it is kind of a conversation about devil and about the reasoning, then people might misunderstand the whole idea of movieIt was interesting to watch but kind of felt disappointed by the end of the movie. It is very crazy plot and all but I think for people not seeing the message behind that it is kind of a conversation about devil and about the reasoning, then people might misunderstand the whole idea of movie and just think it is just about guy going around killing people for fun… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

NickTheCritick

Nov 3, 2021

This movie doesn't show Von Trier at this best but I really enjoyed it, especially the ending.

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

kirkender

Jun 8, 2020

Matt Dillon's best performance ever; Von Trier's middling effort at best. It's engaging and had plenty of solid scenes, but ultimately there are too many naval gazing scenes that give too much fantasy imagery to the serial killer who really should not be glorified as much as he is. AMatt Dillon's best performance ever; Von Trier's middling effort at best. It's engaging and had plenty of solid scenes, but ultimately there are too many naval gazing scenes that give too much fantasy imagery to the serial killer who really should not be glorified as much as he is. A critique, this film is not. It is a typical male gaze film that really shouldn't exist, but it's very well made. Shrug.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Zoomy148

Jul 10, 2019

Невероятно скучный и унылый фильм.
Сходили в кинотеатр вместе с девушкой на этот "шедевр".
Так сильно мы еще никогда не страдали на просмотре чего либо,невероятно растянутый хронометраж,ужасный сюжет,скука,уныние и вопрос :"зачем я сюда пришел?",это все что будет преследовать вас наНевероятно скучный и унылый фильм.
Сходили в кинотеатр вместе с девушкой на этот "шедевр".
Так сильно мы еще никогда не страдали на просмотре чего либо,невероятно растянутый хронометраж,ужасный сюжет,скука,уныние и вопрос :"зачем я сюда пришел?",это все что будет преследовать вас на протяжении всего фильма.Однозначно не рекомендую.… Expand

0 of 5 users found this helpful05

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