Home Movie Review (2008)

Synopsis

In the remote woods of Upstate New York, David and Clare Poe are attempting to live an idyllic life. However, their twin children’s bizarre behavior might just tear the family apart.

My Thoughts

Home Movie is one of those low-budget horror films that manages to be both quite unsettling and maddeningly frustrating, and often both at the same time.

It doesn’t reinvent the found footage wheel, but it definitely gives it a solid, disturbing spin. It’s a film that actually respects the internal logic of found footage too, which is always nice, as often films conveniently forget its own gimmick when the plot demands it.

The writing does occasionally leans into melodrama, with a few scenes that feel a bit too stagey or overwritten, but the actors mostly steer it back into believable territory, but it’s still noticeable.

The kids though might be the most terrifying thing in the movie, precisely because they do so little. And even though do they so little, they are somehow more expressive in stillness than most adult actors are in motion.

Home Movie is also a film that sets out to explore some serious, ambitious themes, and it doesn’t just sprinkle them in, it makes them part of the core conflict.

But sometimes the delivery does feel a little too self-aware, but there’s something a bit disturbing in watching these two educated, seemingly grounded parents completely miss and rationalize the escalating danger in their own home.

It’s horror that is rooted in denial and human failure, and that’s where the film is strongest, in showing how intellect and ideology can actually get in the way of instinct.

Because even smart people can ignore the obvious sometimes because they’re just too proud to admit they’re scared or completely out of their depth.

But there’s also a point where leaving things open to interpretation shifts from thought-provoking to slightly lazy, and the film does walk a fine line between ambiguity that works, and a big narrative shrug that clearly doesn’t.

But overall, Home Movie is quite a fascinating little horror experiment. It has its flaws, and it’s very rough around the edges. But it’s also genuinely chilling at times, and it fully commits to its format, with some strong themes that will make you think and contemplate.

It’s one of those films that doesn’t stick the landing consistently, but the journey there is pretty haunting at times.

Home Movie Trailer
Home Movie on IMDB

Good Points

Found Footage Format – The film plays by the rules, and it uses the home video footage in a believable way, which often isn’t the case in this genre.

Complex Themes – It digs into subjects such as religion vs. psychology, and the hubris of modern parenting, which gives it some thought provoking depth.

The Emotion – Home Movie is not just about trying to scare you, it’s tryng to emotionally unsettle you, and it does. There’s something real in watching people fail the ones they love.

Bad Points

Sometimes Too Vague for Its Own Good – The film leaves a lot unanswered. Ambiguity can be powerful, but here it feels like the filmmakers might not have fully decided what was going on themselves.

Uneven Tone – It swings between domestic drama, psychological thriller, and outright horror and it doesn’t always blend well. It can feel disjointed and the tonal whiplash is evident.

Some Melodramatic Writing – Certain lines and confrontations feel more like they belong in a soap opera than in a psychological horror film.

Is Home Movie Worth Watching?

Yeah, I’d say Home Movie is worth a watch if you’re into slow, unsettling horror that feels a little too real at times.

It’s not full of big scares, but it’s creepy. Far from perfect and not without some issues, but I found it an interesting enough watch.

Where To Stream

Shudder

Director and Cast

Director – Christopher Denham.

Main Cast – Adrian Pasdar, Cady McClain, Amber Joy Williams, and Austin Williams.