Will Ferrell and Amy Poehler’s new movie, The House, panned by critics

WILL Ferrell and Amy Poehler’s new movie has been panned by critics, with one declaring The House as an early contender for worst film of the year.

WILL Ferrell and Amy Poehler’s new movie has been panned by critics, with one declaring The House as an early contender for worst film of the year.

In the film the two stars play a husband and wife who help set up and run an illegal casino in their friend’s basement with the goal of raising enough money to send their daughter to university.

Released in the US and Australia last week, The House is estimated to have cost $US40 million to make and so far has raked in just $US11.4 million around the world.

The studio behind the film chose not to screen it for critics before it was released (that’s not a good sign) and it appears they were right to be nervous.

Critics have since savaged The House and the movie has just a 19 per cent approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Here’s what some critics had to say:

• “The highest praise one can give The House is that it is just barely watchable. The film is badly stitched together with hatchet-job editing attempting to mask a clear lack of coverage, and the comedy offers the suggestion of a laugh instead of the real thing.” — LA Times

• “Now and then, a studio grossly misjudges a movie by opting not to screen it for critics. But most of the time, they are sadly right; the film sucks, the studio knows it, and the last thing they want is a second opinion to rip into their already modest box office projections. Such is the case with The House, a creaky and crappy comedy that stars Will Ferrell and Amy Poehler ...” — A.V. Club

Will Ferrell and Amy Poehler took a gamble on this movie and it didn’t pay off.

• “The film isn’t without its highlights, as it does successfully go to some extremes to get some solid laughs, but walking out of the theatre you can’t help but think, ‘Why wasn’t that better?’” — Cinema Blend

• “An outstanding candidate for the worst film of the year has emerged with The House, starring Will Ferrell and Amy Poehler, two normally competent comedians who die a thousand deaths in this bilge, atrociously written and directed by Andrew Jay Cohen.” — The Times

• “You both feel bad for the actors and wonder how it is that they never banded together to mutiny on set and demand a better script — unless, like their characters, they simply laughed all the way to the bank.” — IndieWire

• “Running less than 90 minutes, it’s excruciatingly flat and goes on forever. There are many funny people in this film. By the time it’s over, you may forget that they ever made you smile ... the film is a black hole that sucks comedy into its vortex, never to be seen again.” — Paste magazine

• “It’s all meant to be wild and crazy, but somehow it seems simultaneously nasty and dull. The House could have been a winning little comedy, but instead it rolls snake eyes.” — Newsday

• “Both performers (Will Ferrell and Amy Poehler) seem totally disengaged, zombie-ing through their parts as though they’d rather be somewhere, anywhere else (and fair enough).” — Time Out

The House is showing in cinemas now.

Originally published as Will Ferrell and Amy Poehler’s new movie, The House, panned by critics