I had the opportunity to watch "Housewife" during the 11th Edition of the Lisbon International Horror Movie Festival, Motel X, in September 2017. Having watched Can Evrenol's brilliant and nightmarish "Baskin" last year, I was really excited to watch this movie in the midst of fellow horror movie aficionados. Not only that, but the only preview I could find on YouTube was actually quite compelling, so my expectations were at their peak as I entered the movie theater. Alas, as my initial excitement faded, my expectations would soon be laid to waste. While the movie had a promising start, it quickly went astray. The acting was mediocre, at best, but all I kept wondering was why on earth would any studio hire a non-English speaking cast to speak in English for the majority of the time when these events are not even occurring in an English speaking country? It's distracting, to say the least, and adds absolutely nothing to the story. Furthermore, while most of the dialogue focuses on exposing who these characters are, what they do for a living and how they came to know each other, not much of it is truly dedicated to clarifying some of the most meaningful aspects of the story, such as the identity of the old lady in the painting or the importance of the pendant that she wears around her neck. We can try to guess and speculate, but we never really know for sure. Plus, the nudity, sex, blood and gore also feel gratuitous and bear no significance to the story that we're being told. They're just randomly thrown into the mix. The only hint of purpose is only provided at the very end, where all threads are tied together, but the ending itself failed to have much of an impact as I wasn't invested on these any characters to even care about what happened to them. There was simply not enough meat on these skinny bones. In conclusion, the acting was wooden, as there was very little chemistry between the actors themselves, the characters were underdeveloped, the plot was weak, the story was insubstantial and the on-screen violence, even though it was well executed, served little purpose apart from attempting to shock the audience. If you are a hardcore horror movie fan or if you're into H. P. Lovecraft's body of work, feel free to check this one out. However, I personally think that here are far better movies out there for you to watch, so I suggest that you don't waste your time on this one.
38 Reviews
Nowhere close to the surrealistic Baskin and wtf were those tentacles.
Fella_shibby18 April 2022
I saw this only cos i had enjoyed the director's Baskin but this movie is one helluva jumbled mess.
It started off very well and the dreams n hallucinations sequences are terrifying but the ending ruined everything.
There is no explanation about the lady from the portrait or the amulet.
Sex scenes are added but none of em is erotic enuff.
The lead actress is skinny n her boobs ain't good.
The skin peeling scene is totally uncalled for.
The director is obviously inspired by David Lynch, Lars von Trier, H. P. Lovecraft n 60s satanic cult movies bit somehow he never succeeded.
It started off very well and the dreams n hallucinations sequences are terrifying but the ending ruined everything.
There is no explanation about the lady from the portrait or the amulet.
Sex scenes are added but none of em is erotic enuff.
The lead actress is skinny n her boobs ain't good.
The skin peeling scene is totally uncalled for.
The director is obviously inspired by David Lynch, Lars von Trier, H. P. Lovecraft n 60s satanic cult movies bit somehow he never succeeded.
Very forgettable.
claraclara-7380223 October 2017
Really disappointed after enjoying the previous film from the director. I really tried to enjoy it, but the acting was so bad I couldn't get into the film. Also the severe lack of any story ark made it a really tiring watch. I repeatably checked my watch so see how long I had left. Hopefully his next film actually has a story. If you want to see it, I recommend saving it until your next hangover so you can watch it in bed without using your brain.
Did somebody saying acting?
gonholla8 October 2017
Dear god this has to have some of the worst acting in a horror film. And not the kind of bad its good, but just plain bad its almost impossible to watch the film. Its obvious the director doesn't understand the English language so why shoot it in English? Its also shot in Turkey? The whole film is a mess. There are some pretty images sprinkles through out the film but the story isn't interesting and any kind of fleshed out character is completely absent. A lot like the directors previous film, all flash and no content. Go in with low expectations.
TERRIBLE acting.
zeitgeistcultures7 October 2017
Where to start? Well the acting is a good start - the acing in this film is SO bad its almost unwatchable. It actually became laughable at a point which was the only way I made it to the end. I ended up pretending it was a comedy I was laughing so much. The story is also completely forgettable and the direction portentous. The film has the same problems as the directors previous film, all style and no substance. I wouldn't be surprised if the film didn't have a screenplay its so awful in the the story telling department. The problem for me is the films the director is trying to mimic had style yes, but they also had a heart which is utterly missing from this film. I didn't care about any of the characters, what characters were there to care about? He is obviously a Fulci wannabe but he ends up more like Eli Roth - who no one wants to be. If it was made as a comedy, i would give it 4/5, but in reality its not so it's 1/5. His previous film did show promise but this is a real stinker. Someone get the air freshener.
"There's only you and your dreams".
lost-in-limbo24 May 2018
A month or two back during a film festival, this was the film I was most looking forward to seeing. From the director of the Turkish horror "Baskin", a film I liked well enough, inspite of a few weak spots and stretched out storytelling. Anyway it was Can Evrenol's audaciously hypnotic vision, and explosively violent and nerve wracking horror set-pieces from his debut feature that had me curious to what he would do next. Housewife follows his previous film's story structure very much to a tee... in rocking your senses. A gothic, slow-grinding fable of mind-bending subconscious dreams fusing together with stark, cold reality. This gradual build-up of cultish zealotry, underlining sexual yearning and haunting dreamlike visions implodes into a sinuously conniving final third of occult debauchery, doomsday preaching and cosmic horror of Lovecraftian proportions.
However, while the backend imagery are creative and striking - the jubilee of violence are not as gory, nor even as rampant. There's still a frenzied craziness in what is happening in its climax. Steering closer to something startlingly bizarre, yet stylishly disciplined in its fiendish acts. Still, in saying that, their are few disturbing illustrations and the odd graphic jolt, but here, Evrenol used the surreal story to build towards and complement the delirious horror scenes than the other way around.
In some ways I might actually prefer "Housewife". In how it went about setting up and delivering on it's one, two punch. It flows better, and the shocks don't have a tacked on impression. Think of the suspicious, and paranoid build-up of a Polanski film, where instead it's very dark, and surreal in its laborious reality morphing into a disorientating dreamscape. Is it all in her head, as nightmares never felt so real? We watch the female lead stumble through a daze of confusion and fear, thinking her troubles, and past demons are cured when she seeks guidance from a necromantic showbiz psychic (perfectly done by David Sakurai) who believes he is destined to help her, but it's just the beginning of things to come as he starts getting into her head. The path that's chosen for her, from possible pacts made by her own family, or tainted blood, shows these deities never forget. The fervid opening of the film, which grabs you by the throat squeezing real tight, sets up the inherited guilt and fear stemming from her childhood that haunts her throughout adult life. The crafty camerawork, moody lighting and wailing synths/ambient pianos play a big part in shaping the swirling discomfit. Or I can see it being labeled as glossed up trash.
Where I think the film is let down, similar to Baskin, is the depth of its story and emotional engagement of its characters. This is mainly pointed at Clementine Poidatz and Ali Aksoz's characters, as Sakurai's presence needed to be mystifying. Possibly even having the Turkish actors speaking English rather than their native tongue can come across looking uneven, or stiff in their emoting delivery. While it does have a streamlined narrative with what seems like a lot going on, everything does comes across distant and less than skin deep. At times it did some things differently with its fascinating mythos, but the typical genre staples found in these cult stories can make its way into the story, for better or worse.
"Housewife" again shows the director's ambitious visionary prowess, and an ability to formulate reactions from his spectacular bookended set-pieces, whereas the spotty material might have its issues, it still showed glimpses that this latest effort is a step in the right direction. I'll probably end up liking this more than most would.
However, while the backend imagery are creative and striking - the jubilee of violence are not as gory, nor even as rampant. There's still a frenzied craziness in what is happening in its climax. Steering closer to something startlingly bizarre, yet stylishly disciplined in its fiendish acts. Still, in saying that, their are few disturbing illustrations and the odd graphic jolt, but here, Evrenol used the surreal story to build towards and complement the delirious horror scenes than the other way around.
In some ways I might actually prefer "Housewife". In how it went about setting up and delivering on it's one, two punch. It flows better, and the shocks don't have a tacked on impression. Think of the suspicious, and paranoid build-up of a Polanski film, where instead it's very dark, and surreal in its laborious reality morphing into a disorientating dreamscape. Is it all in her head, as nightmares never felt so real? We watch the female lead stumble through a daze of confusion and fear, thinking her troubles, and past demons are cured when she seeks guidance from a necromantic showbiz psychic (perfectly done by David Sakurai) who believes he is destined to help her, but it's just the beginning of things to come as he starts getting into her head. The path that's chosen for her, from possible pacts made by her own family, or tainted blood, shows these deities never forget. The fervid opening of the film, which grabs you by the throat squeezing real tight, sets up the inherited guilt and fear stemming from her childhood that haunts her throughout adult life. The crafty camerawork, moody lighting and wailing synths/ambient pianos play a big part in shaping the swirling discomfit. Or I can see it being labeled as glossed up trash.
Where I think the film is let down, similar to Baskin, is the depth of its story and emotional engagement of its characters. This is mainly pointed at Clementine Poidatz and Ali Aksoz's characters, as Sakurai's presence needed to be mystifying. Possibly even having the Turkish actors speaking English rather than their native tongue can come across looking uneven, or stiff in their emoting delivery. While it does have a streamlined narrative with what seems like a lot going on, everything does comes across distant and less than skin deep. At times it did some things differently with its fascinating mythos, but the typical genre staples found in these cult stories can make its way into the story, for better or worse.
"Housewife" again shows the director's ambitious visionary prowess, and an ability to formulate reactions from his spectacular bookended set-pieces, whereas the spotty material might have its issues, it still showed glimpses that this latest effort is a step in the right direction. I'll probably end up liking this more than most would.
Terrible.
VindiKatif8 April 2020
Half baked and poorly written. Nothing is explained so there is no way to engage with the material, its all just happening with a vague understanding of 'oh this is supposed to be bad'. There are callbacks to things that happened in the beginning, but those things were never really explained in any way, so you don't know what they are to begin with or if they are bad or good or what, and you come to the end of the movie with no real understanding of what you just watched, but some semblance of who I suppose is Cthulhu is there, so you know it was a super spooky time. Don't waste your time, you'll be disappointed.
Hardcore horror for Lynch fans
susana-c-fernandes6 October 2017
Can Evrenol had already surprised me with his amazing BASKIN movie on 2016, so I was looking forward to seeing his newest title at the Lisbon International Horror Fest (MOTELX).
Housewife tells the story of a woman who was traumatized as a child after watching her mother kill her father and sister. This trauma obviously takes its toll on the character, growing up to become a disturbed, frail woman who, in spite of having a husband and friends, shows little signs of any true connection with people and lives inside her world, memories and (sick) fantasies.
After getting acquainted with a cult and becoming close to its leader, she has the opportunity to (sort of) go back to the horrific night and finally confront her demons.
Aesthetically I consider the movie a work of art. Its attention to detail, soundtrack and atmosphere build up the tension for an entire hour, certainly too much for some viewers, but I enjoyed it. After BASKIN, I knew what I was in for, so I waited for the shock and gore while appreciating (and trying to understand) the dream-like sequences of the plot.
As expected, it all comes together in the ending... but not quite. The movie leaves much to be figured out, including the presence of some characters (old lady), who I left without a clue of who they were and what exactly they were doing there. This, along with the movie's slow pace, can be frustrating (and certainly was for many viewers) and I'm afraid it's almost as if the director had to set the bar a little lower, if he wishes us mere mortals to get his point on future movies.
One final word about the acting, I considered it fine for the most part, but some complained that the characters showed a lack of connection that was only made worse by their attempt to speak in English. I didn't think this was necessarily bad. The lack of connection was there, but I actually think it contributed to the movie's atmosphere of being "barely awake". Also, the main actress was superb, in my opinion.
As in BASKIN, Housewife leaves us with that "WTF did I just watch" feeling. I heard the people behind me in the theater say that the director "needed to find Jesus", after the final sequence, which is truly disturbing.
If you are a David Lynch fan and enjoy a good, juicy, "tentacly" piece of gore, definitely watch this movie and try to figure it out. If you're not into movies that are "too intellectual" or require a great deal of deciphering, my advise is to stay away from it.
Housewife tells the story of a woman who was traumatized as a child after watching her mother kill her father and sister. This trauma obviously takes its toll on the character, growing up to become a disturbed, frail woman who, in spite of having a husband and friends, shows little signs of any true connection with people and lives inside her world, memories and (sick) fantasies.
After getting acquainted with a cult and becoming close to its leader, she has the opportunity to (sort of) go back to the horrific night and finally confront her demons.
Aesthetically I consider the movie a work of art. Its attention to detail, soundtrack and atmosphere build up the tension for an entire hour, certainly too much for some viewers, but I enjoyed it. After BASKIN, I knew what I was in for, so I waited for the shock and gore while appreciating (and trying to understand) the dream-like sequences of the plot.
As expected, it all comes together in the ending... but not quite. The movie leaves much to be figured out, including the presence of some characters (old lady), who I left without a clue of who they were and what exactly they were doing there. This, along with the movie's slow pace, can be frustrating (and certainly was for many viewers) and I'm afraid it's almost as if the director had to set the bar a little lower, if he wishes us mere mortals to get his point on future movies.
One final word about the acting, I considered it fine for the most part, but some complained that the characters showed a lack of connection that was only made worse by their attempt to speak in English. I didn't think this was necessarily bad. The lack of connection was there, but I actually think it contributed to the movie's atmosphere of being "barely awake". Also, the main actress was superb, in my opinion.
As in BASKIN, Housewife leaves us with that "WTF did I just watch" feeling. I heard the people behind me in the theater say that the director "needed to find Jesus", after the final sequence, which is truly disturbing.
If you are a David Lynch fan and enjoy a good, juicy, "tentacly" piece of gore, definitely watch this movie and try to figure it out. If you're not into movies that are "too intellectual" or require a great deal of deciphering, my advise is to stay away from it.
Poor
sarahflowrs16 October 2017
I saw this at a festival in Portugal and I was very disappointed. I really liked the directors previous film, but this was very poor. Very disappointing. As the other reviews have said, the acting is I incredibly bad, I really found it hard to make it to the end of the film, and then a really unrewarding ending finished off a boring film. It may seem harsh to give it 1/10, but its a wasted 80mins for a previously promising director, I had to give it 1/10. Bad film.
Haunting, Lovecraftian Horror Film
Reviews_of_the_Dead17 March 2019
This was a film that I got turned on to after I watched the writer/director Can Evrenol's previous film Baskin. A fellow reviewer was interested for me to see this one and what my thoughts on it. Outside of what I know about Evrenol's previous film and a short in an anthology, I came into this one pretty blind. The synopsis is on a snowy eve; little Holly's sister and father are killed by her frantic mother. Years later, Holly (Clémentine Poidatz) is married, lonely and her life is soon about to take a turn for the ultra weird when she visits "Umbrella of Love and Mind".
As the synopsis stated we start with two little girls playing in a room. Holly (Zuri Sen) and her sister Hazel (Elif Gülalp) seemed to have been told to stay in their room. When Hazel starts her period, Holly bangs on the door to get her mother to come. She is Defne Halman and takes Hazel away. Holly follows to find her sister being drowned in the toilet and their father comes home. He is attacked by the mother with a knife, killing him while Holly watches from the open front door.
It then shifts to Holly as an adult while she is having sex with her husband, Timucin (Ali Aksöz). Through the scenes from this point, we see that can't sleep and that she doesn't have a lot to do in life. She is scared of using the toilet and is just moving through life. Together they go out with another couple and the other male talks about an article he wrote about a cult called Umbrella of Love and Mind. They go by ULM. Holly and Timucin reveal they know of the cult as a former roommate of Holly's disappeared with them. They are invited to go to the seminar they are giving.
Valery (Alicia Kapudag) is Holly's friend and she comes to them the day of the seminar. She convinces them to come to it. Timucin doesn't seem thrilled. It is at the seminar that Bruce (David Sakurai), the leader of this cult, is drawn to Holly and opens up her mind. She thinks is helping her get over her past trauma, but it really starts a nightmare that will change their lives forever.
I feel very similar to how I felt after seeing Baskin. There is a lot I really like about this film, but there is a lot that I really don't understand what is going on. I don't think that is necessarily a bad thing though. To start off with the positives, I love the idea of this cult. It really seems like something that could be out there that takes advantage of people that are damaged from trauma. I don't want to sound like some of it isn't good and can't help people, but I think for the most part, they prey on people who are naïve or need help. This one is much worse than that as it seems like Bruce really can do things to your mind.
Going from there, I really like the atmosphere of this film as well. There is a lot of nightmare logic, which is something that Evrenol is great at conveying. While watching this, I wasn't sure what was real, what was a dream or what is just in the mind of Holly. I think everything flows together and one thing that Bruce can do is reveal the truth of things about also influence her to think things happened differently. He makes Holly feel guilty as a way of needing him to get better.
This film also goes into the realm of HP Lovecraft, which I'm all about. I will admit that at the time of writing this, I have read very little of his works, but I've seen films that fall into this type of fiction and I'm just onboard for the elder gods and tentacle monsters. There is a cool scene early on where a picture is drawn by one of the girls that are eerily similar to one that Timucin painted that is mirroring something in this film. Callbacks like this are just great writing and I'm all for.
There is also a bit of the issue of pregnancy. Holly had such a traumatic event with her mother and how things happened that I don't think she really is onboard to have children. It is a legit fear that I can get behind. Timucin just assumes she wants children, which is definitely a somewhat toxic thing to do without discussing it. Bruce and what he does with Holly definitely influences her to alter her thoughts on this.
For this film I thought the pacing was good. We get introduced to everything in an interesting way and I think the more we delve into things the darker they get. As I said, there is some nightmare logic and not everything made sense to me after this first watch, but I definitely enjoyed myself. I never got bored and I will say that I love the ending. The prophecy is fulfilled and I'm glad they didn't give us a more clinched ending.
Acting for this film was also solid. I thought Poidatz was good. She comes off as someone who has been traumatized, but ever actually dealt with what happened to her. She can't do everything that a normal person can and I think it is sad. You get hope for her when you think she is getting better, but the bleakness of the film comes through. Sakurai is solid as the leader of the cult. He has enough charisma where you can see people falling for what he is saying, especially those that are broken. He becomes darker as things are revealed. Kapudag is solid as the friend who seems to be trying to find her place in the world. She is taken advantage of by the cult and thinks she has found her place. As the film goes on, I love the realization she deals with. Aksöz I also thought was good and some of that are the flaws of his character. He loves Holly, but he also comes off a bit misogynistic. I thought it adds something to the film for sure. The rest of the cast round out the film for what was needed as well.
Effects are something else I've come to expect to be good by Evrenol. They were practical and during the climax of the film, he had me cringing at some things. They look so real and I really love that. There is some CGI at the very end, but I think it actually looks good. This is definitely one of the strongest parts of the film in my opinion.
Now with that said, this was a film I hadn't heard of, but definitely glad that it was recommended to me, because I really dug it. I think this film is really delving into issues of the human condition and how broken people can be taken advantage of. The cult and the Lovecraftian aspects are solid. I thought the acting was good as were the effects of the film. The pacing is much better for me than Baskin as I never got bored and I was engaged to see what would happen next. This film isn't as extreme during the climax, but not to say it is tame either. The score of this one really didn't stand out to me. I would definitely recommend this film if some of these things check the boxes of what you are into. I found this to be a good film and would recommend checking it out.
As the synopsis stated we start with two little girls playing in a room. Holly (Zuri Sen) and her sister Hazel (Elif Gülalp) seemed to have been told to stay in their room. When Hazel starts her period, Holly bangs on the door to get her mother to come. She is Defne Halman and takes Hazel away. Holly follows to find her sister being drowned in the toilet and their father comes home. He is attacked by the mother with a knife, killing him while Holly watches from the open front door.
It then shifts to Holly as an adult while she is having sex with her husband, Timucin (Ali Aksöz). Through the scenes from this point, we see that can't sleep and that she doesn't have a lot to do in life. She is scared of using the toilet and is just moving through life. Together they go out with another couple and the other male talks about an article he wrote about a cult called Umbrella of Love and Mind. They go by ULM. Holly and Timucin reveal they know of the cult as a former roommate of Holly's disappeared with them. They are invited to go to the seminar they are giving.
Valery (Alicia Kapudag) is Holly's friend and she comes to them the day of the seminar. She convinces them to come to it. Timucin doesn't seem thrilled. It is at the seminar that Bruce (David Sakurai), the leader of this cult, is drawn to Holly and opens up her mind. She thinks is helping her get over her past trauma, but it really starts a nightmare that will change their lives forever.
I feel very similar to how I felt after seeing Baskin. There is a lot I really like about this film, but there is a lot that I really don't understand what is going on. I don't think that is necessarily a bad thing though. To start off with the positives, I love the idea of this cult. It really seems like something that could be out there that takes advantage of people that are damaged from trauma. I don't want to sound like some of it isn't good and can't help people, but I think for the most part, they prey on people who are naïve or need help. This one is much worse than that as it seems like Bruce really can do things to your mind.
Going from there, I really like the atmosphere of this film as well. There is a lot of nightmare logic, which is something that Evrenol is great at conveying. While watching this, I wasn't sure what was real, what was a dream or what is just in the mind of Holly. I think everything flows together and one thing that Bruce can do is reveal the truth of things about also influence her to think things happened differently. He makes Holly feel guilty as a way of needing him to get better.
This film also goes into the realm of HP Lovecraft, which I'm all about. I will admit that at the time of writing this, I have read very little of his works, but I've seen films that fall into this type of fiction and I'm just onboard for the elder gods and tentacle monsters. There is a cool scene early on where a picture is drawn by one of the girls that are eerily similar to one that Timucin painted that is mirroring something in this film. Callbacks like this are just great writing and I'm all for.
There is also a bit of the issue of pregnancy. Holly had such a traumatic event with her mother and how things happened that I don't think she really is onboard to have children. It is a legit fear that I can get behind. Timucin just assumes she wants children, which is definitely a somewhat toxic thing to do without discussing it. Bruce and what he does with Holly definitely influences her to alter her thoughts on this.
For this film I thought the pacing was good. We get introduced to everything in an interesting way and I think the more we delve into things the darker they get. As I said, there is some nightmare logic and not everything made sense to me after this first watch, but I definitely enjoyed myself. I never got bored and I will say that I love the ending. The prophecy is fulfilled and I'm glad they didn't give us a more clinched ending.
Acting for this film was also solid. I thought Poidatz was good. She comes off as someone who has been traumatized, but ever actually dealt with what happened to her. She can't do everything that a normal person can and I think it is sad. You get hope for her when you think she is getting better, but the bleakness of the film comes through. Sakurai is solid as the leader of the cult. He has enough charisma where you can see people falling for what he is saying, especially those that are broken. He becomes darker as things are revealed. Kapudag is solid as the friend who seems to be trying to find her place in the world. She is taken advantage of by the cult and thinks she has found her place. As the film goes on, I love the realization she deals with. Aksöz I also thought was good and some of that are the flaws of his character. He loves Holly, but he also comes off a bit misogynistic. I thought it adds something to the film for sure. The rest of the cast round out the film for what was needed as well.
Effects are something else I've come to expect to be good by Evrenol. They were practical and during the climax of the film, he had me cringing at some things. They look so real and I really love that. There is some CGI at the very end, but I think it actually looks good. This is definitely one of the strongest parts of the film in my opinion.
Now with that said, this was a film I hadn't heard of, but definitely glad that it was recommended to me, because I really dug it. I think this film is really delving into issues of the human condition and how broken people can be taken advantage of. The cult and the Lovecraftian aspects are solid. I thought the acting was good as were the effects of the film. The pacing is much better for me than Baskin as I never got bored and I was engaged to see what would happen next. This film isn't as extreme during the climax, but not to say it is tame either. The score of this one really didn't stand out to me. I would definitely recommend this film if some of these things check the boxes of what you are into. I found this to be a good film and would recommend checking it out.
CHICKEN OR THE EGG?
kirbylee70-599-5261794 October 2018
Warning: Spoilers
Upon watching HOUSEWIFE I had this feeling that I'd already seen this movie this year and within recent weeks. Granted there were some differences and logically I know that these two similar movies could not have been made with the one knowing the other was in production. The odds are though that many will have that same sense of déjà vu while watching this film. Bypass that and watch it with an open mind instead.
The film opens years ago with two little girls alone together in their room. Their mother is downstairs entertaining "the visitors" and they girls are restricted to their room. While playing Hazel, the older of the two, has her first period and begins bleeding. Her younger sister Holly disobeys her mother and runs to tell her that her sister is hurt which prompts mom to come upstairs. When she sees what's taking place she screams out demanding that she be left alone, takes Hazel with her and tells Holly to stay in the room. Holly of course disobeys, goes downstairs and watches her mother drown Hazel in the toilet. She screams and her mother chases her around the house attempting to kill her as well when her father returns home. So mom kills him and Holly escapes. Weird movie so far, right? It stays that way.
Years later Holly (Clémentine Poidatz) is married to an author/painter and does her own things creating small dioramas ala doll houses. She and her husband meet with friends for dinner during which the friends (he's also a writer) tell them they're going to a ULM event that night. ULM stands for "Umbrella of Love and Mind", a cult type group that while watching eerily made me think of Scientologists. At first uneasy about going they change their mind when an old friend turns up unexpectedly.
Valery (Alicia Kapudag) is a free spirit from their past who shared not only their apartment but sexual favors with both of them. She left to join ULM, has since achieved the rank of "family member" and wants them to come that night which they agree to.
The meeting is glitz and glamor with flashing lights and big screen images. The leader of the group is Bruce O'Hara (David Sakurai) as charismatic and leader as you can find. He talks about achieving a state of nirvana through dreams and a dream like state. He tells the crowd he was told of a presence there tonight which of course is Holly. Approaching her he takes off his glove, touches her and that's when things truly begin to get weird.
I won't go further with what takes place in the movie but to say that Holly changes and images from her past begin to present themselves. O'Hara talks about "the visitors" and if you didn't see that coming miles ahead during the opening sequence then you've not seen many films. By the final reel the story wraps around itself and everything fits together nicely with a few Lovecraftian items in the mix as well.
For me I felt the movie was interesting in some parts but not enough for me to recommend it to everyone. I know there will be some who will absolutely love the film and others who will have that what the heck did I just watch look on their face when it ends. It's interesting and worth watching though and gore hounds will love one segment in the film especially, a brutally graphic face scalping.
Director Can Evernol has already established himself as a name the cult film fans love to talk about with his previous effort BASKIN. I will say that after watching this one I'm curious to take a look at that film now. Well shot and well directed the movie will hold your attention in its 82 minute running time and Sakurai looks to be someone worth watching in the future. Just know going in that several taboo style items are included and the film has a definite non-Christian attitude on display while not embracing Satanic influences.
As for the title of this piece the movie resembles the recently release HEREDITARY in a number of ways so if you've seen that film realize it going in. If you haven't I'd suggest watching it before this one. Both are interesting but HEREDITARY is the better of the two.
The film opens years ago with two little girls alone together in their room. Their mother is downstairs entertaining "the visitors" and they girls are restricted to their room. While playing Hazel, the older of the two, has her first period and begins bleeding. Her younger sister Holly disobeys her mother and runs to tell her that her sister is hurt which prompts mom to come upstairs. When she sees what's taking place she screams out demanding that she be left alone, takes Hazel with her and tells Holly to stay in the room. Holly of course disobeys, goes downstairs and watches her mother drown Hazel in the toilet. She screams and her mother chases her around the house attempting to kill her as well when her father returns home. So mom kills him and Holly escapes. Weird movie so far, right? It stays that way.
Years later Holly (Clémentine Poidatz) is married to an author/painter and does her own things creating small dioramas ala doll houses. She and her husband meet with friends for dinner during which the friends (he's also a writer) tell them they're going to a ULM event that night. ULM stands for "Umbrella of Love and Mind", a cult type group that while watching eerily made me think of Scientologists. At first uneasy about going they change their mind when an old friend turns up unexpectedly.
Valery (Alicia Kapudag) is a free spirit from their past who shared not only their apartment but sexual favors with both of them. She left to join ULM, has since achieved the rank of "family member" and wants them to come that night which they agree to.
The meeting is glitz and glamor with flashing lights and big screen images. The leader of the group is Bruce O'Hara (David Sakurai) as charismatic and leader as you can find. He talks about achieving a state of nirvana through dreams and a dream like state. He tells the crowd he was told of a presence there tonight which of course is Holly. Approaching her he takes off his glove, touches her and that's when things truly begin to get weird.
I won't go further with what takes place in the movie but to say that Holly changes and images from her past begin to present themselves. O'Hara talks about "the visitors" and if you didn't see that coming miles ahead during the opening sequence then you've not seen many films. By the final reel the story wraps around itself and everything fits together nicely with a few Lovecraftian items in the mix as well.
For me I felt the movie was interesting in some parts but not enough for me to recommend it to everyone. I know there will be some who will absolutely love the film and others who will have that what the heck did I just watch look on their face when it ends. It's interesting and worth watching though and gore hounds will love one segment in the film especially, a brutally graphic face scalping.
Director Can Evernol has already established himself as a name the cult film fans love to talk about with his previous effort BASKIN. I will say that after watching this one I'm curious to take a look at that film now. Well shot and well directed the movie will hold your attention in its 82 minute running time and Sakurai looks to be someone worth watching in the future. Just know going in that several taboo style items are included and the film has a definite non-Christian attitude on display while not embracing Satanic influences.
As for the title of this piece the movie resembles the recently release HEREDITARY in a number of ways so if you've seen that film realize it going in. If you haven't I'd suggest watching it before this one. Both are interesting but HEREDITARY is the better of the two.
I've never seen such stupid movie
pedro_gomes-830827 November 2017
I've never seen such stupid movie, none of the plots are ever explained. Why did anyone do anything they did? I spent so much time in this hoping that there will be even something in the end. No. Is it a thriller? No. A waste of time and money. It has been a while since I have seen such a stupid shitty movie.
Do not waist your time on this.
andreaon-422781 November 2017
Do not waste your time on this. It is a very badly acted film with a ridiculously written story. Maybe, but only maybe, if you can't speak English you might find it OK.
The plot has so many holes you could put your fist through it! Any positive comments will be fake promotion reviews for sure.
The plot has so many holes you could put your fist through it! Any positive comments will be fake promotion reviews for sure.
Tried to like it but hated it.
frefochoc13 December 2017
One star for a decent score and Argento-esque visuals. Beyond that, I have to admit, I watched the entire thing (resisting the urge to leave many times) because I wanted, hoped for, the ending to bring something in some redeeming way. Instead, I was disappointed. The movie was difficult to watch all around but not because of horror elements - it's hard, for one thing, to feel invested in a story when you can't empathize with its protagonist - or survive the terrible acting. I also felt like some of the plot devices relied on clichéd, stereotyping and didn't make sense in any narrative or metaphor driven way. I'm sure there are some who'd argue otherwise, and they are welcome to their opinions, but overall, Housewife was just a huge turd.
Unwatchable
tron-1860318 October 2017
Hated the characters, wooden acting, there was zero chemistry between anyone in the film, the characters were underdeveloped, and the plot was weak - plus a story was non existent. Unnecessary violence which I say from being a fan of the horror genre. Nothing in the film served any purpose to further a story or lack of story, apart from a desperate attempt to shock the audience. Personally I think this is one of the worst films I have seen in a while.
"I'm Your Boogie Man!"...
azathothpwiggins21 May 2019
After witnessing the horrific murders of her sister and father, by her mother, young Holly (Clementine Piodatz) flees her home. Years later, adult Holly still suffers from the repercussions of that event. Now, married to a famous author, she finds herself drawn into an esoteric cult, when an ex-lover named Valerie reenters her life.
The cult is called ULM (Umbrella of Love and Mind) and is led by the enigmatic Bruce O'Hara (David Sakurai), who is part motivational speaker, part mystic, and part televangelist. O'Hara takes Holly on a "healing journey" that apparently alters her consciousness. It also traps her in a nightmare labyrinth filled with omens, visions, and death.
HOUSEWIFE gets points for being different, though it's not as palpably malevolent as Director Can Evrenol's first film, BASKIN. While the entire movie is bizarre, most of the horror is saved for the impressive, Lovecraftian finale...
The cult is called ULM (Umbrella of Love and Mind) and is led by the enigmatic Bruce O'Hara (David Sakurai), who is part motivational speaker, part mystic, and part televangelist. O'Hara takes Holly on a "healing journey" that apparently alters her consciousness. It also traps her in a nightmare labyrinth filled with omens, visions, and death.
HOUSEWIFE gets points for being different, though it's not as palpably malevolent as Director Can Evrenol's first film, BASKIN. While the entire movie is bizarre, most of the horror is saved for the impressive, Lovecraftian finale...
Very different from Baskin but an interesting artistic endeavour
AJ_Nel17 September 2022
Warning: Spoilers
"Housewife" (2017, Turkey) is largely a style over substance psychological / cosmic horror film., with some very decent gore elements. Stylistically it presents homages to amongst others Lovecraft and the films of Argento and Faci. The influence of the latter two can be seen in inter alia the use of colour, metaphor, and camera angles. From a substantive point, one gets the impression that the intention was to create several causal nexuses and then to intentionally leave the ending open-ended, to invite viewer interpretation. The problem is twofold, (1) the ratio d'etre can only be one of two things or a combination of both, and (2) the input data is insufficient to reach a definitive conclusion either way. Simply put, the concept is not complex enough to leave it open-ended. That said, the film remains interesting enough to compel the viewer to interpret the metaphors and other audio and visual cues. The first act is especially well developed around cues, and some are well utilised throughout the film. An example would be the conclusion by the mother of the main character that her older sister's first menstrual period means she is bound to be impregnated to fulfil the needs of the cult and would thus suffer something she did not wish upon her child. Other aspects, e.g., the knife, the portrait, the longing for forgiveness from the sister all contribute to the hypnotism / induced dream state creating an opportunity (either actually or subconsciously) for a life changing moment for the main character, i.e. To "elevate" herself from "housewife". On the other hand, the cult is given an objectively tongue-in-cheek treatment (e.g., sexual gratification of a cult leader being paramount to the existence of the same, members of the cult demonstrating a childlike exuberance, the wearing of druid-like clocks by the upper echelon; the need for sacrifice for the greater cause). One can just as easily believe that the main character "tripped her tits off on schrooms" and had dreams / visions dominated by her childhood experience and current psychological state, as one can believe that either the main character or her sister had a birthing role to play in the cult and their mother wanted to save them from that. So, fun can be had with analysing the film despite a somewhat haphazard storyline. Acting was competent enough, though sub-par dialogue, which now and again popped up, could likely have been prevented by not opting for an English soundtrack, similarly ambiance and timing. Though "Housewife" mimics certain dream state elements found in "Baskin" (2015), the films differ greatly in almost every other aspect, demonstrating Evrenol's capabilities as a co-writer director. 7/10.
Feels like a Lars Von Trier movie that didnt go through editing.
sleepysunshine7 May 2019
Feels like a fetish project by the end. Probably just really wanted Holly naked in multiple scenes (despite living in constantly snowing scenery) and peeing in bathtubs. The symbolism wasn't lost on me but it was distorted by unnecessary plodding scenes and events that don't seem to correlate. Bad acting for many of the characters.
Are the visitors gone?
nogodnomasters22 November 2018
Warning: Spoilers
I can't make any film comparisons without giving away plot spoilers. And I am not sure if I liked the film or not as it is a twist of a common horror film genre...and there is a twist too.
Holly (Clémentine Poidatz) upon womanhood becomes the target of her mother as well as her sister Hazel. Holly manages to escape. The film picks up with Holly in her third year of marriage. She is visited by her girlfriend (Alicia Kapudag) who has joined an apocalyptic cult. There is a seminar in town and Holly attends...
The film was all over the place with something called "the dream-maze." I was not sure where it was going, but once it got there, I felt like I knew the whole time. The production seemed a bit uneven, loving some scenes and not crazy about others. Clémentine Poidatz as Holly would not have been my first choice. The character of Holly needed personality beyond that of a mouse.
Guide: F-word, sex FF Nudity (Clémentine Poidatz)
Holly (Clémentine Poidatz) upon womanhood becomes the target of her mother as well as her sister Hazel. Holly manages to escape. The film picks up with Holly in her third year of marriage. She is visited by her girlfriend (Alicia Kapudag) who has joined an apocalyptic cult. There is a seminar in town and Holly attends...
The film was all over the place with something called "the dream-maze." I was not sure where it was going, but once it got there, I felt like I knew the whole time. The production seemed a bit uneven, loving some scenes and not crazy about others. Clémentine Poidatz as Holly would not have been my first choice. The character of Holly needed personality beyond that of a mouse.
Guide: F-word, sex FF Nudity (Clémentine Poidatz)
What the Lovecraftian Hell?! Why watch?! (Don't.)
jmbovan-47-16017310 January 2021
So something horrid happened to a woman as a child. Now an adult, this woman is experiencing ennui and dissatisfaction in her marriage and life. Enter an old friend/lover/throuple woman. This woman is associated with some life empowering group. Then all sense of plot and rationality leaves. What follows is a confusing bizarre attempt to produce something from nothing. Oh and then tentacles from the sky. End film. Production is done well. Acting isn't bad, but given the senselessness of the script, it would be difficult to give a good performance. Only for truly truly fanatics of Lovecraftian cinema and maybe even then, no.
Visualy stunning fever dream
youngcollind29 April 2021
Well done art/horror. Early portions creep through gorgeous cinematography and an interesting, weaving plot. All building to a satisfying payoff of shock and gore. If there's anything to complain about, the acting isn't on the level of the movie's otherwise high standards, and some of it's grandiose gestures could be construed as cheesy. This didn't detract too much to me though, as I found plenty to enjoy!
To the daughter a devil
begob9 December 2021
A woman haunted by childhood trauma finds her life going down the toilet when she falls under the spell of a dream guru.
Odd mixture of sophistication and cliché. The first half sets up a maze of dreams through which the heroine moves in her attempt to come to terms with a horrifying event in the past, when her mother went crazy with a dagger. There are visual metaphors in the use of mirrors and doppelgangers, and prophetic artwork alongside visions that create a sense of déjà vu.
So, psychologically this is rich stuff, promising a deep reflection on the unconscious. It's also complemented with some impressive camera work - particularly a twisting pan shot as three characters descend a curved staircase to enter the guru's hall.
At the same time, the sound recording is quite poor, leaving the dialogue muffled, often lost in the ambient sounds on set. The music is a mixed bag, sometimes giving the same heightened tension you get in an over earnest soap opera.
And there's something off with the writing - hard to say what it is, but it seems to play through into the editing and a sense that the story is forced. At the halfway mark we get to meet the guru in a lavishly staged scene with dozens of extras creating good energy - but it all feels fake, and not in a nightmarish way.
After that I had a suspicion the carefully constructed psychological elements weren't going to pay off. Instead, the story becomes bizarrely literal, ending as many have noted on a Lovecrafty scenario.
Those comparing this to David Lynch don't understand David Lynch, whose weird imaginings map back on to ordinary lives and events, imbuing them with psychic energy. For me, that's far more imaginative than passively observing the awesome insignificance of human life bloodily etched out in apocalyptic rituals.
Overall: Starts out weird, ends up wired.
Odd mixture of sophistication and cliché. The first half sets up a maze of dreams through which the heroine moves in her attempt to come to terms with a horrifying event in the past, when her mother went crazy with a dagger. There are visual metaphors in the use of mirrors and doppelgangers, and prophetic artwork alongside visions that create a sense of déjà vu.
So, psychologically this is rich stuff, promising a deep reflection on the unconscious. It's also complemented with some impressive camera work - particularly a twisting pan shot as three characters descend a curved staircase to enter the guru's hall.
At the same time, the sound recording is quite poor, leaving the dialogue muffled, often lost in the ambient sounds on set. The music is a mixed bag, sometimes giving the same heightened tension you get in an over earnest soap opera.
And there's something off with the writing - hard to say what it is, but it seems to play through into the editing and a sense that the story is forced. At the halfway mark we get to meet the guru in a lavishly staged scene with dozens of extras creating good energy - but it all feels fake, and not in a nightmarish way.
After that I had a suspicion the carefully constructed psychological elements weren't going to pay off. Instead, the story becomes bizarrely literal, ending as many have noted on a Lovecrafty scenario.
Those comparing this to David Lynch don't understand David Lynch, whose weird imaginings map back on to ordinary lives and events, imbuing them with psychic energy. For me, that's far more imaginative than passively observing the awesome insignificance of human life bloodily etched out in apocalyptic rituals.
Overall: Starts out weird, ends up wired.
The script???
heather_james8 November 2017
Great potential but the script was awful. Yes its a small budget film and a lot of (for me) unknown actors, but with a better script, it could have been a great movie. The idea is good but they made a mess out of it. I actually hope someone will make a remake of this film, but with an actual script.
See also
Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews
