critics consensus

The House by the Sea takes an unhurried approach to its varied themes -- and rewards viewers' patience with a solidly well-acted character-driven drama. Read critic reviews

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Movie Info

Three siblings gather by their father's side for his last days.

Genre:

drama
Original Language:

French (Canada)
Director:

Robert Guédiguian
Writer:

Jean-Louis Milesi, Robert Guédiguian
Release Date (Streaming):

Dec 25, 2018
Box Office (Gross USA):

$63.9K
Runtime:

2h 10m

Cast & Crew

Ariane Ascaride

Jean-Pierre Darroussin

Gerard Meylan

Alexandre Ogou

Pierre Banderet

Jacques Boudet

Show all Cast & Crew

Critic Reviews for The House by the Sea

All Critics (25) | Top Critics (9) | Fresh (23) | Rotten (2)

It's beautifully done. Perfectly balanced. Always compassionate.

January 14, 2019 | Rating: 4/5 | Full Review…

Kevin Maher
Times (UK)
It's well-meaning and the naturalistic performances are persuasive. But there's a certain rheumatic stiffness to the writing, which treads rather heavily as it negotiates themes that would benefit from a lighter step.

January 13, 2019 | Rating: 3/5 | Full Review…

Wendy Ide
Observer (UK)
A languorous look at family and modernity that only just manages to give each their due.

January 11, 2019 | Rating: 3/5 | Full Review…

Rory Marsh
Little White Lies
However well-intentioned and well-crafted, there is something self-regarding and stagey in its narrative contrivances.

January 11, 2019 | Rating: 2/5 | Full Review…

Peter Bradshaw
Guardian
Anyone who enjoys classic French art house drama will find plenty to relish here.

January 10, 2019 | Rating: 4/5 | Full Review…

Geoffrey Macnab
Independent (UK)
Challenging the truism that you can never go home, this doesn't entirely integrate its political subtext. But the storylines are involving, the setting is picturesque and the performances are impeccable.

January 9, 2019 | Rating: 4/5 | Full Review…

David Parkinson
Empire Magazine
The house by the sea is the most skeptical and taciturn work of the director who always showed the greatest social optimism in contemporary French cinema. [Full Review in Spanish]

June 13, 2019 | Full Review…

Carlos Bonfil
La Jornada
It's a bit hodgepodge, but the three actors are poignantly convincing together.

January 22, 2019 | Rating: 3/5 | Full Review…

Edward Porter
Sunday Times (UK)
Perhaps something was lost in translation here, and the original French dialogue makes more sense or is less irritatingly trite. But even if that is the case, lazy story work and a uniformly bad cast still sink The House by the Sea.

January 18, 2019 | Rating: 1/5 | Full Review…

Jack Blackwell
One Room With A View
So the film throws up a tangle of interesting ideas. It gradually becomes more nuanced than it at first appears as its characters slowly become more rounded and sympathetic.

January 14, 2019 | Rating: 3/5 | Full Review…

Alexa Dalby
Dog and Wolf
Children and parents, love and death, memories, class and values and this is the little world and world at large. Go and watch this film if you like your films slow, melodic and thoughtful!

January 11, 2019 | Full Review…

Rosalynn Try-Hane
Liquid Marmalade
Robert Guediguian avoids melodrama, allowing space for actors to create realistically messy characters who are easy to identify with.

January 10, 2019 | Rating: 3.5/5 | Full Review…

Rich Cline
Shadows on the Wall