Things aren’t always as they seem, and this movie is no exception. With this weekend came the premiere of the highly-anticipated thriller House at the End of the Street.
In this film, a mother and her daughter, Elissa, move to a rural town in hopes of strengthening their relationship. They come discover that Ryan, their new neighbor, has a secret that he’s kept from everyone in town.
Many years ago, a girl named Carrie Anne was believed to have killed both of her parents after a terrible accident that caused her severe brain damage. She disappeared after the incident, assumed to have drowned in the nearby dam. Her brother Ryan, who supposedly had been living with their aunt during the murders, comes home and continues to live in the family’s house alone, isolating himself from the town.
Elissa hasn’t quite figured out where she belongs at her new school. When she finally meets her neighbor Ryan, she feels a connection she hasn’t felt with anyone before. They become fast friends, and perhaps more, despite her mother’s uncertainty over Ryan.
Elissa soon discovers Ryan’s secret: he’s been hiding his sister, Carrie Anne, in the basement for years. What ensues after this discovery is an unexpected and intense plot twist that only increases the quality of the film.
What makes House at the End of the Street such a great film is its realistic quality. There is no supernatural element to the storyline, setting it apart from some of the more recent thriller and horror films. With an all-star cast including Academy Award nominee Jennifer Lawrence (Winter’s Bone, The Hunger Games), Max Thieriot (Catch That Kid, My Soul To Take), and Elisabeth Shue (Hide & Seek, Tuck Everlasting), this movie is the perfect combination of suspense and intrigue.
I would highly recommend this movie to anyone who is a fan of the genre. Even for those who don’t normally go to see scary movies and prefer drama films, I recommend they make a special trip for this one.
