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ERA
Did you know
25 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
MoodPlayr · trivia#01
Life as a House
"Seen from a distance, it's perfect."
2001 2h 5m EN
👍
7.1
SOLID
★7.1TMDB · 464
Drama
Synopsis
Spoiler shield
When a man is diagnosed with terminal cancer, he takes custody of his misanthropic teenage son, for whom quality time means getting high, engaging in small-time prostitution, and avoiding his father.
“Seen from a distance, it's perfect.”
Cast
Kevin Kline
George Monroe
Hayden Christensen
Sam Monroe
Kristin Scott Thomas
Robin Kimball
Jena Malone
Alyssa Beck
Mary Steenburgen
Colleen Beck
Ian Somerhalder
Josh
Jamey Sheridan
Peter Kimball
Scott Bakula
Officer Kurt Walker
Credits
Behind the camera
- Director
- Irwin Winkler
- Writers
- Mark Andrus
- Languages
- English
- Countries
- United States of America
Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.
Did you know?
Fun facts 🍿
2 / 7
DIRECTOR
Did you know
Directed by Irwin Winkler, shot by Vilmos Zsigmond. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
MoodPlayr · trivia#02
3 / 7
DIRECTOR
Did you know
Original score by Mark Isham. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
MoodPlayr · trivia#03
4 / 7
DIRECTOR
Did you know
Editor Julie Monroe shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
MoodPlayr · trivia#04
5 / 7
CAST
Did you know
Kevin Kline and Hayden Christensen and Kristin Scott Thomas carry the top of the cast.
MoodPlayr · trivia#05
6 / 7
FACT
Did you know
Marketing tagline: "Seen from a distance, it's perfect.".
MoodPlayr · trivia#06
7 / 7
WILD
Did you know
IMDB entry: tt0264796 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
MoodPlayr · trivia#07
Cinephile deep dive
The take
Irwin Winkler directs. Vilmos Zsigmond behind the camera. Mark Isham scores. Julie Monroe cuts. Profitable at the box office. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English.
Trivia
Things worth knowing
- 125 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
- 2Directed by Irwin Winkler, shot by Vilmos Zsigmond. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
- 3Original score by Mark Isham. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
- 4Editor Julie Monroe shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
- 5Kevin Kline and Hayden Christensen and Kristin Scott Thomas carry the top of the cast.
- 6Marketing tagline: "Seen from a distance, it's perfect.".
- 7IMDB entry: tt0264796 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
- 8Classified under 14 themes, including "california", "parent child relationship", "house", "cancer".
The technical file
- Cinematography
- Vilmos Zsigmond
- Original score
- Mark Isham
- Editing
- Julie Monroe
- Production design
- J. Dennis Washington
- Costume design
- Molly Maginnis
- Makeup / hair
- Barbara Lorenz
- Sound
- John Ross
- Stunt coordinator
- Gary J. Wayton
- Runtime
- 125 min · 2h 5m
- Aspect ratio (typical)
- 1.37:1 (Academy)
- Status
- Released
- Budget
- $18,000,000
- Box office
- $23,903,791
- Return
- 133% of budget
- Original language
- EN
- Certification (US)
- R
Also by
Irwin Winkler
Stills · wallpapers
Selected frames
Full-resolution frames — open one to save it as a wallpaper.
Trailers & featurettes
Watch the pieces
Production companies
Who made it
New Line Cinema
US
Key crew
- ProducerRob Cowan
- EditorJulie Monroe
- Color TimerTerry Haggar
- Stunt CoordinatorGary J. Wayton
- First Assistant DirectorVincent Lascoumes
- Executive In Charge Of Post ProductionJody Levin
- Negative CutterGary Burritt
- Stunt DoubleDanny Downey
- Production ExecutiveErik Holmberg
- Set DesignerJohn Leimanis
- Executive In Charge Of ProductionCarla Fry
- Set DesignerLouis M. Mann
- Production SupervisorDon Tardino
- Key GripDick Deats
- Set DesignerAnn Harris
- Unit Production ManagerBrian E. Frankish
- Post Production SupervisorJay Vinitsky
- Production IllustratorJoseph Musso
- LeadmanGreg Sanger
- LeadmanNicholas Rymond
- Set DresserMark W. Brown
- First Assistant "A" CameraTony Nagy
- "A" Camera OperatorJoseph D. Urbanczyk
- "B" Camera OperatorChris Squires
Themes & keywords
What it's about, really
- california
- parent child relationship
- house
- cancer
- juvenile delinquent
- drugs
- divorce
- family
- fired from the job
- second chance
- ex-wife
- unemployment
- building a house
- father son relationship
Release history · US
When it landed
- Theatrical2001-10-26R
Also known as
International titles
- La maison sur l'océanFR
- La Casa de Mi VidaES
- La Maison Sur La FalaiseCA
