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The House

The House

If you can't beat the house, be the house.

201788 minRMidcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films
Director
Andrew J. Cohen
Starring
Amy Poehler, Will Ferrell, Jason Mantzoukas, Ryan Simpkins

When Scott and Kate Johansen’s daughter gets into the college of her dreams it’s cause for celebration. That is, until Scott and Kate learn that the scholarship they were counting on didn’t come through, and they’re now on the hook for tuition they can’t begin to afford. With the help of their friend and neighbor Frank also in need of a major payday they decide to open an illegal casino in his suburban house, risking everything together on a Vegas-style bacchanal where money flows, inhibitions are checked at the door, and all bets are off.

Where to watch

Where can I watch The House?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists The House streaming on Tubi (free) and to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video.

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Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about The House?

The House earns 6 badges, led by Overhyped and Award Winner.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is The House worth watching?

The House's Midcredits score is the 23rd percentile of all films, from 122K ratings across 6 sources. 30% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

23rd percentile

Better received than 23% of films

23rd percentile among Comedy23rd percentile among 2010s
Acclaim (how much people like it)25th
Approval (how many liked it)23rd

54 /100

25th percentile of all films

27th percentile among Comedy28th percentile among 2010s

Critics 30 · Audience 56

Audiences liked it more than critics did.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 5.7 — solid but not unanimous.

30% liked it

23rd percentile of all films

23rd percentile among Comedy22nd percentile among 2010s
30% rated it 7–1070% rated it 1–6

Critics 20% · Audience 36%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of audiences approved than critics.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 2 wins / 0 noms overall

96th percentile

122K ratings across platforms

96th percentile among Comedy96th percentile among 2010s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 21% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$40M
Opening weekend$8.7M
Domestic gross$26M
Worldwide gross$34M

Returned 0.9× its budget — 88th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

Both camps agree the film is a crude, silly comedy that depends on the chemistry of its leads and delivers some laughs but lacks consistent writing.

Fans praised

  • laugh-out-loud moments despite cheap gags
  • relatable middle-aged parent perspective
  • Will Ferrell and Amy Poehler's comic chemistry

Detractors panned

  • unfunny, forced humor relying on profanity and drug use
  • one-dimensional characters with no real motivation
  • sloppy editing and pacing with dead spots

What stands out

ActingDivisive60

Ferrell and Poehler's chemistry saves some scenes, but Mantzoukas and others are underused; critics note wasted talent

OriginalityDivisive55

casino-in-a-suburb concept is fresh but execution is derivative

HumorDivisive45

frequent laughing out loud for some, but relies on cheap gags and profanity

Plot and storyDivisive40

premise has promise but is undermined by logical gaps and a silly conclusion

DialogueDivisive35

crass and profane, some funny lines but mostly forgettable

PacingDivisive35

short runtime but with dead spots and drawn-out gags

CharactersDivisive30

one-dimensional, inconsistent motivations, likable but clueless

Preferred by

No notable difference between any of the groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Women vs men 5 points apart
  • Under-30s vs over-30s 1 point apart
  • Critics vs users 5 points apart
  • US vs non-US 4 points apart

Watch experience

What is The House like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Easy laugh: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you want something light that makes you laugh and does not take itself seriously.

It leaves you entertained. Skip it when you want something with weight.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Very little.

What it feels like

Easy laugh.

Moods
AbsurdManic
Heaviest: throughout
Absurdist humor: Deliberately illogical; embraces nonsense.
Register
Absurdist · 7% of films: Deliberately illogical; embraces nonsense.Playful
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film commits wholeheartedly to its absurd premise, playing the escalating chaos with a straight face for comedic effect.
The rideThe mood stays broadly comic and absurd from start to finish, with only momentary dips into tension.
StructureThe story follows a linear arc: problem, scheme, escalation, resolution.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Entertained.

FunFeel-good
Why it leaves you this wayLeaves you grinning from the absurdity and relieved that the family's scheme succeeds.
How it ends · evidence
Happy ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).ComedyFarce
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11% (this title): Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% (this title) · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Comedy: Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony. · Farce: Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).

11% of films fit this archetype

A loose fit — the map only half-holds this one.

Why this archetypeThe film follows a couple who start an illegal casino to pay for their daughter's college, leading to escalating absurd complications—a classic farce structure.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfFamilybonds
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27% (this title): Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% (this title) · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% (this title) · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% (this title) · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Bonds

Family bondsGreed · 3% of filmsJustice · 13% of films
Observes its theme: Presents its theme neutrally, declining to judge.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Ensemble lead
How it treats its themeA couple's desperate love for their daughter drives them into an escalating scheme that tests their own morals.
StanceThe film presents the parents' scheme as absurdly earnest and does not moralise, simply watching the chaos unfold.

The world

ContemporarySuburbanDomesticRealistic
Orchestral classicalJazzSupportive music · original score
SettingA suburban town with a corrupt local council, centered on one family's house-turned-casino.

Content guide

Is The House okay for kids?

R

The House is rated R: “Rated R for language throughout, sexual references, drug use, some violence and brief nudity” (MPAA). As of October 3, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at intense (65/100), sexual content at moderate (50/100), language at intense (78/100), drug and alcohol content at intense (78/100) and frightening material at mild (30/100). Overall it is heavier than 59% of R-rated films.

Ratings in 13 other countries
  • UK15
  • AustraliaMA15+
  • Germany12
  • Ireland15
  • Brazil16
  • Hungary16
  • Netherlands16
  • Poland18
  • RO15
  • Russia16+
  • SK15
  • Spain16
  • Switzerland12
Overall
Intense · all five categories
Heavier than 76% of all filmsHeavier than 59% of R-rated films
Violence & Gore
Intense · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 43%
Sex & Nudity
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 53%
Profanity
Intense
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 69%
Alcohol & Drugs
Intense · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
heavy for an R-rated film
heavier than 92%
Frightening / Intense
Mild
light for an R-rated film
heavier than 14%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

The reason to think twice is language, drug and alcohol content, and violence. Everything else sits at or below what R-rated films usually carry.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does The House have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in The House?

Cast

2 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor.

Amy Poehler
as Kate Johansen
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Will Ferrell
as Scott Johansen
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Jason Mantzoukas
as Frank
Ryan Simpkins
as Alex Johansen
Nick Kroll
as Bob
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Allison Tolman
as Dawn
Rob Huebel
as Officer Chandler
Christina Offley
as Davida
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Jessie Ennis
as Rachel
Rory Scovel
as Joe
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.

Crew

More like this

What are movies like The House?

Movies like The House include Drunk Parents (2019), Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising (2016) and Tim and Eric's Billion Dollar Movie (2012). Of the 12 closest matches, two are films written by Andrew J. Cohen and Brendan O'Brien, and most are stories about partners in crime.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

10 of these 12 share its story type: farce. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with The House?

413 other films share the rarest tag below, up against: politician. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.