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IMDbPro

House of America

  • 1997
  • 1h 37m
IMDb RATING
6.3/10
140
YOUR RATING
House of America (1997)
Drama

Boyo lives with his brother Sid, his sister Gwenny and their elderly mother Marlene in an economically depressed area of South-West Wales. Their father has vanished when they were small chil... Read allBoyo lives with his brother Sid, his sister Gwenny and their elderly mother Marlene in an economically depressed area of South-West Wales. Their father has vanished when they were small children, apparently headed for America. The leather-jacketed, motorbike-riding Sid has grown ... Read allBoyo lives with his brother Sid, his sister Gwenny and their elderly mother Marlene in an economically depressed area of South-West Wales. Their father has vanished when they were small children, apparently headed for America. The leather-jacketed, motorbike-riding Sid has grown up obsessed with American culture and dreams of joining his father in the States. When the... Read all

  • Director
    • Marc Evans
  • Writer
    • Edward Thomas
  • Stars
    • Siân Phillips
    • Steven Mackintosh
    • Matthew Rhys
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    6.3/10
    140
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Marc Evans
    • Writer
      • Edward Thomas
    • Stars
      • Siân Phillips
      • Steven Mackintosh
      • Matthew Rhys
    • 13User reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 6 wins & 1 nomination total

    Photos1

    View Poster

    Top cast15

    Edit
    Siân Phillips
    Siân Phillips
    • Mam
    Steven Mackintosh
    Steven Mackintosh
    • Sid
    Matthew Rhys
    Matthew Rhys
    • Boyo
    Lisa Palfrey
    Lisa Palfrey
    • Gwenny
    Pascal Laurent
    • Clem
    Richard Harrington
    Richard Harrington
    • Cat
    Islwyn Morris
    • Roger the Pop
    Brian Hibbard
    • Wally
    Steve Speirs
    Steve Speirs
    • The Head
    • (as Steven Speirs)
    Dave Duffy
    • Molloy
    Connor McIntyre
    Connor McIntyre
    • Matty
    Andrew Lennon
    Andrew Lennon
    • Off Licence Man
    Donna Edwards
    Donna Edwards
    • Receptionist
    Stella King
    • Woman with Budgie
    Glen Finick
    • Miner
    • Director
      • Marc Evans
    • Writer
      • Edward Thomas
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews13

    6.3140
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    Featured reviews

    6StuartHall

    A bleak, artistic and interesting film on cultural identity

    Written by controversial Welsh theatre director Ed Thomas "House of America" is a rather complex and artistic film with some interesting points to make about Welsh cultural identity. Set in a remote rural Welsh town the film tells the story of a rather warped family obsessed with the all things American. The characters are fed up with their boring, mundane existence in their remote South Wales community and fantasise about leaving for America to live with their father who supposedly left Wales to chase his dreams in the land of opportunity. However not all is as it seems and the truth is all too condemning for those who live in a dream like bubble of consciousness constructed from their fantasies of American literature. The horror of reality is too difficult to accept for the condemned hero of the film Sid and his Sister Gwenny who take on the personas of the American writer Jack Kerouac and his relationship with Joyce Johnson. The results are catastrophicly destructive as the truth of their reality slowly emerges to haunt them, and their disillusioned lives begin to fall apart. Ed Thomas has some interesting if not clichéd points to make about how we are all rapped up in the media culture of America and how Wales has no real cultural identity of its own. The usual Welsh stereotypes are dismissed as being artificially constructed and ultimately fake, there are no happy mining communities, no sheep no daffodils or rolling green hills in this film, just an empty void which is filled by borrowing off American culture which is ultimately all lies. An artistic, cleverly constructed film well worth watching if you can stand its dark and depressing nature. -Stuart Hall
    Ron-162

    An emotionally disturbing drama, perhaps a future classic

    My wife writes: The Cable guide classified this film as a comedy. However,I did not find it amusing. In fact, I thought it was rather depressing, but well acted, particularly the part of Sid, played by Steven MacKintosh. I went to bed feeling grateful that I was not poor and Welsh. To get the credit that this film deserves, it should viewed again by the classifier and shown at a more reasonable hour and, in time, I think that, like "Withnail and I", this film could be a classic.
    baitup

    Life in the valleys

    A family saga set in South Wales in which Sid, Gwenny and Boyo succeed in cracking up. A wild and crazy film that's well worth two hours of your time, if you can find it !
    didi-5

    high praise for Steven Mackintosh

    This was the film that should have really propelled Steven Mackintosh into the big time (although his earlier work on TV in The Buddha of Suburbia should have done so too). In 'House of America', as Kerouac-obsessed Sid, he is absolutely superb.

    The rest of the film is hit and miss, although I did like it. Anything with Siân Phillips is usually worth watching and as the on-the-edge Mam doesn't disappoint. As the other kids in the family Matthew Rhys impresses as Boyo, while Lisa Palfrey tackles a difficult role as Gwenny, trapped in her own fantasies.

    Excellent 1990s soundtrack too which adds to the mood. It is a downbeat and powerful film which just stops short of where it could go, but overall a good effort.
    dave-346

    won me over........

    took me a while to get into this film, but it won me in the end. A very bleak insight into the lives of a welsh family trying to break free from their downbeat humdrum lifestyle. It focuses mainly on two brothers and a sister(sid, boyo, and gwenny) who are desperate to join their father in America and find some excitement. But why doesn't he reply to Gwenny's letters..... There is a tense atmosphere all the way through, and particularly the moments of incestuous lust between sid and his sister(kind of kurt cobain and juliette lewis lookalikes), adds to the movies feel of isolation and desperation. And whilst all this is going on, there is the slightly un-hinged mother, what secret does she hide? I can recommend this movie, if you can find it, because behind the bleakness is a well acted and beautifully photographed study of modern day mis-fits.

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    Related interests

    Mahershala Ali and Alex R. Hibbert in Moonlight (2016)
    Drama

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      As of 2023, this is Edward Thomas's only feature film as writer.
    • Connections
      Featured in Siân Phillips at 90 (2024)
    • Soundtracks
      She's A Lady
      Written by Paul Anka

      Performed by Tom Jones

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • October 10, 1997 (United Kingdom)
    • Country of origin
      • United Kingdom
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • To spiti tou amerikanikou oneirou
    • Production company
      • Egmond Film & Television
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 1h 37m(97 min)
    • Color
      • Color

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