In the House
Dans la maison

François Ozon’s In the House is part European melodrama about middle-aged fascination with adolescent behavior, part Hitchcockian psychological suspense thriller about various forms of social transgression, part black comedy about class and generational conflict, and part deconstructionist meta-narrative exploring the allure of creating and consuming works of fiction. Unfortunately, the sum total does not quite live up to promising potential of these various parts. Fabrice Luchini plays a milquetoast high school French teacher who becomes obsessed with the writings of one of his more gifted students (Ernst Umhauer). Kristin Scott Thomas plays his wife who at first dismisses the pulpy, serialized essays, but soon finds herself equally drawn in by them. Ozon’s deft transitioning between the story, the storyteller, and the storyteller’s intended audience, is the film’s principle pleasure. This is movie for people who love narrative construction (which I’m a sucker for) but not so much for those looking for deep characterization. Too much of what happens in In the House isn’t really credible unless you make some pretty major allowances (which Ozon heartily encourages). The characters are all fairly cold and shallow, but the film is cast with such good actors you don’t seem to notice until it’s all over.