Housebound – Toronto After Dark 2014

Kylie Bucknell (Morgana O’Reilly) is a young delinquent, who is arrested after trying to rob an ATM machine.  Instead of the recommended sentence of time at a treatment facility, the judge instead sentences Kylie to move back in with her mother Miriam (Rima Te Wiata) for eight months of home detention.  However, the house arrest turns out to be anything but stable, since Miriam adamantly believes that the house is haunted.  While Kylie initially believes that her mom is crazy, she too begins to experience strange happenings. As Kylie subsequently learns more about the grisly history of the house, she tries to decipher who is haunting the house and what it wants. This horror-comedy from New Zealand is a good example of how to properly mix together both genres.  While there are many moments in the film played for laughs, there is also some genuine creepiness.  While it would not be appropriate to reveal everything Housebound has hidden within its walls, it is fair to say that the film turned out to be much more than a simple haunted house tale.  In fact, it can be said that the film crosses into many different horror genres, as the plot moves along. Apart from the scares, Housebound is a film about Kylie reconnecting with her mother, after what appears to be a few years of estrangement.  Rima Te Wiata does a great performance as the consistently optimistic Miriam, who does not stop talking about her belief that the house is haunted.  Another memorable role in the film is Glen-Paul Waru as Amos, the security officer monitoring Kylie’s house arrest, who also happens to have an interest in paranormal investigation. Altogether, Housebound was an enjoyable horror-comedy, with many twists and turns.8 | LIKED IT