It’s difficult to talk about the themes of James DeMonaco’s The Home without spoiling the twist. Hell, this review features only two of the four publicity stills Lionsgate has provided because the others reveal more than they should. On the face of it, you have a story about a wayward young man working at a nursing home where sinister events slowly begin to make themselves known. Going deeper, there are concerns that are bluntly confronted and dealt with in such a brutal fashion; one wonders about the simmering rage of a larger populace being addressed through DeMonaco and co-writer Adam Cantor’s script.
The film works as a mystery, with former foster child and current ne’er-do-well Max (Pete Davidson) tunneling his way from the inside out. Given one last chance at redemption after being arrested for his latest graffiti stunt—a beautiful, yet grim mural depicting the Earth set afire by a gnarled hand dragging its nails across it, bookended by the words “OUR FUTURE IS BURNING”—he’s sentenced to community service as the janitor at a senior living facility. Secluded in the wilds of New York State, it seems peaceful, even though the residents are a little kooky and his co-workers are condescending and gruff, especially where the forbidden 4th floor is concerned.
Pay special heed to that mural for which Max is arrested, as it is an announcement as to DeMonaco and Cantor’s intent. The Home is full of little moments that cause your ears to prick up as Max goes further along with his assignment. Spooky things are happening—awakening to his door unlocked, finding objects in his room that weren’t there before, and a man screaming from the 4th floor, among other incidents—causing him to lose sleep. These events are only the beginning of a horribly unfolding nightmare from which Max might find no escape.
Pete Davidson anchors the film well as the troubled Max, a young man who’s barely there, living in a world of regret. Loath as I am to discuss an actor’s physical features, his wide, expressive eyes are fantastic for this movie, as they’re vital to both the plot and action. Max is slowly losing control, and Davidson throws himself into this descent into Max’s personal hell with gutsy aplomb. A few times, he threatens to slip into his usual persona that we’ve seen on “Saturday Night Live” and his various slacker films, but he quickly course-corrects and comes through with scene-appropriate force. Davidson is excellent to watch here, and during one particularly graphic scene, his eyes blaze with a frightening intensity that scared me a bit.
Complementing Davidson is a cast full of veteran character actors who fulfill their roles with a varying mix of enthusiasm and creepiness, as the events experienced during Max’s nursing home stint have no doubt affected them as well. Both Max and the audience form a quick bond with the gorgeous Mary Beth Peil’s Norma, who seems to be one of the few residents acknowledging the strange occurrences at the retirement home. Peil shapes Norma into a sadly sympathetic, yet wonderfully memorable figure whose heart is in the right place, but we find out all too well that there are consequences for helping Max navigate his new surroundings. Likewise, John Glover and Bruce Altman—two fabulous “Hey, it’s that guy!” heroes—shine in their respective outings as former actor Lou and nursing home-only practitioner Dr. Sabian. Glover tends to go a little over the top with his portrayal, but there’s a point to it; conversely, Altman slides a little under the radar, understated and perfectly poised. Both of them have linchpin parts to play in Max’s journey, and they’re well-used here.
Where the film starts to lose its way is in its heavy-handed deviation from its cold and realistic path into a bit of fantasy. It’s a package deal with the film’s metaphors and inferences, and had this angle been dialed back a few notches, it might have worked in The Home’s favor, especially with the sudden onslaught of a random-seeming cult being at the center of things. Seeing how it’s taken as a larger-picture look at what religion makes the best and worst of us do, that’s why it doesn’t lose as much traction when the truth is revealed, and the cult’s charlatan behavior is certainly something that we see almost every day in the news.
The Home certainly wants to expose the horrors that we visit upon ourselves and the planet, and it does so with the feeling that the cast and crew have fully committed to everything we see. It’s one of those films where my appreciation for it grows the more I think about it; everything has its place, and everyone turns it up 100% when called upon. “Youth is wasted upon the young,” as the saying goes, and The Home is a fine example of this aphorism turned into reality. Its themes and commentary are just as vital as the actors carrying them forth, and I have no problem saying that it’s a terrific thriller with salient points pulled from our everyday lives. Those looking for a more straightforward horror movie might do well to look elsewhere if that’s what they want; The Home is a statement in search of its footing, which it will find among receptive viewers.
