Movie Review: Life as a House

I was asked if there are any movies about death that I am not particularly fond of. And, well, I thought I'd mention this one...

In this 2002 dramedy, the main character George (played by Kevin Kline) gets diagnosed with terminal cancer. Within this time frame, he is also laid off from the job he's worked at for 20 years. With the help of a hefty severance pay, he decides to spend his last summer building the house of his dreams on his land overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Simultaneously he decides to recruit his estranged son (played by Hayden Christensen) - who has blue hair and facial piercings - to help him build the house, hoping to rebuild their relationship in the process. Despite its occasional romantic humor and coming of age elements, this film would definitely be considered a cheap tear-jerker.

And once again, for Roger Ebert's opinion on this one. My momma always taught me, "If you've got nothing nice to say... let someone else be the critic." Ahh, if life always worked out so perfectly and cleanly in the end as it does in this movie.