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The House That Jack Built
2018 152 min Denmark, France, Germany, Sweden R 18+
★6.6
Drama, Horror, Crime, Thriller
Director: Lars von Trier
Trailers
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Description
Failed architect, engineer and vicious murderer Jack narrates the details of some of his most elaborately orchestrated crimes, each of them a towering piece of art that defines his life's work as a serial killer for twelve years.
Budget:
$9.8M
US Gross:
$258,106
Worldwide:
$5.57M
Starring
Matt Dillon
Actor
Bruno Ganz
Actor
Uma Thurman
Actor
Awards
11 wins & 17 nominations total
Key opinion
The House That Jack Built is a polarizing, self-reflexive work that blends graphic, unflinching violence with dense philosophical inquiry. While supporters praise Matt Dillon's chilling performance and the film's bold, provocative nature, critics argue it is an indulgent, episodic exercise that often prioritizes shock value and meta-commentary over coherent storytelling.
| Acting | Matt Dillon delivers a compelling, precise, and chilling portrayal of a serial killer that anchors the film's shift from cold indifference to overt madness. | |
| Theme | The film is a calculated, provocative exploration of the intersection between art, nihilism, and the creative process, often blurring the lines between the protagonist's crimes and the director's own controversial reputation. | |
| Emotion | The extreme, graphic violence is deeply divisive, with some viewers finding it a necessary element of von Trier's challenging vision while others view it as gratuitous, nauseating, and prone to forcing audience members to walk out. | |
| Screenplay | The episodic structure creates a narrative that feels disjointed and artificial, leaving viewers divided on whether the film functions as a profound video essay or an undisciplined, self-indulgent experiment. | |
| Pacing | The film's slow, contemplative, and philosophical pacing rewards dedicated viewers who engage with its metaphors, while others find the experience tedious, repetitive, and exhausting. |