"A house with no room for intimacy..."

After learning the death of their parents in a car accident, Rhett and Ruby move into the home of their new legal guardians. This couple, two friends of the deceased, possesses a wonderful home. The luxury in which they live doesn’t buy Ruby’s happiness. However, it consoles her little brother. The video games he received from his new parents keep him satisfied.

There is something that isn’t right. Ruby overhears worrisome conversations between her legal guardian and a hostile man. From what she heard, it seems her new father has tremendous debt problems. From the shadows, she witnesses her new mother drug herself with a syringe. However, nothing is certain. She does not wish to falsely accuse her new parents and she would be placed in a foster home if she did.

The publicity surrounding this movie lead us to believe that it was some sort of a horror movie or a dark thriller. In fact, it couldn’t be more "suspense" (The Hand that Rocks the Cradle, Sleeping With the Enemy, etc.): nothing paranormal, no gratuitous violence. In its category, it is hard to find better. The actors are good and incarnate interesting characters. The suspense is well established but, as we can assume, Ruby always succeeds in hiding when she learns something bad about her new father. Even though he is just a few feet away from her when she accidentally knocks something to the floor, he never finds her.

The ultimate mystery behind the plot is interesting. It is more rational and probable than usual vengeance plots that are featured in this type of film. Sadly, often to force the spectators to question themselves, the characters (the father, in particular) act in such doubtful ways that even when we know the real motive, their behavior is unexplainable. It is a very bad idea to create such confusion and leaving these actions unexplained at the end of the movie. I would have to say this is the most negative aspect of The Glass House.

The ending is satisfying: the bad guys and super-bad guys receive their dose in terms of punishment. The conclusion is hidden from the start and becomes more and more predictable as the movie progresses. Anyhow, I don’t believe the producers wanted to include a final punch. Still, the ending will reveal a nice surprise.