House Arrest (1996)

A group of children, desperate to keep their various parents from getting divorces, kidnap them and hold them prisoner in a basement in order to force them to reconcile.

Director:

Harry Winer

Writer:

Michael Hitchcock

Stars:

Jamie Lee Curtis, Kevin Pollak, Kyle Howard

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Kyle Howard	...	Gregory Alan 'Grover' Beindorf
Herbert Russell	...	T.J. Krupp (as Russel Harper)
Jamie Lee Curtis	...	Janet Beindorf
Kevin Pollak	...	Ned Beindorf
Amy Sakasitz	...	Stacy Beindorf
Mooky Arizona	...	Matt Finley
Caroline Aaron	...	Louise Finley
Alex Seltz-Wald	...	Jimmy Finley (as Alex Seitz)
Josh Wolford	...	Teddy Finley
Wallace Shawn	...	Victor 'Vic' Finley
Jennifer Love Hewitt	...	Brooke Figler
Patrika Darbo	...	Cafeteria Cashier
Ray Walston	...	Chief Rocco
Christopher McDonald	...	Donald Krupp
Colleen Camp	...	Mrs. Burtis

Storyline

High-schooler Grover Beindorf and his younger sister Stacy decide that their parents, Janet and Ned, are acting childishly when they decide to divorce after 18 years of marriage, so they lock them up in the basement until they'll sort out their problems. Their schoolfriends also decide to do the same with their parents to solve their respective problems.

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Plot Keywords:

wanting parents back together | motherhood | police officer | house arrest | slimehouse | 

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Taglines:

Home is where the hostages are.

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Genres:

Comedy | Family

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG for thematic material and language

Did You Know?

Trivia

This movie has become a cult film

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Goofs

When the Police ring the door bell, the Christmas lights are flashing, however this was after Mr. Beindorf had shut off the power to the house.

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Quotes

Matt Finley: [hooking up his Christmas lights as a silent doorbell, lights flicker] Hey guys, don't ring the doorbell until I tell you!
Jimmy Finley, Teddy Finley: We didn't!
[Matt goes to the door and sees Chief Rocco]
Chief Rocco: Are the Beindorfs home?
Matt Finley: No, they're... at the doctor's office, I'm babysitting.
Chief Rocco: Oh, well I brought them some chicken soup.
[holds up Tupperware dish of disgusting looking soup]
Matt Finley: Oh, great!
[takes it]
Matt Finley: Thanks!
[...]

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Crazy Credits

As the closing credits roll, we are shown the various family members in Hawaii hula-dancing, often in native garb or something close to it, singly and in various combinations. The footage ends with Chief Rocco (Ray Walston) stumbling out of some bushes with a set of night-vision goggles with which he tries to observe the rest of the cast (in full daylight).

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Connections

Spoofs Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous (1984)

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Soundtracks

Blue Hawaii
Written by Leo Robin and Ralph Rainger
Published by Famous Music Corporation

User Reviews

Cut little comedy

I don't know why a lot of critics attacked this movie. What is there to attack? That's the problem with critics, they're always way too serious. Lighten up! No one said this would be Saving Private Ryan. It's not even Honey I Shrunk The Kids, but it's still cute.

I mean think about it, at one point (well, more than one) in our lives we all just wish we could lock our parents in the basement. The acting is not superb but it's cute and the kind you would expect from a movie like this. The one person I will hand it to is Jennifer Tilly, who really stole the show as Jennifer Love Hewitt's teen-like mother. Not bad at all, though not near to becoming one of the best. This movie will soon be forgotten but if it ever comes on TV watch it.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

14 August 1996 (USA)

Also Known As:

House Arrest

Filming Locations:

Monrovia, California, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$2,275,808, 18 August 1996

Gross USA:

$7,032,782

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$7,032,782

Company Credits

Production Co:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), Rysher Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

108 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital Dolby Digital (1998 Re-Release) SDDS (1998 Re-Release) DTS (Digital DTS Sound) (1998 Re-Release)

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1