User reviews

We all love our RA.

A freshman struggling in college befriended his dorm's RA, and they spent the night and learned about each other.

Early on, the movie had a great way of showing how our main character was lonely. Whenever the camera turned to his stuffed animal, there's always subtitles that replied back to our main character. Apparently it was him talking to his friend, the stuffed animal. Another part was that he's a mommy boy. He tried to go to parties, and clearly he was very awkward.

The first half of the story was mostly him on a walk with his RA, and for like 20 minutes it was just them talking. The way they talked was very realistic. It was awkward and had a bunch of repeating words. It just felt like I was watching two real life college students talking, not two actors remembering the script and acting out. This is possible because the two main actors were phenomenal.

Then the conflict happened. Both sides clearly did things wrong, and the movie did not show who's right or wrong. These scenarios definitely could happen in real life. Also, there's no emotional scene where they all made up.

Overall, a realistic and funny slice of life that showed some college students living their lives in college. 8.5/10.

Really? The movie itself is a sweet small indie film. I liked it! But, who came up with the title, and, why? Just a really poor choice. Just my opinion.

As a college student, I can attest to the tonal and plot accuracy this movie achieves. It does that really well, but is the average day to day life of a college student trying to adjust to being away from home, while constantly shooting himself in the foot make for an entertaining movie? No. Is it worth a full length film? Also, no. This would have been a great 45 minute short. But the tedious and awkward, albeit accurate and realistic, dialogue which takes up the vast majority of this movie, runs dry far before the movie ends. I'm sure some people can relate to the movie enough to find this quite enjoyable, but I'm not one of them. Regardless, I think the is a successful debut for Raiff, as far as debuts go.

Was that the real version? Does the editor deserves a Razzie? What have I just watched? I'm so confused. This review has the same structure like the movie. I don't think I get the final version. This is still in post-production.

SHITHOUSE was a very, VERY pleasant surprise. You should see it. There, that's all I should say. But if you need more reasons, I'll see what I can do.

First of all, let me just say that it's amusing that the film is named SHITHOUSE, but that name probably isn't doing it any favors. But, it is what it is.

The film stars director & writer Cooper Raiff, who at age 24 has taken a very low budget and produced a surprising film that evokes movies like BEFORE SUNSET more than ANIMAL HOUSE. Yes, it's about a college freshman (Alex, played by Raiff), far from home, trying to find his place at college via a party at the legendary title location. But it is very much NOT a movie about a party. Raiff is nearly crippled with loneliness and he knows it (he carries on a dialogue with his stuffed dog toy that shows us he knows just how deep his depression is). His devoted mom and sister are back in Texas, and they would gladly welcome him back from California with open arms and understanding hearts. But he senses that would be to embrace failure and to settle for less than life has in store for him. He struggles to make friends and he struggles to meet girls. But, amazingly, his conversation with himself forces him to ask his roommate (who barely speaks to him) to take him to this famous party so that he can, hopefully, break out of his shell a little. They go to the party (and you can tell this is a low budget film right here, because the party is attended by 40 people rather than the 400 a big-budget film would use). It actually feels like a party real people might go to. Alex has a modestly good time, but isn't terribly successful socially. But when he and the roommate end up back at the dorms, and his roommate has fallen unconscious on the floor after soiling himself, Alex escapes to the common room of the dorms to escape the stench. There, he falls into conversation with his RA, Maggie (Dylan Gelula) and the evening turns into a heartfelt encounter for the two of them. They go on a long, ambling walk through the city, and we feel a very palpable connection grow between the two. It is a transformative night.

Transformative for Alex, but it's different for Maggie. I don't want to say anymore, because this film is so full of little surprises. There's laughter that's well-earned and driven by character. There's some absurdity (revolving around a pet turtle). There's some deeply felt sharing of feelings. And there are some astonishing moments, such as when Alex weeps uncontrollably as he shares his loneliness, finally, with his mom. When has a movie "about" partying at college ever shown us something like that?

We root very deeply for Alex. He's a nice guy who sometimes does thoughtless things. He's a smart guy who often does stupid things. He's shy but has a capacity to connect.

I was very impressed with this film, and cared pretty deeply our the main character and the central relationship. There are some issues. Raiff is not the world's greatest actor...sometimes he doesn't fully deliver on the promise of his own script. Gelula is very good in her role, but as rich as her character is, it's not always convincing. (This could be just the difficulty of a 24 year old, inexperience writer trying to craft a full-realized young woman.) Occasionally, the cinematography is a bit muddier than it should be, but given the clearly very low budget, this is forgivable. Sometimes the conversations between characters skew from being realistic to just uninteresting.

But I still thoroughly enjoyed myself and I enjoyed rooting for this messed up but very relatable guy. If you can get past the unpleasant title, you should enjoy this film a great deal.

The title of this movie is quite misleading, and that is the only significant flaw with this film.

If you are looking for a raunchy college comedy like the title suggests it might be, then you may be disappointed, however you are more likely to be surprised in a good way.

The movie, while within the college party setting, is actually a very meaningful and real emotional drama with great insight into the anxieties and loneliness accompanied with the college experience.

So glad to have come across this film. Such a warm, lovely, sometimes painful slice of that time of life. Cooper's film is such an accurate depiction of those early struggles away from home, trying to separate, to make real connections in an environment where that is so often not the norm, even the outcast.

Cooper(and his character)is all heart, so sincere, so earnest, so appealing in every way. On the one hand it is hard to believe that at 23, he could both write and act so beautifully but then again who could do it better than both the adolescent and young man who lived it. How fortunate that Mark Duplass recognized Cooper's gift and moved it along for us all to experience.

Looking forward to Cooper Raiff's next film/films!

I'm not 100% positive if I identified with this film's main character more as a former college freshman myself or as someone whose kids will be college freshmen eventually. Either way, Alex felt real - the kind of protagonist you pull for and cringe with and hope will pull themselves together eventually. Raiff's storytelling just feels so true. The college freshmen may be a bit - well - like college freshmen, but they also feel like people who are slowly growing up, together and separately. I'm nowhere close to 19 anymore, but I could still recognize the earnestness and the moments when the world felt so big and so small all at once, when an evening spent walking around campus could feel life changing. Basically, I found it hard not to care about Alex and his peers. I think you will too.

Everything this movie offers has been done better before. e.g. Before Sunrise has better romance and chemistry, Old School has better comedy, and Goodwill Hunting has better drama. Probably a little unfair, but it is what it is - especially when you attempt cross-genre like this one does. The film is written by, directed by and starring Cooper Raiff. He spends most of the film moping and doting on a girl (played by Amy Landecker) who is almost never nice to him. The lead character often comes across as "soy-based" (for lack of a better descriptor), and if either of these lead characters accurately represent the "snowflake generation" (again for lack of a better word), then I'm seriously worried for the sensibilities of the current youth. Cue old man shaking fist "it wasn't like this in my day". Still, it's not an outright awful movie - it's generally well-acted and shot, and some of the writing is solid (the film apparently strives for a naturalistic tone - i.e. almost like unscripted improv and it works). Overall, I don't think it's worth the time, but based on the imdb rating it seems to resonate for some viewers.

Watching this made me miss college and be glad that I'm done with college, all at the same time.

Cooper Raiff's directorial debut is a look at youth ennui. "S#!thouse" (I'm probably not allowed to write the actual title) focuses on a college student awkwardly seeking out a relationship. Personally I didn't find it to be a masterpiece - in fact it looked questionable how he approached her - but it's nonetheless a perceptive look at interactions between young people in this day and age. Having long since graduated from college, I can't comment on the accuracy of its depictions of college students. I can say that it's worth seeing, even if it's not the best movie of 2020.

Dylan Gelula is best known as Jane Krakowski's character's stepdaughter on "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt".

Boy acted really well. Movie stared really good. I enjoyed comedy. Emotions, dialogues etc everything was good But the ending is just weird. It's like there was no conclusion in the ending. Everything just goes as it was. Which doesn't really make sense to me.

But worth the watch.

I think they were trying to be artsy with this movie but it was ridiculous and boring. I kept hoping something would happen but nothing ever did. What a misleading name for a movie too. They want you to think it is like Animal House when it is really just an annoying couple that won't shut up yet manage to say nothing.

Cooper wore two hats for this movie. His character having a hard time adjusting into college life was realistic and many people will relate to it. Dylan being scared of moving forward and being girl next door beautiful worked well. You wanted to get to know them a little more as each scene progressed. I didn't get to know Pete, however, if he had maybe a word or two to say the development of his character might've brought this story to new heights 😉 Just kidding, of course. We learn more about him than most of the other characters tho. Truth be told, while this movie might not be for everybody, if you're looking for lasers and special effects you might be disappointed. Nonetheless, I'd recommend watching it. You might be pleasantly surprised, like I was.

A college freshman Alex living a lonely life far from his mother and sister ,he forges a strong connection with a girl called Maggie after they met in a party.

Cooper Raiff has done it twice and I'm already waiting for his next film.

The story might look at first silly and ordinary ,but in a very realistic way ,because as much as I know it's based on cooper's life ,and I really felt it ,I can see myself in this film and everyone had a similar experience in life will feel it and will see himself as Alex or maybe Maggie too.

I don't know what Cooper has with parties , here in this film and in cha cha real smooth ... But it's always fun and fun to watch Cooper attending a party , I believe that he doesn't act and he plays the role of himself in his movies and it's very impressive .

I can talk all day long about Cooper Raiff , he literally does everything in his movies , what a man !

The girl that played Maggie was very convincing and she did great especially in that arguing scene ...

Another Raiff's movie that I feel it's made for me .

Every once in a while you come across a true slice o' life movie that comes this close to reality. Raiff is just a smidge too gentle and Gelula a tad too harsh (if oddly alluring), but it still works fairly well. No cheap tricks, either, such as the Defining Character Death (except for the turtle). Congrats to Raiff and Gelula.

"Shithouse" is a heartfelt coming-of-age, refreshingly authentic, subtly done capture of the awkwardness and emotional complexity of college life. Cooper Raiff makes an impressive directorial debut, starring as the lead man, with a nuanced script that pleasurably balances the funny with the poignant. His portrayal of Alex-a lonely freshman doing anything to fit in-was so relatable and deeply moving. Dylan Gelula excels as Maggie, offering much-needed foil through her own vulnerability and charisma. The actual words spoken and the cinematography bring such a raw intimacy into the picture that one can't help but feel a sense of familiarity with these feelings of isolation or dislocation. "Shithouse" stands out for its sincerity and emotional depth, which makes it a must-watch for any fan of indie drama.

Maybe I'm just too old, but I am not sure what I just watched.

This is by far the best film I've seen this year. I understand that this might not be a film for everyone but if you're a young adult, watch this.

Main character is probably the most hateable character ever. Unsuccessful attempt to make a socially awkward guy seem interesting? I guess. It was terrible. Wife left during movie said it sucked. I should have joined her xD

This is a great debut for the writer/director. Naturalistic, realistic college love story that many people will resonate with. If you like the earlier work of Linklater and Charlie Kaufman, I think you will enjoy this. Don't expect the poetry or beauty of those directors, but you may see similar existential themes from anxious main characters. The acting from Raiff and Landecker was spot on, there are no melodramatic or romance tropes, it's just about young people trying to find their way with several genuinely funny scenes. My criticism was potentially the ending of the film that seemed a bit disjointed and hurried. Interesting to see what Raiff does next.

I actually somehow enjoyed this movie regardless of the tons of talking with no action involved.

I mean while watching it i felt bored but then here and there these specific scenes & interactions come up and I am like oh that seems legit realistic and it seems like it can relate to real peoples experiences in those situations.

For example how the main character acts so awkward actually represents a good image of someone everyone must have known at one point of time or just the weird nervous chatter he comes up with seems logically true in how many react in those situations.

Also how he interacted with the other main actress seems genuinely real as i am sure every guy out there has at one point in time not known how to talk to women and then grow from that experience.

I think overall the storyline matches real life expectations & interactions and the feeling of going away to college so far away will make anyone miss their family.

When he cried on the phone it really hit me alot cause I personally can relate to having to go somewhere far far away and alone with no family around and just feeling trapped & wishing to return home in the snap of a finger.

I think alot of people can relate to the films main characters experience of feeling alone & lost and unable to get used too the new surroundings at first. This is what made the movie actually receive a higher rating from me because it didnt feel like I was watching a movie but more so like im watching 2 real people talk & react out how they would in those situations in real life.

I honestly thought maybe their was no script with lines & that the 2 main characters just winged it and spoke whatever they felt their characters would act in real life. It was spot on!