- The Good House
- Directed by Maya Forbes and Wallace Wolodarsky
- Written by Maya Forbes, Wallace Wolodarsky and Thomas Bezucha, based on the novel by Ann Leary
- Classification R; 114 minutes
- Opens in theatres Sept. 30
Maya Forbes and Wallace Wolodarsky adapt the popular novel by Ann Leary about Hildy Good, a successful New England real estate agent who spends her days with clients snagging nice homes in a gentrifying seaside town near Boston, and her nights with a bottle of Merlot. The plot features various tired TV formulas but is rescued by a highly observant performance from Sigourney Weaver, who knows this brittle WASP type – well-dressed, sharp-tongued and hard-drinking.
The directors capture her wry voice through the simple expedient of having her narrate her story straight to the camera. Add the ever sympathetic Kevin Kline as her old flame, a working-class knight-in-shining-armour, and a certain charm emerges. So, if you can ignore an ending ripped straight from the AA playbook, there’s minor fun to be had along the way.