Housebound

In this film Kylie (Morgana O’Reilly) after a botched robbery is sentenced to house arrest under the care of her estranged mother, Miriam (Rima Te Wiata), and step-father, Graeme (Ross Harper).  With a start like this the film could turn into a drama, a thriller or even a life-affirming Hallmark affair however Housebound is none of the above. It deftly treads the line between horror and comedy delivering both scares and laughs.

Unlike films like Shaun of the Dead where the horror is a backdrop to the comedy, Housebound keeps up the tension while still managing to elicit laughter through snappy dialogue and subversion of expectations. I find all the characters endearing whether it’s Kylie struggling with her anger or Amos balancing his no-nonsense attitude with a sincere belief in the paranormal.

This is a great film for when you can’t decide between something serious or something a bit more light hearted.