After nabbing an Academy Award nomination in 2011 for her work in Winter’s Bone and following that up with a performance in Silver Linings Playbook that would ultimately lead to an Oscar win, Jennifer Lawrence said, ‘let’s do something different and absolutely out of the normal.’ And with that, the actress dipped into horror. But not just any spooky movie, unfortunately, the actress chose one that would end up being a major flop — Mark Tonderai’s 2012 feature, House at the End of the Street. Still, for those who love suspense, a keep-you-guessing vibe, and buy into the “so bad it’s good” subgenre of horror, House at the End of the Street should make it onto your Max queue when the title drops on the platform on January 1.
Look, we aren’t saying that House at the End of the Street is a perfect film or even a great one, but it’s a fun watch, especially if you’re into wacky twists and turns. The movie centers on Lawrence’s Elissa, a teenager who has just moved into a new home with her mother, Sarah (Elisabeth Shue), following her parents’ divorce. Thanks to the neighborhood whispers, the mother and daughter soon come to discover that the home down the street from them was the location of a brutal double homicide that was carried out by a 13-year-old girl named Carrie Anne.
Still at large, Carrie Anne was never captured by law enforcement, giving an extra chill to the local legend. Although she killed her parents, Carrie Anne left her brother, Ryan (Max Thieriot), unscathed. Ryan is seen as a black sheep to the rest of the town, but soon strikes up a romantic relationship with Elissa, much to her mother’s dismay. As the film unfolds, audiences are put through a wave of different twists and turns, continuously trying to separate the truth from the lies.
The Height of Jennifer Lawrence’s Career
Image via Relativity Media
Okay, so maybe the actress is forever living at the height of her career, but one could argue that the 2010s were when Lawrence was really gaining steam. With one hit film after the next, the star was a household name and one of the industry’s brightest burning stars. It was also around this time that she appeared in the first two The Hunger Games films, as well as American Hustle, so, yeah, it was a good time to be her. With Lawrence’s name tied to the production, House at the End of the Street didn’t completely struggle at the box office, earning just a little over $44 million. Critically, the project was largely panned, landing on Rotten Tomatoes with a 10% rating from critics.
Like we said, House at the End of the Street won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, but if you’re looking for an enjoyably silly/scary film that features one of the biggest names in acting, head over to Max beginning on January 1.
