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The landscape for independent films has changed rapidly. On one hand, the opportunity to build a theatrical release has become increasingly difficult, but on the other hand, digital release has given indies a chance to play to a broad national audience at once. Each week, new indie releases will be profiled and because they might not be playing at a theater near you, one highly recommended film available now a click or two away via VOD (whether a new or not quite new release) will be presented for viewing without leaving your computer.


VOD Pick of the Week


In the House
In the House is a delightfully lightly twisted slightly comic thriller that feels like the type of film Hitchcock would make if he were making films today and was French. The director in this case is Francois Ozon, the director of films such as Under the Sand, Swimming Pool, and 8 Women, and one of the most underrated directors working today.

The film begins with high school writing and literature teacher Germain grading papers. A failed writer, he does not hide his disdain for being stuck teaching high school as he complains to his wife about the low quality of work produced for his “What did you do this weekend?” writing project. Then he comes across Claude’s paper, which intrigues Germain with a spark of talent. Claude writes of how he has been essentially been stalking the family of his classmate, Rapha, and that this weekend he was able to score an invitation into his house by agreeing to help him with math. Claude’s obsession crosses the line of creepy and he ends his essay with “to be continued.”


Though Germain realizes the boundaries being crossed, he encourages Claude to continue this project under the guise of nurturing a student’s talent, but just as much for the voyeuristic thrill it brings. Claude continues to insinuate himself into Rapha’s family, providing regular installments of hand written essays for his teacher detailing his crush on Rapha’s mother and attempts to replace Rapha in his father’s eyes. We only see Claude’s interactions with the family through his writing, so it’s impossible to know how much is fact, exaggeration, or outright fiction. Germain gives advice on how the story should proceed and Claude even does rewrites.


In the House works on several levels. On the surface it is an entertaining thriller. As Claude’s interaction with Rapha’s family increases there is a definite foreboding overtone, but also in his interactions with Germain we see that the student is also manipulating the teacher. There is also the question of the audience’s role in the work of an artist. Claude is writing only for Germain (though Germain also shares it with his wife) and that shapes the direction of Claude’s stories. We even see Germain pop up in the stories to provide plot suggestions. There is also the element of class envy as Claude comes from a lower class background and has a fascination with his middle class friend’s life.

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