99 Homes
By Jeffrey Anderson,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Great, if downbeat, indie drama deals with moral conflict.
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99 Homes
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Its 13+
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What's the Story?
Independent contractor Dennis Nash (Andrew Garfield) does his best to support his mother (Laura Dern) and his son (Noah Lomax) with his increasingly intermittent income, but the day comes when the bank sends a foreclosure notice. Dennis tries to navigate the red tape and save his house, but time runs out, and slick, no-nonsense broker Rick Carver (Michael Shannon) shows up to kick them out. An angered Dennis later confronts Rick ... and finds himself with a job offer. As Dennis rises through the ranks of Rick's organization, he finds ways to cheat the bank, and his paychecks increase. He dreams of getting his old house back, but when he starts foreclosing on others, Dennis begins to realize that he may have compromised his soul.
Is It Any Good?
Acclaimed indie filmmaker Ramin Bahrani, who regularly and bravely focuses on heartbreaking trials of life while keeping his stories rooted in humanity, turns in some of his finest work here. A drama of great power and subtlety, 99 HOMES manages to talk about one of today's most pressing and troubling issues without getting preachy or overbearing. At the same time, the movie borrows the classical structure of the Faust story while still managing to feel immediate and relevant.
Perhaps it's this merging of the classical and modern that makes the movie work so well -- or maybe it's the impressive performances. Shannon has rarely been used so well, with his sinister, snaky countenance and his weird charm crossing paths. And Garfield is both commanding and heartbreaking. Certain moments (losing the home) beautifully capture a kind of short-of-breath panic and others (earning dirty money) a kind of sickening elation, but all of it is remarkably immediate -- and remarkably human.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about 99 Homes' violence. How do the scenes of violence work in the film? Are they an attack or a response? Are they justified? What's the impact of media violence on kids?
What is the Faust legend? What lessons are learned from it? Can you think of other movies that build on this concept?
How much does the movie explain about the financial crisis that began in 2008? What does foreclosing on people's houses have to do with it? Who gains? Why? Has anything changed?
How frequently do the characters smoke? Does it change the way you feel about them?
Movie Details
- In theaters: September 25, 2015
- On DVD or streaming: February 9, 2016
- Cast: Andrew Garfield, Michael Shannon, Laura Dern
- Director: Ramin Bahrani
- Inclusion Information: Middle Eastern/North African directors
- Studio: Broad Green Pictures
- Genre: Drama
- Run time: 112 minutes
- MPAA rating: R
- MPAA explanation: language including some sexual references, and a brief violent image
- Last updated: October 15, 2022
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