The usually credible Patrick Wilson (Watchmen, Young Adult) looks to be heading in the direction of a career low in the trailer for Home Sweet Hell. Starring alongside Forbes’ most overpaid actress 2013, Katherine Heigl, Wilson plays Don Champagne, a furniture salesman who is forced to murder his co-worker/mistress at the behest of his (insane) wife.
Seemingly pitched as a rom-com with a darker edge, this trailer seems to get the ratio a little off. It actually starts amusingly enough, with a fake television commercial that strikes the perfect balance of cheesy with a hint of creepy. However what starts off promising quickly becomes depressing. One early scene showcased, involving a pregnant woman being drugged then hacked to death, is as unfunny and unsettling as it sounds. Even tried and tested scenes of comedy gold, like reluctant drug taking (as perfected by 21 Jump Street), simply don’t raise a smile.
Part of the problem is that Wilson and Heigl are wearing permanently glazed expressions throughout. Both have proven they have the chops for comedy, so it’s a shame in this case they appear to be phoning in their performances to the MAX. However maybe, just maybe, there’s a possibility this trailer isn’t doing justice to the nuances of their performances. As Sightseers recently demonstrated, the ‘murderous middle-class couple, dark comedy’ genre (yes that is a genre) is one ripe for exploration. So there is a chance, albeit a slim one, that those willing to overlook this misjudged trailer could be in for a treat.
Joseph Kulman
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Wow amazing trailer review! So observant & cute 😉 just like the author no doubt hehe xox