Jim Sheridan directed the 2011 psychological crime thriller Dream House. The movie centres on a family who recently purchased and moved into a home only to learn that the previous owner murdered his family there years earlier and that the murderer may be returning. Intriguingly, the three principal actors in the cast—Daniel Craig, Rachel Weisz, and Naomi Watts—are all British actors portraying Americans. The movie features a few turns, nothing you can’t predict, but it’s still a fantastic catch-up movie. Below is a description of the movie Dream House’s narrative and resolution.
Dream House| The Story
What we believe is happening
In the first act of the movie, we are led to assume that Will Atenton, his wife Libby, and their two kids have just moved into a new home that they recently purchased. We quickly learn that a man named Peter Ward murdered his family in this home five years ago. Suddenly, a strange figure that Will and his family believe to be Peter appears to be stalking them. Will then travels to the mental hospital where Peter is receiving care.
Will Atenton (W1-1L 8-10-10): Who is He?
Will is revealed to be Peter Ward, who was shot in the head when taken to the hospital five years ago and was accused of killing his family. Peter adopts a new identity under the name Will Atenton based on the ID on his tag: W1-1L 8-10-10 because he is unable to deal with the death of his family and the thought that he might have been accountable. After serving for five years, Peter is eventually released and assumes the identity of Will. Will is shown quitting his job in the opening scene of Dream Home in order to pursue writing.
But that was all in his head; he was about to be let go, and everyone we think of as his coworkers is actually a different patient or a member of staff at the mental hospital.
This is what I find strange. Peter was not shown to be the murderer. Sure. Nonetheless, he is still a person who rejects his own identity. Wouldn’t that imply that he required additional care? I don’t know why he was let go.
Peter returns to his own home as Will Atenton, which is now in disrepair, but he imagines his family to be alive and content. But, his understanding that he is Peter and that he is alone is brought crashing down on him by the visit to the mental hospital.
So who is Ann?
Peter and Libby’s neighbour across the street, Ann, was a close friend of both of them. Peter’s girls have a good friendship with Chloe, Ann’s daughter. Chloe’s custody is split between Ann and her ex-husband, Jack, who is divorced. Ann made every effort to assist when Peter was institutionalised, which is why she may be seen in the hospital tape. Ann is surprised when Peter reappears and introduces himself as Will Atenton and claims not to remember her. Because of this, Ann interacts weirdly with Will (Peter) and is taken aback to discover that he still visits his family.
What exactly happened in the Dream House ending?
Dream House’s climax reveals that Jack paid Boyce to kill Ann so he could regain possession of his house and children. Boyce accidentally breaks into Peter’s home, and upon being confronted, he shoots Libby and the children. Boyce and Libby are fighting, and as she is dying, Libby shoots at Boyce, but instead clips Peter, rendering him amnesic and the main suspect in the crime.
So, how little did Jack spend on the murder? He hired a man who mistyped the location, showed up without a mask, realised the woman wasn’t Jack’s wife, and discovered there were actually two children rather than just one. He decides to slaughter a random family rather than fleeing. How did Jack acquire this person?
Jack’s Scheme
Jack is displeased as a result of Boyce’s error, obviously. Jack believes it is proper to complete the task he began when Peter came back to the house five years later. Strangely, he also thinks it’s appropriate to bring back Boyce, the assassin who keeps missing addresses. Peter and Ann are put in the basement with chloroform by Jack and Boyce, who also burn the home on fire. Jack takes advantage of the situation to shoot his low-budget assassin who kills children and then leaves him for dead. Peter regains consciousness, hits Jack over the head, and then he and Ann flee the house. Boyce returns the favour by lighting Jack on fire with some extra gasoline as Jack tries to flee.
Dream Home: Was Libby a ghost or was it all in Peter’s head?
According to the movie Dream House, Libby was a ghost. Several of the sights are portrayed from her point of view, and we watch her interacting with the windchimes. However, I believe that Libby’s ghostly abilities to influence the environment are a weak point in the movie because she might have done much more to save Peter and Ann at the conclusion (maybe by pushing Jack over the fires?).
I want to think of Libby as a creation of Peter’s fantasy. He has the courage to stand up and beat Jack in the end because he believes she is still at his side. What about the wind chimes that move? The house was, in fact, on fire. There would inevitably be movement and noise. I don’t believe a ghost is necessary to stir things up in a burning house. What we observe might just be Peter’s imagination of Libby assisting him by diverting Jack.
Peter eventually enters the house again, comes to terms with the fact that his family is no longer there, bids them farewell, gathers his journal, and leaves. Ann would have testified against Jack for attempting to kill them, even though it wasn’t depicted in the movie, demonstrating Peter’s innocence the entire time. As Peter’s dignity is restored, he makes use of his knowledge to produce the popular book Dream Home.
What did you think of the film’s conclusion, Dream House? Post a comment here with your opinions about the movie.
ALSO READ THIS: Black Box 2020 Movie Ending Explained
