Peter Pluymers "There's nothing to do or say. Um... we live, we drive, we crash, we die. Had to happen sometime."Coincidentally, I have just seen "Marrowbone". A film about someone who has difficulties in processing the loss of a loved one. And when I was about halfway with "Jack goes home", I realized that I was watching a similar story. And it might be that the ultimate outcome is identical. I wasn't far wrong. And to be honest, I thought this intriguing film slightly better than the previous one. And this only because of the brilliant acting of Rory Culkin. A portrait about how madness takes over someones personality.I hadn't seen the name of the actor who's playing the leading role. So I was wondering for a long time where I had seen that face before. And when I finally found out his name was Culkin, it hit me. Damn, he looks a lot like his brother who made a couple of burglars their lifes a hell in "Home Alone". But I must confess that his acting performance surpassed everything that his famous brother Macaulay ever did. As Jack, Rory displays a whole range of feelings and moods. From pride to indifferent. From sadness to calmth. One moment he tries to unravel an old family secret. The next moment he flees into a daze of alcohol and drugs. He even experienced homosexual delusions. And all this after he was forced to return to his parental home because his father died in a car accident.It's clear from the start that something isn't right. That indifference with which Jack tells his pregnant wife that his father died. Even though his father apparently was pretty important to him. The way in which he tells in detail about his beheaded father, is strange and frightening. On the other hand though it's strangely enough also funny in a certain way. The behavior of his mother Teresa (Lin Shaye) is also strange. Perhaps the traumatic effect after the accident? After her outburst during dinner about whether she should or should not mourn about the loss of her husband, you start to think she's relieved about that loss. Are those dark family secrets real? It results in a complex mother-son relationship which escalates as the film progresses."Jack goes home" is such a movie that makes you feel uncomfortable. Despite the total lack of bloody or frightening images (even with a creepy attic in the house), there's this constant feeling of tension. The psychological chaos is a constant in this film. "Jack goes home" balances between a ghost story and a psychological family drama. Jack is involved in a battle with his personal demons and seems to be gradually losing his grip on reality. And even though the characters are of such a nature that there is always the danger of relapsing in overacting, the main actors ensure that they do not fall into that trap. It feels like I'm repeating myself, but the acting of Rory Culkin is fascinating. For me this movie is worthy a watch. In other words, a must see. And if you get the chance to see it, let me know if I'm totally wrong!

Gordon-11 This film tells the story of a young man who receives a phone call to inform him that his father died in a car accident, when his mother was at the wheels. He goes home, discovers strange happenings at present concerning his mother and the house. To compound with the grief, he discovers evidence of his secret traumatic past that he has no memory about."Jack Goes Home" may sound interesting on paper, but I think it does not work for me. I think that the film cannot decide whether it is a drama or a horror story. There are many things that are touched on briefly but not explored, such as Jack sleepwalking or windows in the lounge breaking. It show a collage of scenes that basically tells how weird the mother and Jack both are. It is not scary, it is just a freak show of two weirdos who are weird in their own ways, with hardly any connection with each other. Actually, the characters all seem to be drowning in their own world, and have poor connection with each other. Even the neighbour Duncan, who tries to seduce Jack, has a poor connection with Jack because Jack looks like he is in another world. I find "Jack Goes Home" quite a disappointment.

Lou2413 The downward spiral into madness Jack Goes Home tries to imbue falls short. What's left is a disjointed film wondering what it wants to be.While I do agree we get to see a different side of Lin Shaye from what we see in the Insidious chapters, I felt her performance to be over the top and wrought with cliché moments à la Mommie Dearest. Rory Culkin gets everything thrown at him including the kitchen sink, yet never deviates from the mouth agape, detached look expression he sports throughout the film. His acting skills are far superior to what we see play out during the movie.Natasha Lyonne makes a cameo appearance at a receptionist desk. It makes you wonder if she said her four lines as a favor to Dekker. Fortunately for Lyonne, she can make a desk look good. It's unfortunate for us that we only get a glimpse of her.On a positive note, there were a few creepy scenes any horror fan would enjoy. And it was also a beautifully shot film. There was enough glimmer of hope buried within Jack Goes Home to make me interested in Thomas Dekker's next move as a director and film writer.

chicagovesuvi I give kudos to Thomas Dekker for writing and directing a layered psychological drama (with horror elements) that I found utterly compelling. I'm so grateful that I took a chance on it... because I hadn't read or heard anything about it. I just recognized some of the names on the cast/crew list... and now, in the afterglow, I feel like I won a cinematic jackpot.Rory Culkin, Lin Shaye and Britt Robertson all had Oscar-worthy moments in the clarity of their emotional expressions. I must also give mention to Daveigh Chase and Louis Hunter who did fine jobs as well.This movie won't be for everyone, unfortunately. But I think people who appreciate good, methodical, dramatic storytelling (and those who understand how torment can warp the psyche) should find this flick an immensely satisfying piece of art.