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The House That Jack Built 2018

A darkly comedic and surreal film, it follows Jack, portrayed by Matt Dillon, as he recounts five intricately planned murders. Each crime is presented as a carefully constructed work of art, blurring the lines between creation and destruction. The film delves into themes of violence, the artistic process, and the complexities of the human condition through a provocative and unconventional narrative.

A darkly comedic and surreal film, it follows Jack, portrayed by Matt Dillon, as he recounts five intricately planned murders. Each crime is presented as a carefully constructed work of art, blurring the lines between creation and destruction. The film delves into themes of violence, the artistic process, and the complexities of the human condition through a provocative and unconventional narrative.

Does The House That Jack Built have end credit scenes?

No!

The House That Jack Built does not have end credit scenes. You can leave when the credits roll.

Meet the Full Cast and Actors of The House That Jack Built

Explore the complete cast of The House That Jack Built, including both lead and supporting actors. Learn who plays each character, discover their past roles and achievements, and find out what makes this ensemble cast stand out in the world of film and television.


Ratings and Reviews for The House That Jack Built

See how The House That Jack Built is rated across major platforms like IMDb, Metacritic, and TMDb. Compare audience scores and critic reviews to understand where The House That Jack Built stands among top-rated movies in its genre.


Echo Score

The Movie Echo Score

57

Overall, The House That Jack Built presents a divisive experience that balances striking visual ambition with uneven storytelling. A number of reviews highlight its experimental direction and meta-commentary as bold artistic choices, while others criticize its length and episodic structure as tedious. The film’s provocative tone and graphic content elicit strong reactions on both ends of the spectrum. Consequently, the net impression is of a film that excites discussion but often frustrates as a cohesive cinematic whole.

The Movie Echo Score Breakdown for The House That Jack Built

70
Echo Score

Art & Craft

In terms of art and craft, the film’s direction and visual design elicit polarized responses. Many accounts praise its boundary-pushing imagery and deliberate compositions as sophisticated and provocative, while some find these flourishes pretentious or gratuitous. The cinematography’s stark framing and deliberate color palette are noted as striking but sometimes overshadow pacing. Overall, the art direction achieves ambitious visual statements despite occasional excess.

60
Echo Score

Character & Emotion

When it comes to character and emotion, the central performance receives mixed responses. Some interpretations commend Matt Dillon’s measured portrayal and the film’s exploration of narcissistic psychology, while others criticize a lack of emotional resonance and underdeveloped supporting roles. The interpersonal dynamics and character arcs are regarded as uneven in depth. In net, character portrayal offers intriguing moments but falls short of consistent empathy.

45
Echo Score

Story & Flow

In terms of story and flow, the narrative structure provoked divided views on coherence and pacing. Critics note its episodic framing and extended monologues as engaging meta-commentary yet also remark on a tedious and aimless progression. While originality in the presentation is acknowledged, the film’s protracted runtime and uneven pacing undercut engagement. Overall, the story presents provocative ideas but often feels disjointed and overlong.

75
Echo Score

Sensory Experience

When evaluating sensory experience, the film’s sound design and visual style draw notable praise. Observations highlight a stark sonic atmosphere and an unsettling mix of darkly comedic musical cues that amplify tension. The visual cohesion—through controlled lighting, bold textures, and graphic imagery—is repeatedly cited as a crucial driver of the film’s provocative tone. In conclusion, the sensory elements stand out as a compelling strength.

45
Echo Score

Rewatch Factor

When considering rewatch factor, opinions diverge on lasting appeal. Some interpretations emphasize layered themes and dark humor providing fresh insights on subsequent viewings, whereas others find the film’s provocative content and uneven pacing detract from repeat engagement. The extended runtime and graphic sequences are cited as barriers to comfortable replays. Ultimately, the rewatch value is moderate, benefiting viewers drawn to thematic complexity but limited by uneven execution.

Metacritic

42

Metascore

6.9

User Score

Rotten Tomatoes
review

59%

TOMATOMETER

review

65%

User Score

IMDb

6.8 /10

IMDb Rating

TMDB

71

%

User Score

Letterboxd

3.6

From 4.8K fan ratings

Movie Insider

4.33/5

From 3 fan ratings

Take the Ultimate The House That Jack Built Movie Quiz

Challenge your knowledge of The House That Jack Built with this fun and interactive movie quiz. Test yourself on key plot points, iconic characters, hidden details, and memorable moments to see how well you really know the film.


Quiz on The House That Jack Built: Test your knowledge on the complex psychological thriller 'The House That Jack Built' and its chilling narrative.

Who plays the character Jack in the film?

Full Plot Summary and Ending Explained for The House That Jack Built

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Read the complete plot summary of The House That Jack Built, including all major events, twists, and the full ending explained in detail. Explore key characters, themes, hidden meanings, and everything you need to understand the story from beginning to end.


The narrative centers on Jack, a serial killer with an artistic flair, as he operates over a span of twelve years, showcasing the evolution of his heinous acts. Throughout this journey, he engages in philosophical dialogues with Verge, delving into themes of ethics and his own worldview.

1st Incident

While driving, Jack (portrayed by Matt Dillon) encounters a woman, Lady 1, stranded due to car trouble. As they share light-hearted banter, she jokingly insinuates he could be a serial killer. Agreeing to assist her, he takes her to his mechanic, Sonny. Despite fixing her tire jack, it falters again during their attempt to get the car running. As she requests another ride, Jack seizes the opportunity; he uses the tire jack to murder her before concealing her body within an industrial freezer he had secured just for such purposes. The woman’s car is hidden partially out of sight in the bushes, lying in a secluded area where the police remain oblivious, lucky enough that it sits on the border of two states – an area often ignored.

2nd Incident

Jack adopts a new guise and knocks on the door of another woman, Lady 3, claiming to be a police officer with information regarding her deceased husband’s pension. As the situation escalates, he poses as an insurance agent, offering her enticing cash promises. After luring her in, he chokes her but isn’t able to finish the job initially. When she awakens, he offers her a glass of water with disintegrated donuts in hopes of inducing choking, but to no avail. He ultimately resorts to strangulation before stabbing her directly in the heart. As the police become suspicious, represented by Ed Speleers, Jack hastily wraps her corpse and drags it to the freezer, leaving behind a gruesome trail of blood that, by sheer chance, the rain washes away later that night.

3rd Incident

In a chilling episode, Jack takes his girlfriend Jacqueline, along with her two sons, Grumpy and George, for a deceptive hunting lesson. In a calculated move, he murders the boys from a distance using a sniper rifle. Continuing his gruesome spree, he ultimately kills their mother and, leveraging his taxidermy skills, alters Grumpy’s face into a grotesquely eternal smile.

4th Incident

After meeting Jacqueline (played by Riley Keough), whom Jack dubbed “Simple” due to his perception of her naivety, he fabricates tales of his murderous exploits, claiming to have killed sixty people as the notorious “Mr. Sophistication.” Though she dismisses it as a mere boast, he makes his intentions clear by marking her with red circles, ultimately leading to her brutal demise. His depravity knows no bounds, as he goes so far as to sever and display one of her breasts on a police car, crafting the other into a grotesque wallet.

5th Incident

Jack finds himself orchestrating a macabre assembly, detaining six victims tied up in a row, intending to take them all out with a single bullet. However, misfortune hits as he discovers the bullets procured from Al aren’t suitable. Desperation drives him to a man named S.P. ([David Bailie]), with whom he has a lethal encounter, ultimately acquiring the necessary bullet. In a moment of dark irony, he dons S.P.’s red bathrobe, hoping to elude the police who are closing in. Once captured, he embarks on a violent path while constructing a makeshift house out of bodies, mirroring the chaos in his mind.

Epilogue: Katabasis

Echoing Dante’s Inferno, Verge, who is revealed to be Virgil, guides Jack through branches of Hell. In a climactic moment, Jack discovers a broken bridge leading away from the depths of despair, while Verge warns him against the risks of navigating the treacherous cliffs. Ignoring the sage advice, Jack attempts the perilous climb but ultimately plummets into the fiery depths below, sealing his fate in a world forged by his own monstrous decisions.

Uncover the Details: Timeline, Characters, Themes, and Beyond!

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Watch Trailers, Clips & Behind-the-Scenes for The House That Jack Built

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Watch official trailers, exclusive clips, cast interviews, and behind-the-scenes footage from The House That Jack Built. Dive deeper into the making of the film, its standout moments, and key production insights.


Official Trailer

Official US Trailer

A scene from The House That Jack Built - "Oops - that was a mistake"

A scene from The House That Jack Built - "It's Mr. Sophistication!"

A scene from The House That Jack Built - "Full Metal Jacket"

A scene from The House That Jack Built - "May I come in?"

A scene from The House That Jack Built - "The Picnic"

Shadow under the street lamps

Cars Featured in The House That Jack Built

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Explore all cars featured in The House That Jack Built, including their makes, models, scenes they appear in, and their significance to the plot. A must-read for car enthusiasts and movie buffs alike.


Buick

1978

Skylark

Caterpillar

D6

Chevrolet

1977

Caprice Classic

Chevrolet

1965

Impala Wagon

Dodge

1964

A-100

Dodge

1966

Dart

Dodge

1986

Diplomat

Ford

1968

F-Series

Ford

1966

Thunderbird

Ford

unknown

The House That Jack Built Themes and Keywords

Discover the central themes, ideas, and keywords that define the movie’s story, tone, and message. Analyze the film’s deeper meanings, genre influences, and recurring concepts.


serial killerpsychopathviolencebuilding a househellmurderpsychopath as protagonistmutilationcrueltyhomicidal maniacanimal mutilationphotographcorpsekillersevered breastcharacter name in titleimpersonating a police officerimpersonating an insurance executivevanred vansnowtigerhuntingpicnictaxidermystrangulationmoving a dead bodykidnappingserial murderarchitecturearchitectaddictiontorturethe noble rotcavebridgefiregoredeeply disturbed personhuman monstermaniacserial killer as protagonistobsessionanimal crueltybreast mutilationcar troublereference to albert speerfalling from heightvoice over narrationchapter headings
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