AGW review crew member Lynn b. went to a screening of a new thriller. Here are her thoughts on:

THE GLASS HOUSE

Columbia Pictures

The Glass House marks 18-year-old Leelee Sobieski's first big money lead role. The psychological thriller is her movie from beginning to end. Playing younger for a change (16), Leelee enjoyed her role. "This is the first time I've played a typical teenager. Even though I've been working since I was 11, I always seem to play a year or two older than myself". Like her character Ruby, Leelee has a younger brother. "Little brothers can be adorable and a pain, yet when put to the test, you have to take care of them". She feels that Glass House is a coming of age piece "with a little terror added".

Young Ruby (Leelee Sobieski) is a typical rebellious teen, ("My 'rents are clueless") cruising the drag with girlfriends when she's supposed to be at the library and fighting with her younger brother Rhett (Trevor Morgan). On returning from a late night outing with her gal pals, she learns that her parents have both been killed in an auto accident. The estate lawyer (Bruce Dern) let's Ruby know that her parents have left the kids a load of money and that the will has provided that their guardians be Erin and Terry Glass, former neighbors who live in ritzy Malibu.

Although thinking it strange that both siblings have to share a room in their guardian's giant glass cliffhouse, the two are treated well, if a bit coldly. The kids at her new Malibu high school treat Ruby with indifference and good ole' guardian Terry seems a little "too" friendly. She's sure he's listening to her phone calls and even sabotaging her at school. Erin is no help. She's a doctor who exists under her husband's thumb and always seems a bit out of it. As evidence mounts that the Glasses aren't on the up and up and little Rhett, who has been bought off with video games, continues being clueless, Ruby slowly uncovers terrible secrets that may link the Glasses to her parents' death but….will anyone believe or help her?

The Glass House is produced by Neal Moritz who recently gave us The Fast and the Furious, Cruel Intentions and I Know What You Did Last Summer. This film, although it features two young stars, isn't so much a classic teen horror fest but more a classy, well-shot thriller with mounting clues and building terror like an Alfred Hitchcock film. The atmosphere of the film works quite well as you become aware of the drop in temperature between Ruby and Rhett's warm, middle-class family life and the cold, stark world of the Glasses. Even the use of greys, blacks and other cold colors is effective.

Leelee, looking extra bodacious in tight tanks and dresses that most of us couldn't get away with wearing at school, is very believable as the teen trying to keep her sanity and protect her kid brother. Diane Lane is great as the fragile, on-the-edge doctor/wife who is being destroyed from within by a terrible secret. Stellan Skarsgard (Good Will Hunting) is creepy but could be more horrifying in tense moments later in the film. Although Leelee's investigation is involving, the actual moments of intended terror aren't as frightening as they could be. Car chase action is thrilling but scenes within the Glass house could use a few more "gotcha" moments and even more jeopardy and danger for the kids. Overall, however, Glass House is just creepy and edge-of-your-seat enough to be a fun date film.

Rated PG-13
Official Website: www.sony.com/theglasshouse

Directed by: Daniel Sackheim (t.v.'s "X-Files", "Law & Order")
Screenplay by: Wesley Strick (Arachnophobia, Cape Fear)
Starring:
Leelee Sobieski as Ruby
Trevor Morgan as Rhett
Diane Lane as Erin Glass
Stellan Skarsgard as Terry Glass
Bruce Dern as Alvin Begleiter