Review | Home Sweet Home movie review: Aaron Kwok in psychological mystery that awkwardly squanders its ingenious plot
- Leste Chen’s film presents a similar premise to Korean movie Parasite – sadly, his web of mystery unravels almost as quickly as it materialises
- Its clever plot is squandered by a script that keeps it secret for too long – and when revealed, doesn’t know what to do with it
1.5/5 stars
Taiwanese filmmaker Leste Chen Cheng-tao’s Home Sweet Home presents a remarkably similar premise: a wealthy family that isolates itself from society within the confines of a palatial home, while an outcast from the lower classes skulks in their basement. The similarities between the two films end there, however, as Chen spins a web of psychological mystery that unravels almost as quickly as it materialises.
At the heart of this movie lies an admittedly rather ingenious plot, squandered by a script that keeps it secret for too long – and when revealed, doesn’t know what to do with it.
It would be remiss to divulge its intricacies here; suffice to say that it complements the central theme that appearances can be deceptive and nothing should be taken at face value. Sadly, Chen will have lost most of his audience long before his smart climactic conceit can be appreciated.
