Krazy House: A Midnight Madness of Sitcom Mayhem and Moral Abandonment
Steffen Haars and Flip van der Kuil's “Krazy House” proved to be every letter of its name by setting the bar higher with a crazy, zany and most times shocking journey that encapsulates Sundance’s midnight programming spirit. This is an English-language debut from Dutch directing pair which turns 1990s sitcom nostalgia into a blood drench nightmare of subversive nightmares that will either make viewers laugh like maniacs or run in terror.
The set then focuses on Bernie Christian (Nick Frost), a clumsy housewife who is emasculated when his attempts to create normal family life turn into the invasion of Russians. The exasperated wife Eva is played by Alicia Silverstone who together with Frost complete the parody of a typical TV family.
“Krazy House” happily dismantles the sitcom format, beginning with those same old tropes – laugh tracks, catchphrases and pratfalls – before moving through violence and profanities to moral breakdown. Admirable commitment to this idea makes for surreal viewing experience akin to surfing through nightmares.
Both Frost and Silverstone really go for it in their roles, though it's actually Frost who stands out as he goes from Ned Flanders-like do-gooder to unhinged action hero. Acting adds up this craziness including Russian home breakers who are very scary.
Nevertheless, “Krazy House” can’t be recommended for faint hearts and overly sensitive people. It revels in going too far across boundaries joyously breaking rules while simultaneously adding more of splatter guts as well as shock value. What starts out as smart satire on family sitcoms ends up (or rather downgrades) being an offense against morality and good taste.
While some audiences might appreciate its unbridled approach and commentary on American Dream’s dark side, others may find it tiresome or repulsive. Its humor and violence keep escalating at such a high speed that one may get used to that and even be overdone for such feature-length presentation.
In the end, “Krazy House” is a divisive experience that fully embraces its status as a midnight movie. It is a work which forces you to forget about your moral compass and give in to its crazy logic. For those who are willing to try, it offers a fresh deranged approach on some clichés which may become cult hits someday. Others will go out wondering if they have just left a bright nightmare.
Whether or not one loves it, Krazy House is doubtlessly an idiosyncratic vision – a gonzo exploration of sitcom conventions stretched to breaking point and beyond. This is the kind of film that takes up Sundance’s midnight slots: daring, audacious and completely mad in sticking to lunacy.