Pete Davidson is a prominent media figure these days, famed as much for his celebrity romances and offscreen antics as he is for his comedic performances. But unfortunately, this serves to undermine a stand-up style that, while it does explore the usual frat boy gags, is coupled with a fierce honesty and searing vulnerability in no small part due to the death of his fireman father on September 11. Starting out as one of the youngest ever of the SNL crew, Davidson initially veered into film with a bit part in Judd Apatow’s 2015 Trainwreck before moving into blockbusters, including Guardians of the Galaxy 3 and The Suicide Squad. He’s no stranger to horror either, recently taking a key role in the (relatively low-budget) 2022 film Bodies Bodies Bodies, and now the lead in James DeMonaco’s, The Home. 

Let’s be clear - there’s nothing remotely original about The Home. But when it comes to horror that’s not generally a problem. Especially when it comes from the creator (and in most cases writer and director) of the Purge franchise, returning to the bosom of his favourite genre following the critical panning of 2021 comedy-drama This is the Night. So while it may be interesting to see something creatively unique, we horror fans routinely find ourselves joyfully going back for more of the same - it’s what draws many of us to the genre in the first place, and with someone with DeMarco’s pedigree at the helm, it was reasonable to have high expectations. But alas, while a lack of innovation may not be the issue, what is is the fact that this film tries to be all things to all men and instead ends up a confused mess. Slasher, supernatural, occult, body horror – everything has been thrown in the pot here. And while I don’t always agree that less is more, in this case, more is definitely not more.

The basic premise is simple. Max, played by Davidson, is an affable tearaway sentenced to community service at a retirement home with the strict instruction not to venture to the fourth floor - code for this is where the action is and Max’s inevitable destination. Alarm bells literally scream from the off – hushed talk of ‘procedures’, shady staff, and some good old-fashioned out and out crazy behaviour; all of which is of course, explained away. But like a good anti-hero Davidson isn’t easily deterred and is soon putting himself and everyone in the home’s lives in jeopardy.

For whatever criticism he may have received, I enjoyed Davidson’s performance. He does the don’t-give-a-shit, undeterred wise mouth pretty well. And the cast is impressive – plenty of recognisable faces if not household names. John Glover (with a CV a long as your arm), Ethan Phillips from Inside Llewyn Davis, Bruce Altman from Running Scared. They all put in delightfully hammy performances making for quite the spectacle but if the reviews are anything to go by, I probably enjoyed The Home more than most.  It’s utterly ridiculous, goes off the boil in places, and sometimes pushes the boundaries of stupidity – agreed; but it was fun in that way horror should (sometimes) be. There’s plenty wrong with this film, but it’s by no means a pass.