The story of Open House and its home-invasion premise
Open House follows a mother and son who've just moved into a new house, only to find themselves under siege by mysterious, threatening forces that seem to emanate from within their own walls. The setup isn't entirely unfamiliar—home-invasion horror has spawned plenty of effective entries in the genre—but the film struggles to develop either genuine tension or compelling character motivation for the menaces that confront its protagonists. What should've been a claustrophobic nightmare instead plays as a series of disconnected, poorly explained incidents that never quite cohere into a coherent narrative.
Behind the making of Open House and its Netflix release
Open House was written and directed by Matt Angel and Suzanne Coote, making their feature debut with this Netflix original, which premiered on the platform on January 19, 2018. The film stars Dylan Minnette (best known for his role in the Netflix series 13 Reasons Why), Piercey Dalton, Sharif Atkins, Patricia Bethune, and Aaron Abrams, a cast with solid television credits but limited feature-film pedigree at the time of production. Netflix's investment in original horror content during this period was aggressive—the streamer was building out its genre library with mixed results—and Open House landed squarely in the mixed-to-disastrous category. The production itself came together with modest resources and ambitions, but neither the budget nor the creative vision translated into a film that worked. There's no MPAA rating listed, though the content suggests an R-rating would've been appropriate. The film received no major award nominations or recognition, which speaks volumes about its reception in both critical and industry circles.
What makes Open House struggle where it should shine
Here's the thing about Open House: it's not that the film lacks ambition, but rather that the ambition never finds a clear target. The performances are competent—Minnette carries the film with the kind of earnest commitment you'd expect from a young actor trying to anchor a feature—yet they're working with a script that doesn't give them much to work with. What's striking is how the film can't decide whether it's a supernatural haunting story, a psychological thriller, or a slasher narrative, and that indecision undermines every scene. The pacing drags in stretches where momentum should be building. The antagonists remain frustratingly opaque; you're never quite sure what they want or why they're targeting these particular people. Critics weren't kind. The film landed with an IMDb rating of 3.8 out of 10, and audiences were equally unforgiving—Netflix's own metrics reportedly showed poor engagement and retention. What's frustrating is that the core concept could've worked. Home-invasion horror, when done right, taps into primal anxieties about safety and violation. But Open House doesn't trust its own premise enough to sit with those feelings. Instead, it throws random threats at the screen and hopes something sticks. It doesn't.
Where to stream Open House online
If you're curious enough to give Open House a shot despite its reputation, you can find it on Peacock. The film's availability shifts across platforms over time, so checking Movie OTT for current streaming locations is always the smart move—the site tracks where titles are available right now, saving you from the frustration of hunting through your subscriptions. Peacock's library includes plenty of other horror content worth your time, though you might want to queue up something else for after Open House wraps up.
Frequently asked questions
Q: Who directed Open House?
The film was written and directed by Matt Angel and Suzanne Coote, marking their feature-film directorial debut. It was released as a Netflix original on January 19, 2018.
Q: Where can I watch Open House?
Open House is currently available to stream on Peacock. Movie OTT's where-to-watch widget at the top of this page shows all platforms where the film is currently streaming.
Q: What's the IMDb rating for Open House?
The film has an IMDb rating of 3.8 out of 10, reflecting widespread critical and audience disappointment upon its release.
Q: Who stars in Open House?
The cast includes Dylan Minnette, Piercey Dalton, Sharif Atkins, Patricia Bethune, and Aaron Abrams. Minnette carries much of the film as the son caught in the mysterious events.
Q: Is Open House based on a true story?
No, Open House is an original screenplay written by the film's directors. It's a fictional home-invasion horror story, not adapted from real events.
Final thoughts on Open House
Open House remains a textbook example of how streaming platforms' volume-over-quality approach can backfire. It's not offensively terrible—nobody's going to cite it as "so bad it's entertaining"—but it's a forgettable, frustrating watch that squanders its premise and cast. If you've got a couple of hours and a taste for horror that doesn't quite land, it's harmless enough. But there's so much better horror available on Peacock and elsewhere that you'd be better served spending your time there. Sometimes a film's poor reception tells you everything you need to know.