7.3
Viewer Rating
Combines user and critic ratings from four sources
Drama • 2003 • 126 min • Adults (18+)
House of Sand and Fog (2003)
House of Sand and Fog (2003)
Overview
Behrani, an Iranian immigrant buys a California bungalow, thinking he can fix it up, sell it again, and make enough money to send his son to college. However, the house is the legal property of former drug addict Kathy. After losing the house in an unfair legal dispute with the county, she is left with nowhere to go. Wanting her house back, she hires a lawyer and befriends a police officer. Neither Kathy nor Behrani have broken the law, so they find themselves involved in a difficult moral dilemma.
Starring Cast
Jennifer Connelly • Ben Kingsley • Ron Eldard
Where to watch
Rating & Dimensions
Bias Rating
Analyzing...
Center
Political: Center
Diversity: Moderate
Race Swap: Yes
Islam: Positive
Viewer Rating
7.3
Overview
Behrani, an Iranian immigrant buys a California bungalow, thinking he can fix it up, sell it again, and make enough money to send his son to college. However, the house is the legal property of former drug addict Kathy. After losing the house in an unfair legal dispute with the county, she is left with nowhere to go. Wanting her house back, she hires a lawyer and befriends a police officer. Neither Kathy nor Behrani have broken the law, so they find themselves involved in a difficult moral dilemma.
Starring Cast
Jennifer Connelly • Ben Kingsley • Ron Eldard
Where to watch
Detailed Bias Analysis
Analyzing...
Center
Primary
Political: Center
Confidence: High
The film meticulously balances the perspectives and legitimate claims of both protagonists, resulting in a tragedy that transcends specific political ideologies and instead focuses on universal themes of desperation, dignity, and the failure of empathy, leading to a neutral rating.
Diversity: Moderate
Confidence: Medium
The movie features a cast diverse in ethnicity, central to its narrative of cultural conflict between an Iranian immigrant family and a white American woman. The story explores the tragic consequences of misunderstandings and systemic failures, portraying characters from all backgrounds with nuance rather than explicitly critiquing or negatively framing traditional identities.
Secondary
Race Swap: Yes
Confidence: Medium
Massoud Amir Behrani, a central character canonically established as Iranian (Middle Eastern), is portrayed by Ben Kingsley, an actor of English and Indian descent. This constitutes a race swap as Middle Eastern and South Asian are generally considered distinct racial categories.
Islam: Positive
Confidence: High
The film portrays the Behrani family's Muslim faith and cultural values with respect and depth. Their devotion and adherence to traditions are presented as integral to their identity and dignity, eliciting audience sympathy despite the tragic events. The narrative humanizes their struggles without critiquing their religion.
LGBTQ: N/A
Confidence: High
The film "House of Sand and Fog" does not feature any identifiable LGBTQ+ characters or themes. The narrative focuses entirely on a property dispute and the complex, tragic interactions between its heterosexual protagonists, offering no depiction of queer identity.
Trans: N/A
Confidence: High
The film "House of Sand and Fog" does not feature any identifiable transsexual characters or themes. The narrative focuses exclusively on a property dispute and its tragic consequences for the involved families, with no elements related to transgender identity.
Female Combat: N/R
The movie does not contain any action or adventure elements.
Gender Swap: No
Confidence: High
This film is a direct adaptation of the novel by Andre Dubus III. All main characters, including Kathy Nicolo, Massoud Amir Behrani, and Lester Burdon, retain the same gender as established in the original source material. No characters canonically established as one gender were portrayed as a different gender in the film.
Viewer Rating Breakdown
User Ratings
7.5
7.2
Critic Ratings
7.4
7.1
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