The House of Tomorrow (2017 film)

Last updated
The House of Tomorrow
The House of Tomorrow poster.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed byPeter Livolsi
Screenplay byPeter Livolsi
Based onThe House of Tomorrow
by Peter Bognanni
Produced byTarik Karam
Danielle Renfrew Behrens
Starring
CinematographyCorey Walter
Edited by
  • Brian Williams
  • Alexander Short
Music by Rob Simonsen
Production
companies
Superlative Films
Water's End Productions
Distributed by Shout! Studios [1]
Release dates
  • April 8, 2017 (2017-04-08)(San Francisco)
  • April 20, 2018 (2018-04-20)(United States)
Running time
85 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$8.6 million
Box office$6.9 million

The House of Tomorrow is a 2017 American independent comedy-drama film written and directed by Peter Livolsi and starring Asa Butterfield and Alex Wolff. [2] The film is based on the 2010 novel of the same name, by Peter Bognanni, a literature professor at Macalester College, [3] in Saint Paul, Minnesota. [4] It is Livolsi's directorial debut. [5] Co-stars Ellen Burstyn and Nick Offerman served as executive producers of the film. [6]

Contents

Plot

Sebastian Prendergast lives in a geodesic dome, a dated tourist museum, called the House of Tomorrow with his futurist grandmother, Josephine. Sebastian longs to leave his isolated existence which quickly changes when he meets Jared Whitcomb, a young nascent punk rocker with a heart replacement, and his sister Meredith. Inspired by Jared to rebel, Sebastian is induced to steal an electric bass guitar and join Jared in forming a punk rock group.

Cast

Production

The some of the film was shot in Minnesota: Robbinsdale, St. Michael, North Branch, St. Paul, and the Dennis Odin Johnson Geodesic House. [8] [9] [10] According to Maude Apatow, the film was shot in 18 days. [7]

Reception

The film has a 75% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 36 reviews with an average score of 6.27/10. The website's critics consensus reads: "Familiar yet endearing, The House of Tomorrow is a well-told coming-of-age comedy that marks an auspicious if not indispensable debut from writer-director Peter Livolsi." [11] Colin Covert of the Star Tribune awarded the film four stars. [12] Leah Greenblatt of Entertainment Weekly graded the film a B. [13] Jeffrey M. Anderson of Common Sense Media gave the film three stars out of five. [14] Both Susan Wloszczyna of RogerEbert.com and Barbara VanDenburgh of The Arizona Republic gave it three stars. [15] [16] Wes Greene of Slant Magazine awarded the film two and a half stars out of four. [17] Joe Friar of The Victoria Advocate awarded the film three stars out of four. [18]

Sheri Linden of The Hollywood Reporter gave the film a positive review, calling it "a confident and perfectly cast debut feature." [2]

Robert Abele of TheWrap also gave the film a positive review and wrote, "what makes the movie organically enjoyable outside of its expected direction is that the manifestation of Sebastian's and Jared's mutually beneficial attachment is, in Livolsi's hands, a delicate simmer instead of a sentimental splash, and tended to with plenty of deadpan wit and honest feeling." [19]

Walter Addiego of the San Francisco Chronicle gave the film a negative review and wrote "Part of what's missing in The House of Tomorrow is the acerbic punk spirit that inspires its two heroes, which could have been remedied by a sharper script." [20]

References

  1. Busch, Anita (13 November 2017). "Shout! Factory Launches Shout! Studios, Acquires Three Films For Release". Deadline Hollywood . Retrieved 10 June 2018.
  2. 1 2 Linden, Sheri (8 April 2017). "'The House of Tomorrow': Film Review; San Francisco 2017". The Hollywood Reporter . Retrieved 11 August 2017.
  3. Covert, Colin (2018-06-01). "Burstyn brought personal touch to Minnesota-made movie". Portsmouth Herald . Tribune News Service. Retrieved 18 July 2025.
  4. Catsoulis, Jeannette (26 April 2018). "Review: Punk and Futurism Collide in 'The House of Tomorrow'". The New York Times . Retrieved 10 June 2018.
  5. Ehrlich, David (12 April 2017). "Asa Butterfield and Ellen Burstyn Star In 'The House Of Tomorrow,' A Sweet Retro-Futurist Coming-Of-Age Story — SF Film Festival Review". IndieWire . Retrieved 11 August 2017.
  6. Harvey, Dennis (8 April 2017). "Film Review: 'The House of Tomorrow'". Variety . Retrieved 11 August 2017.
  7. 1 2 Mullen, Matt (April 27, 2018). "Maude Apatow knows why we're obsessed with teen culture". Interview. Retrieved May 12, 2024.
  8. Johnson, Dennis Odin; Johnson, Janet (1981). "Domes Come True" (PDF). Natural Spaces Domes. Plan Natural Places. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 6, 2024. Retrieved 18 July 2025.
  9. Mumford, Tracy (27 July 2016). "Nick Offerman, Ellen Burstyn film "The House of Tomorrow" in Minnesota". Minnesota Public Radio . Retrieved 30 August 2017.
  10. Hewitt, Chris (22 August 2016). "Minnesota-shot, Macalester-rooted movie aims for Sundance". St. Paul Pioneer Press . Retrieved 10 June 2018.
  11. "The House of Tomorrow". Rotten Tomatoes . Retrieved 22 May 2025.
  12. Covert, Colin (24 May 2018). "Minnesota-based 'House of Tomorrow' is a home for introspection today". Star Tribune . Retrieved 10 June 2018.
  13. Greenblatt, Leah (27 April 2018). "The House of Tomorrow is a sweet punk-rock coming-of-age story: EW review". Entertainment Weekly . Retrieved 10 June 2018.
  14. Anderson, Jeffrey M. "The House of Tomorrow". Common Sense Media . Retrieved 10 June 2018.
  15. Wloszczyna, Susan (27 April 2018). "The House of Tomorrow". RogerEbert.com . Retrieved 10 June 2018.
  16. VanDenburgh, Barbara (26 April 2018). "'House of Tomorrow' cute, if not punk, teenage tale of friendship". The Arizona Republic . Retrieved 10 June 2018.
  17. Greene, Wes (23 April 2018). "The House of Tomorrow". Slant Magazine . Retrieved 10 June 2018.
  18. Friar, Joe (27 April 2018). "Review: 'The House of Tomorrow' is a coming-of-age drama set amidst a punk rock backdrop". The Victoria Advocate . Retrieved 10 June 2018.
  19. Abele, Robert (20 April 2018). "'The House of Tomorrow' Film Review: Wry, Heartfelt Coming-of-Age Indie Mixes Buckminster Fuller and Punk". TheWrap . Retrieved 10 June 2018.
  20. Addiego, Walter (22 May 2018). "'House of Tomorrow' starring Asa Butterfield a predictable tale of teen rebellion". San Francisco Chronicle . Retrieved 10 June 2018.