Home Is Where the Killer Is (3/5) – Netflix Movie Review

HOME IS WHERE THE KILLER IS is out on Netflix now. If you enjoy over-the-top thrillers with plot twists and feisty characters, then it’s a fun Netflix watch. Also, it surprises in many positive ways – several times. Read more in our full review of Home Is Where the Killer Is here!

Home Is Where the Killer Is is a new thriller on Netflix. It’s very much a TV movie kind of thriller which you know means a lot of over-dramatic moments and plot twists that are both predictable and crazy. In other words, some people will enjoy this one while others will hate it on sight.

However, when it comes to Home Is Where the Killer Is I was very pleasantly surprised. Everytime something stereotypical or predictable happens, the reactions are not what you would expect. So, just as you get ready to roll your eyes, get ready for the characters to react with the same irritation you’re feeling. I absolutely loved that about this new thriller on Netflix!

Check out our full Home Is Where the Killer Is review below to find out if this is for you!

A very soapy cast

A lot of wonderful actors began by doing soap operas – and some started doing soap operas later on. I have no problem with soap operas at all since they often have the craziest plots. Also, their main goal is simply to entertain. However, when a cast consists mainly of soap opera actors, then I always get a bit nervous.

In the case of Home Is Where the Killer Is, I had no reason to be nervous at all. 

We have Kelly Kruger and Stacy Haiduk playing the two leads and they are awesome. Okay, especially Stacy Haiduk, but that’s in part because she has the role of the villain in this story. Both previously worked on The Young and The Restless among several other soap operas. They’ve done plenty of work outside of soap operas as well.

Kelly Kruger guest-starred on prime time series such as Bones and Entourage and more recently on iZombie. Stacy Haiduk was in the Sharp Objects miniseries based on Gillian Flynn’s book. Also, she’s played recurring characters on popular series such as Heroes, True Blood and Prison Break.

Finally, we have Richard Speight Jr. who hasn’t done soap operas, but a lot of other TV series. Including a recurring character on Supernatural over a period of more than ten years. Recently, he was also in the horror movie Death House – read our review of it here >

The ending of Home Is Where the Killer Is

I won’t get into the specifics of the Home Is Where the Killer Is ending. However, often the only way to tell how good a movie is, comes down to the ending. In the case of this new thriller on Netflix, even the ending worked for me.

I will say that the final scene of Home Is Where the Killer Is was a bit too easy for me. Or maybe “easy” isn’t the right word for it. I just thought the scenes leading up to the ending could’ve used a bit more of an open ending. Then again, it’s absolutely possible to create a sequel to Home Is Where the Killer Is and I would definitely watch it.

Home Is Where the Killer Is has an ending that needs no explanation. In other words, if you hate movies with very open endings, you should be happy with the ending of Home Is Where the Killer Is.

Watch Home Is Where the Killer Is on Netflix now!

Kaila York is the director of Home Is Where the Killer Is. This is directorial debut for Kaila York, but she already has her next movie in post-production, which is also a thriller. Even though she hasn’t directed before, she has been working in filmmaking for the past decade. She’s merely been focused on producing up until this point.

One of the movies she produced was the thriller mystery Deadly Switch, which is also on Netflix.

You might like: Our review of the Netflix thriller Deadly Switch here >

The screenplay for Home Is Where the Killer Is was written by Christina Welsh. This is the fourth screenplay produced by Christina Welsh, who debuted with the drama fantasy If Only starring Jennifer Love Hewitt.

Home Is Where the Killer Is was a very positive surprise for me. I loved the acting, which was suitably over-the-top when necessary but never became too much. Also, I loved the unexpected (and very realistic) reactions of the characters. Check out this thriller on Netflix, if you like movies like Misery and Dolores Claiborne. This isn’t at that level, but the potential is there!

Home Is Where the Killer Is is out on Netflix in the US, Australia and South Africa from October 9, 2019.

Details

Director: Kaila York
Writer: Christina Welsh
Stars: Stacy Haiduk, Kelly Kruger, Richard Speight Jr., Kristoff St. John

Plot

Recovering from cancer, a young woman thinks she’s found a friend when she rents a room from a caring ex-doctor. But empathy soon becomes obsession.