Documentarian Chris Smith seems to have a knack for finding really interesting and quirky common folk. His epic of a few years ago, “American Movie,” paved the way for him to explore even more unique terrain in “Home Movie.” Here, Smith explores not old 8mm reels of vacations and Christmases but rather the uniquely uncommon homes of 5 diverse individuals. Get it? “Home Movie” because it’s about people’s houses.

Here’s a look at the five:

Louisiana – A guy lives on a house, floating on the swamps. Smith, of course, can’t just show the houses. Part of the characteristics of the house is the owner and with domiciles as rare as these, we expect the owners to be, at the very least, quirky. The guy here also runs an alligator farm.

Illinois – A real interesting gadget-obsessed guy creates a house full of electronic gadgets. A sort of oddball’s “Home of the Future” for someone whose addicted to old “Popular Mechanics” magazine. In addition to making a robot that the guy takes on promotional tours and to parties, there is also a ski jump over the roof, a revolving living room, a recliner that moves like a go-cart and a toilet hidden under movable topiary. This guy also has a young woman friend whom he allows to hang out as Smith films. She wants to be an actress or a psychic but will probably remain a truck stop waitress.

Kansas – A couple live in a missile silo they have turned into a home. Opting to take a place once used for destruction and war and turn it into a warm, loving home, the hippie couple here turn it into a peaceful complex with a greenhouse in addition to the underground dwellings.

California – A couple obsessed with cats, who make their living taking cutesy pictures of cats for magazines and calendars, have remodeled their house to be more “fun” for the felines. The most humdrum of the 5 stories.

Hawaii – The most cool of all the houses, a treehouse in the rainforest. Surprisingly, perhaps, it is an older lady who lives her. She looks horrible. She’s had some bad plastic surgery years ago – or so it seems. But she’s a really unique and interesting person and getting to know her is the best treat the film has in store for us. I won’t ruin the nifty little surprises this section has in store for the audience.

Running only 70 minutes, “Home Movie” is still a jumbled mess. Smith intercuts the stories with only the most threadbare of themes to work around. Also, a couple of these stories, like the folks in the silo and the electronic gadget home, seem very familiar to me, as if I have seen these homes before on PBS or some other series. Still, Smith’s eclectic blend of people and their domiciles is intriguing. It just all seems, well, very lazy in its approach. Maybe Smith deserved a break after the hype of his last film. He takes one here.

Note:

Seen at SXSW 2002.

Report Card Content: B- Completeness: C Cinematography\Lighting: C- Special Effects\Make Up: C Music: C Final Grade: C

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