The House of Yes

On Thanksgiving Day in 1983, Marty Pascal (Josh Hamilton), a college student at Georgetown, nervously brings his fiancée, Lesly (Tori Spelling), to his family’s sprawling estate in McLean, Virginia. This is her first meeting with his family, and the pressure is palpable as Marty has only hinted at her presence without divulging any details. As they prepare for her arrival, the family braces itself for both the impending introduction and the oncoming hurricane.

Marty’s twin sister, Jacqueline (Parker Posey), recently released from a psychiatric facility, is initially ecstatic about his visit. However, upon learning that a guest is joining Marty, she spirals into distress, showcasing signs of borderline personality disorder through erratic mood fluctuations and difficulty with change. Known affectionately as “Jackie-O,” she harbors a peculiar fascination with the former First Lady and the JFK assassination, mirroring her icon’s style and demeanor.

Living under the watchful eyes of her mother, Mrs. Pascal (Geneviève Bujold), and younger brother, Anthony (Freddie Prinze, Jr.), Jackie-O is fiercely protected. Mrs. Pascal is instantly wary of Lesly, raising the stakes of the encounter. In stark contrast, Lesly enters the situation blissfully unaware of the family dynamics, embodying the kind of “normalcy” that entices Marty and serves as an escape from his family’s chaos.

As the hurricane rages outside, Marty and Lesly find themselves trapped indoors, heightening tensions within the household. When Jackie-O meets Lesly, her façade nearly crumbles at the bathroom sink, yet, she quickly regains composure, introducing herself with a playful yet probing demeanor. She dives into discussions about Marty’s past relationships, indicating a former flame that may resurface, fueling Jackie-O’s underlying jealousy.

The shocking truth surfaces as it becomes clear that Marty’s intense past romance was with Jackie-O herself. She persuades Marty into reenacting their childhood game—a dramatization of the JFK assassination—which leads to a moment of intimacy that shatters Lesly’s world when she unexpectedly witnesses them together. In a moment of betrayal, Lesly retreats to the safety of the upstairs, only to be misled by Anthony about Marty’s supposed insecurities.

As dawn breaks with the storm’s end, Lesly confronts the family about their tumultuous night. Under pressure from Mrs. Pascal, Anthony reluctantly reveals the shocking truth about the previous evening, prompting Jackie-O to seek out a loaded gun that Marty has hidden away. In a climactic confrontation, Jackie-O implores Marty to indulge her in one last game, resulting in a catastrophic choice—she shoots and kills Anthony.

Lesly, horrified, escapes the chaos, while Jackie-O chillingly narrates a final goodbye, revealing that Marty lies buried in the backyard “next to Daddy.” The family’s legacy of turmoil and dysfunction culminates in tragedy, forever altering the lives entwined by love and madness.

Last Updated: November 02, 2024 at 13:33