‘The House with a Clock in Its Walls’ Startles Before Halloween Scares

When you think of a director to adapt a children’s book, you immediately think Eli Roth. Right? I know you did…not. I didn’t think so either. And let me tell you, we’d both be wrong. Roth gives us the pre-Halloween treat in the form of The House with a Clock in Its Walls in all its spooky glory. Spooky House & Dead Parents Owen Vaccaro plays the newly orphaned Lewis Barnavelt. Lewis has been sent to live with his maternal uncle, Jonathan, played by Jack Black at his Jack Black-est in a totally kid-friendly, PG way. Lewis also meets Uncle Jonathan’s eccentric, purple-clad neighbor, Mrs. Florence Zimmerman, a pitch-perfect Cate Blanchett. Lewis learns that Uncle Jonathan and Mrs. Zimmerman are both magically-inclined but all isn’t fun and thaumaturgy. Evil is lurking with the ominous ticking of a clock hidden somewhere in the mansion’s walls.

Eli Roth captures John Bellairs with his signature darkness. He leans into the creep factor just enough to give kid-level shivers without going full horror. This balance is no doubt helped along by Black’s odd style and the occasional topiary poop joke. Black Folks in 1950 & They Ain’t Cleaning Toilets Roth’s 1955 small town Michigan is delightfully diverse. While we spend most of our time with the white characters, people of color pop up in crowds and at Lewis’ new school. We’re even treated to an epic appearance by Renée Elise Goldsberry, of Hamilton fame, that I’ll leave you to see for yourself. Oh, and Kyle MacLaughlan is in…