When did Pete Davidson become the type of actor you could slot into just about any role? Actually, pretty much from the beginning of his movie career.
Unlike another former SNL goofball who has a movie out this week (Adam Sandler), Davidson has made a point to challenge himself with roles that aren’t just variations of the comedic persona that he put out during his years on the show. Even in the very funny semi-autobiographical King of Staten Island, he found moments to allow drama and genuine emotions to creep in, and the result was commendable. But look at his work in Bodies Bodies Bodies, Meet Cute, Dumb Money, or Riff Raff from earlier this year, and you’ll see performances that are varied and solid. And he’s still got the splashy action-comedy The Pickup, opposite Eddie Murphy, coming out in just a couple weeks.
Directed and co-written by James DeMonaco (who wrote and directed three of The Purge movies, including the original), The Home finds Davidson in mostly serious mode as troublemaking 20-something Max, who grew up in a foster home and continuously gets into trouble with the law. As a result of his most recent run-in, he is sentenced to community service at a seemingly quiet, high-end retirement home run by Dr. Sabian (Bruce Altman), whose only real instructions are to stay away from the fourth floor where the residents require “special care.” But after hearing screaming from the highest floor through the facility’s vents, naturally Max gets curious and decides to go exploring, where he finds a room full of dead-eyed, drooling, near-catatonic patients, one of whom attacks him.
Outside of that incident, Max gets along great with the other residents and staff, and it seems he’s finally found something he’s good at and can stay out of trouble doing. The great character actor John Glover plays one of the more memorable patients, and if for no other reason, The Home succeeds at shining a light on a group of older actors whom you’ve probably seen in other works over the decades but never quite learned their names.
As the film goes on, strange things begin to happen to Max, some of which he thinks occur only in his dreams. They all seem to have connections to his past, including the death of an older foster brother with whome he was especially close. And the more he digs, the deeper the mystery of what exactly is going on in this facility and on the fourth floor becomes. It also becomes more disturbing (if you’re particularly grossed out by eye trauma, you might want to sit this one out). Suffice it to say, Davidson is truly put through it in this movie.
Throughout the film, Davidson is required to get emotional and act particularly terrified, and he does so quite convincingly. I wouldn’t say The Home is especially scary but it does maintain a certain creepy undertone that’s quite effective, and the threats to Max seem genuine, even if they are a bit out there. And once again, I came out of a film starring Pete Davidson excited to discover what else he’s capable of as an actor. I hope he never completely leaves behind his goofball persona (and based on a couple recent talk show appearances, it would appear he has not), but I like this version of him as a performer, if only because you’re never quite sure what you’re going to get from him.
The film is now playing in theaters.
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