Dream House
Some say that all houses have memories. For one man, his home is the place he would kill to forget. A family unknowingly moves into a home where several grisly murders were committed ... only to find themselves the killer's next target. Successful publisher Will Atenton (Craig) quit a job in New York City to relocate his wife, Libby (Weisz), and two girls to a quaint New England town. But as they settle into their new life, they discover their perfect home was the scene of the murder of a mother and her children. And the entire city believes it was at the hands of the husband who survived. When Will investigates the tragedy, his only lead comes from Ann Paterson (Watts), a neighbour who was close to the family that died. As Will and Ann piece together the disturbing puzzle, they discover that the story of the last man to leave Will's dream house will be just as horrifying to the one who came next.
The film struggled financially against its mid-range budget of $50.0M, earning $40.0M globally (-20% loss).
Plot Structure
Story beats plotted across runtime
Narrative Arc
Emotional journey through the story's key moments
Story Circle
Blueprint 15-beat structure
Arcplot Score Breakdown
Weighted: Precision (70%) + Arc (15%) + Theme (15%)
Dream House (2011) demonstrates meticulously timed narrative design, characteristic of Jim Sheridan's storytelling approach. This structural analysis examines how the film's 15-point plot structure maps to proven narrative frameworks across 1 hour and 24 minutes. With an Arcplot score of 7.7, the film showcases strong structural fundamentals.
Characters
Cast & narrative archetypes
Will Atenton
Libby Atenton
Ann Patterson
Peter Ward
Dr. Greeley
Main Cast & Characters
Will Atenton
Played by Daniel Craig
A successful publisher who quits his job to spend time with his family, only to discover his new home was the site of a murder and he is the prime suspect.
Libby Atenton
Played by Rachel Weisz
Will's wife and mother of their two daughters, who supports his career change but becomes entangled in the house's dark history.
Ann Patterson
Played by Naomi Watts
The mysterious neighbor who seems to know more about the house's tragic past and tries to help Will uncover the truth.
Peter Ward
Played by Marton Csokas
A former patient at the psychiatric hospital who becomes a dangerous threat to Will and his family's safety.
Dr. Greeley
Played by Elias Koteas
The psychiatrist treating Will who understands the truth about his fractured mental state and identity.
Structural Analysis
The Status Quo at 1 minutes (1% through the runtime) establishes Will Atenton leaves his Manhattan publishing job to move with his wife Libby and two daughters to a beautiful New England home, seeking a quieter life where he can focus on writing his novel and spend more time with his family.. Significantly, this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
The inciting incident occurs at 11 minutes when Will discovers that a man named Peter Ward murdered his wife and two daughters in this house five years ago, but was acquitted by reason of insanity. The dream house has a horrific history that was hidden from them.. At 13% through the film, this Disruption is delayed, allowing extended setup of the story world. This beat shifts the emotional landscape, launching the protagonist into the central conflict.
The First Threshold at 21 minutes marks the transition into Act II, occurring at 25% of the runtime. This illustrates the protagonist's commitment to Will decides to actively hunt down Peter Ward to confront him and protect his family. He commits to solving the mystery rather than fleeing, crossing into a investigative thriller world where he must uncover the truth., moving from reaction to action.
At 41 minutes, the Midpoint arrives at 49% of the runtime—precisely centered, creating perfect narrative symmetry. Significantly, this crucial beat Will discovers the devastating truth: he IS Peter Ward. His wife and daughters were murdered, and Libby and the children he's been living with are hallucinations. His entire reality shatters as he realizes he's been delusional, reliving a fantasy of the life that was taken from him., fundamentally raising what's at risk. The emotional intensity shifts, dividing the narrative into clear before-and-after phases.
The Collapse moment at 62 minutes (74% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, Peter realizes Ann is in danger and the real killer—Ann's ex-husband, who was obsessed with Libby and killed Peter's family in a deranged act—is still active and targeting them. The truth brings no relief, only the horror that his family is truly gone and the killer remains free., demonstrates the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.
The Second Threshold at 67 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 79% of the runtime. Peter accepts who he really is and what happened, using both his fragmented memories and Ann's help to identify the real killer. He chooses to protect Ann and confront the murderer, synthesizing his old identity as a father with his new reality., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.
Emotional Journey
Dream House's emotional architecture traces a deliberate progression across 15 carefully calibrated beats.
Narrative Framework
This structural analysis employs proven narrative structure principles that track dramatic progression. By mapping Dream House against these established plot points, we can identify how Jim Sheridan utilizes or subverts traditional narrative conventions. The plot point approach reveals not only adherence to structural principles but also creative choices that distinguish Dream House within the drama genre.
Jim Sheridan's Structural Approach
Among the 6 Jim Sheridan films analyzed on Arcplot, the average structural score is 6.8, demonstrating varied approaches to story architecture. Dream House represents one of the director's most structurally precise works. For comparative analysis, explore the complete Jim Sheridan filmography.
Comparative Analysis
Additional drama films include After Thomas, South Pacific and Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights. For more Jim Sheridan analyses, see Get Rich or Die Tryin', In the Name of the Father and In America.
Plot Points by Act
Act I
SetupStatus Quo
Will Atenton leaves his Manhattan publishing job to move with his wife Libby and two daughters to a beautiful New England home, seeking a quieter life where he can focus on writing his novel and spend more time with his family.
Theme
Libby tells Will, "This is our dream house. Our fresh start." The theme of identity, truth, and what makes a home real is introduced—foreshadowing the question of whether we can trust our own reality.
Worldbuilding
Will settles into domestic life with his family, explores the house and neighborhood, meets mysterious neighbor Ann Patterson who seems disturbed by their presence, and discovers local teenagers holding a séance in his basement claiming the house is haunted by murder victims.
Disruption
Will discovers that a man named Peter Ward murdered his wife and two daughters in this house five years ago, but was acquitted by reason of insanity. The dream house has a horrific history that was hidden from them.
Resistance
Will investigates the murders, visits the psychiatric hospital where Peter Ward was held, and discovers that Ward was released. He grows increasingly paranoid about protecting his family, while Ann Patterson watches from next door, and strange occurrences continue in the house.
Act II
ConfrontationFirst Threshold
Will decides to actively hunt down Peter Ward to confront him and protect his family. He commits to solving the mystery rather than fleeing, crossing into a investigative thriller world where he must uncover the truth.
Mirror World
Ann Patterson becomes Will's confidante and helper in the investigation. Her parallel experience as a neighbor to the tragedy and her own troubled past with her ex-husband creates a thematic mirror about trauma, truth, and moving forward.
Premise
Will pursues leads about Peter Ward, experiencing increasingly disturbing visions and gaps in his perception. The investigation deepens as he uncovers details about the murders, while his family seems to vanish at odd moments and people react strangely to him.
Midpoint
Will discovers the devastating truth: he IS Peter Ward. His wife and daughters were murdered, and Libby and the children he's been living with are hallucinations. His entire reality shatters as he realizes he's been delusional, reliving a fantasy of the life that was taken from him.
Opposition
Peter/Will struggles to accept his true identity while piecing together fragmented memories of the actual murder night. Ann helps him investigate what really happened, and they uncover evidence suggesting he may not have killed his family. External threats emerge as someone begins stalking them.
Collapse
Peter realizes Ann is in danger and the real killer—Ann's ex-husband, who was obsessed with Libby and killed Peter's family in a deranged act—is still active and targeting them. The truth brings no relief, only the horror that his family is truly gone and the killer remains free.
Crisis
Peter sits in darkness confronting the unbearable reality: his wife and daughters are dead, he's been living in delusion, and he was blamed for murders he didn't commit. He must choose between retreating into fantasy or accepting the truth and seeking justice.
Act III
ResolutionSecond Threshold
Peter accepts who he really is and what happened, using both his fragmented memories and Ann's help to identify the real killer. He chooses to protect Ann and confront the murderer, synthesizing his old identity as a father with his new reality.
Synthesis
Peter confronts Ann's ex-husband in a violent showdown at the house where his family died. He fights to protect Ann and her daughter, finally stopping the killer and clearing his own name, bringing truth to light and achieving a form of justice for his murdered family.
Transformation
Peter stands in the house one final time, no longer seeing his phantom family but accepting their loss. He says goodbye to the dream and walks away with Ann toward an uncertain but real future, transformed from a man hiding in delusion to one living in painful truth.