House Arrest is a 1996 comedy film. The film was directed by Harry Winer who has directed other films but is more prolific as a television series director. The film stars Jamie Lee Curtis and Kevin Pollak. The film boasts a very thorough supporting cast in Christopher McDonald, Wallace Shawn, Jennifer Tilly, Ben Stein, and an up-and-coming Jennifer Love Hewitt.
The film was released on August 14, 1996 and went on to gross only over $7 million at the box office. The film was panned by many critics which could explain its low take at the box office.
The film was shot at various locations in the U.S. states of California and Ohio. Monrovia, California was the location for several exterior house scenes while most interior shots were done at the CBS/Radford lot in Studio City, California. The story was set in Defiance, Ohio, although another town, Chagrin Falls, Ohio, actually doubled for it.
The film begins by showing the Beindorfs, Janet (Jamie Lee Curtis), Ned (Kevin Pollak), Grover (Kyle Howard), and Stacy (Amy Sakasitz), a supposedly happy family living a typical family life in the suburbs. It is revealed that Janet and Ned are not happy and in fact separating although they tell their children it is not a divorce. Grover and Stacy first try to recreate their parents' honeymoon in the basement of their house but this fails to bring any happiness into their relationship. The children then leave the basement telling their parents they must get another surprise for them upstairs. They go up, close the door, and nail it shut. They vow to keep it shut until their parents work out their problems.
Well there's gonna be a party gonna make some noise
Yeah we're invitin' all the girls - invitin' all the boys
There'll be dancin' on the tables dancin' on the chairs
Ya there'll be dancin' in the parkin' lots
And up and down the stairs - alright
Close the windows - lock the doors
Turn it up now - pack the floors
Cops are on the outside - landlord's on the phone
Quick turn out all the lights
Pretend there ain't nobody home!
It's a house arrest - everybody run
I gotta plead guilty havin' - too much fun
This is a house arrest - up against the wall
We can't stop rockin' justa havin' a ball - One and all
Won't you come around to my place
Don't cha know it's overdue
You gotta bring your little lady wear your dancin' shoes
Get a Yellow Taxi - take a limousine
You gotta get there - it's gonna be a scene
it's too late can't wait - get out while you can
It was fun while it lasted let's do it all again
It's a house arrest - everybody run
I gotta plead guilty havin' - too much fun
This is a house arrest - up against the wall
We can't stop rockin' justa havin' a ball
One and all
We bin wakin' up the neighbours
Bouncin' off the walls
Hangin' off the ceilings
We'll be dancin' in and out of the halls!
This is a house arrest everybody move
Gotta plead guilty gonna raise the roof
I can't bend my arms and legs please sign my cast or be without me.
And I'll see the day when you can come to my house and play with me.
See you in the morning.
Can't you see I'm grounded.
Underground, go crazy afterall because it's ok for kids.
We all know, just plain and simple, nothing ever goes my way.
And I'll see the day, and I'll kill the day, the day.
And I'll see the day when you can come to my house and play with me.
See you in the morning.
Can't you see I'm grounded.
Underground, go crazy afterall because it's ok for kids.
Well there's gonna be a party gonna make some noise
Yeah we're invitin' all the girls - invitin' all the boys
There'll be dancin' on the tables dancin' on the chairs
Ya there'll be dancin' in the parkin' lots
And up and down the stairs - alright
Close the windows - lock the doors
Turn it up now - pack the floors
Cops are on the outside - landlord's on the phone
Quick turn out all the lights
Pretend there ain't nobody home!
It's a house arrest - everybody run
I gotta plead guilty havin' - too much fun
This is a house arrest - up against the wall
We can't stop rockin' justa havin' a ball - One and all
Won't you come around to my place
Don't cha know it's overdue
You gotta bring your little lady wear your dancin' shoes
Get a Yellow Taxi - take a limousine
You gotta get there - it's gonna be a scene
it's too late can't wait - get out while you can
It was fun while it lasted let's do it all again
It's a house arrest - everybody run
I gotta plead guilty havin' - too much fun
This is a house arrest - up against the wall
We can't stop rockin' justa havin' a ball
One and all
We bin wakin' up the neighbours
Bouncin' off the walls
Hangin' off the ceilings
We'll be dancin' in and out of the halls!
This is a house arrest everybody move
Gotta plead guilty gonna raise the roof
This is a house arrest...!
Hear the clock ticks
like the bombs
of history
jail time
ticking outside
they keep us treading the lines
the stocks and figures
hands shake
then triggers
powers-that-be
clean up
the waste of our dreams
all your trends,
back ends
and we all know what it means
I walk this wasteland with you
but it's the least I can do
I walk this wasteland with you
and it's the least I can do
and they say
give it time
while we stand
in the lines
our anthems
diluted to bind us
trapped in this cage
it defines us
a fairer future
these flags we burn
in the name
of 'civilization'
repression
unlearn
I walk this wasteland with you
but it's the least I can do
I walk this wasteland with you
but it's the least I can do
All the lines
yesterday went by
All the lines
yesterday went blind
this toxic nerve
release us
this toxic nerve
release us
this toxic nerve
release
and get us the
fuck out of here
I walk this wasteland with you
but it's the least I can do
I walk this wasteland with you
but it's the least I can do
I walk this wasteland with you
I walk this wasteland with you
I walk this wasteland with you
Park Lane Green it`s saturday night
West End Central flashing lights
We`ve come to dance the night away
U.V. dry ice and DJ
Speaker pump that devil sound
Everybody`s getting down
Moonwalk over to the gents
Exit Zombie money spent
Speaker pump that devil sound
Everybody`s getting down
Moonwalk over to the gents
Exit Zombie money spent
Turnstile toilets I joined the queue
Drinks at the bar drugs in the loo
I entered Jekyll and came out Hyde
Mister Chevignons inside
Bouncers Bimbos Lager louts
Zombie dancefloor bugging out
Ball outside the night is still
Smiley moves in for the kill
Bouncers Bimbos Lager louts
Zombie dancefloor bugging out
Ball outside the night is still
Smiley moves in for the kill
Cops and dogs in transit vans
At 4 o`clock we raid clubland
T for Tango through the door
First us two and then you four
West End Central flashing lights
Park Lane Green it`s saturday night
We`ve come to dance the night away
U.V. dry ice and DJ
Speaker pump that devil sound
Everybody`s getting down
Moonwalk over to the gents
I've been doing so much time inside my mind
My head is my cell behind the bars of my eyes
Tomorrow has a bitter fucking taste
Like Prisoners we wear these chains,
We're innocent and we're through
With rules that say be home at 12.
They can't tell us what to do.
They tell when it's safe to be
Out in our community.
We know the rules,
We disagree
We'll stay out late tonight.
Many opportunities
Are wasted when authority
Takes away our right to be
Ourselves, doing what we do.
So if an when I'm doing wrong
Just save your rules
And play along.
Quit your acting so uptight
'Cuz we are staying out tonight!
They'll tie us down!
(but I don't care!)
They'll stay home!
(but we're going everywhere!)
They'll tie us down !
(but I don't care no more!)
We've still got so much time
Before we're forced to live like you.
Our time to choose not to live our lives
You're content to do the same thing everyday
I'm not but it happens anyways
same old shit, same old time old friends and the same old rhymes
powers that be have got a twitted sense of humour, am I right?
you find it hard to sleep
I know, I've been there before
I'm running on coke and coffee
nothing more than a simple test
a simple test, a simple test
can I keep my eyes open
well I've been there before
and now I wait here patiently
you keep me going when I got no motivation, it's true
with the wind behind my sails
happy birthday to the friends I've never met
and I've been there before
only about a billion times or so
and she took me anyways
and I'll thank her for the rest of my days