Will Ferrell and Amy Poehler are both comedic actors who got their starts on Saturday Night Live. Ferrell first rose to prominence in the mid-1990s as a cast member on SNL, which quickly made him a household name and set the stage for a successful film career with memorable turns Elf (2003), Anchorman (2004), Talladega Nights (2006), Blades of Glory (2007), Step Brothers (2008), among many enduring comedy classics.

Amy Poehler, on the other hand, joined Saturday Night Live as a cast member in 2004, where she also served as Weekend Update co-anchor with Tina Fey until 2008. Poehler went on to star as Leslie Knope in the sitcom Parks and Recreation from 2009 to 2015, cementing her reputation as one of television’s most beloved comedic stars.

Beyond SNL, Poehler has often teamed with Tina Fey, including on the movies Mean Girls (2004), Baby Mama (2008), Sisters (2015), and Wine Country (2019). However, it’s Amy Poehler’s forgotten comedy with Will Ferrell that is now surging on streaming.

The House Surges On Streaming

The House is surging on streaming. Directed by Andrew Jay Cohen, who co-wrote the script with Brendan O’Brien (the duo best known for co-writing 2014’s Neighbors), the 2017 comedy film follows Will Ferrell and Amy Poehler as a couple who start an underground casino in their friend’s home to raise money for their daughter’s college tuition.

In addition to Will Ferrell and Amy Poehler, the film features several other recognizable comedic stars, such as Jason Mantzoukas, Ryan Simpkins, Nick Kroll, Allison Tolman, Rob Huebel, Michaela Watkins, Jeremy Renner, Cedric Yarbrough, Sam Richardson, Randall Park, Alexandra Daddario, Sebastian Maniscalco, and many more.

Now, eight years after its release, The House ranks third on HBO Max’s Top 10 movies in the United States for today, August 25. It ranks below Final Destination Bloodlines, The Serial Killer’s Apprentice, and above Death of a Unicorn, Alien: Covenant, Freaky Tales, The Legend of Ochi, War on Everyone, Get a Job, and The Nun.

Our Take On The House’s Streaming Success

Ultimately, The House is a forgotten comedy for good reason. The House reviews panned the film for wasting its promising premise and strong cast on shallow characters and a lack of comedic drive, earning dismal 20% and 35% scores on Rotten Tomatoes. The film also flopped at the box office, making just $34 million against its $40 million budget.

Despite its recent streaming surge, The House remains a reminder of wasted potential, leaving it as little more than a curious misstep in the otherwise accomplished careers of Will Ferrell and Amy Poehler.