Pete Davidson faces haunting secrets in ‘The Home’, a chilling but uneven ride from ‘The Purge’ creator

Pete Davidson trades laughs for screams in ‘The Home’

Known for his offbeat humor, Pete Davidson takes a dark turn in The Home, a horror-thriller directed by The Purge creator James DeMonaco. The film centers on a troubled man who uncovers terrifying secrets inside a retirement facility.

It’s a moody, eerie departure from Davidson’s usual roles, offering him a chance to show emotional range and confront literal and figurative ghosts.

A retirement home like no other

Set inside a decrepit nursing home with too many locked doors and too few answers, The Home builds its suspense through creeping paranoia. The elderly residents aren’t just frail, they’re hiding something.

As Davidson’s character peels back the layers, he uncovers a sinister link between his past and the home’s gruesome history. The setting becomes a character of its own, claustrophobic, decaying, and deeply haunted.

James DeMonaco blends horror with psychological unease

Director James DeMonaco, best known for The Purge franchise, trades in political dystopia for psychological dread. The Home doesn’t rely on gore; it thrives on slow-burn tension and buried trauma.

DeMonaco creates unease not just with scares, but with emotional tension. This isn’t just a haunted house story; it’s a meditation on memory, guilt, and the monsters we inherit.

Davidson’s performance is raw, but the story wobbles

Critics are divided on the film’s overall execution. While many praised Davidson’s hauntingly grounded performance, the narrative itself drifts at times, losing momentum midway.

Still, the film’s ambition is clear; this isn’t another scream-fest. It’s a genre experiment that asks more than it answers. And for Davidson, it marks an important shift in how audiences may see him going forward.

Trauma takes center stage in the horror

At the heart of The Home is a story about trauma. Davidson’s character, Max, is a man scarred by abandonment and unanswered questions from childhood. The horror comes not just from the ghosts, but from memories he can’t escape.

As Max dives deeper into the home’s hidden past, he also faces a reckoning with his own. It’s horror with an emotional backbone, not just jump scares.

Atmospheric tension outweighs cheap thrills

DeMonaco relies on shadows, silence, and strange behavior to build dread. Rather than chase traditional horror beats, the film leans into eerie stillness. Whispers through walls and flickering lights do more than sudden screams ever could.

It’s a slow burn, and sometimes too slow, but the atmosphere lingers. For fans of psychological horror, this film offers mood over mayhem.

A surprising commentary on aging and neglect

Beneath the scares, The Home quietly explores America’s treatment of the elderly. The facility is rundown, forgotten by the world, and its residents are more than just side characters; they carry decades of unresolved pain.

This layer gives the film unexpected depth. It’s not just about what’s hiding in the basement; it’s about the isolation of being left behind when the world moves on.

Max’s unraveling keeps the audience guessing

Davidson plays Max with jittery energy and heavy emotional weight. The line between reality and hallucination blurs as he becomes more immersed in the home’s secrets.

Viewers are left to wonder if he’s discovering something real or if he’s spiraling under pressure. That psychological ambiguity becomes one of the film’s most effective tools, keeping the audience just as unsteady as the protagonist.

Horror fans split on the slow pacing

Some horror buffs praised the eerie pacing of The Home, comparing it to A24-style thrillers that emphasize dread over blood. Others, however, found the film too slow and lacking payoff in its third act.

It’s a classic case of style over scare. While the film delivers atmosphere and mood, it may disappoint viewers expecting more traditional thrills or a climactic twist.

A haunted house story with a personal twist

Unlike typical haunted house tropes, The Home places the protagonist’s backstory at the center of the mystery. Max isn’t just passing through; he has roots in the building’s dark past.

This personal connection deepens the stakes and gives the film emotional complexity. It’s not just about surviving the supernatural; it’s about confronting the buried truths that brought him there.

Supporting cast adds subtle intensity

While Davidson carries the emotional weight, the film’s supporting cast brings quiet tension to every scene. Elderly characters are portrayed with depth and mystery, their roles unfolding like puzzle pieces.

Their ambiguous intentions keep Max, and the audience on edge. You’re never quite sure who’s a threat, who’s a victim, and who’s been hiding secrets for far too long.

DeMonaco’s signature social edge peeks through

Though The Home isn’t overtly political like The Purge, DeMonaco still weaves social commentary into the background. The neglect of elder care, trauma cycles, and generational silence all echo louder than the scars.

The film asks: What happens to people when society forgets them? In answering that, it quietly critiques how systems, both personal and institutional, fail the vulnerable.

Davidson proves he’s more than just comic relief

In The Home, Pete Davidson sheds his signature humor for a raw, haunted performance. While his timing and presence still carry, there’s a noticeable depth that fans haven’t seen before.

This isn’t slapstick, it’s survival. His portrayal of Max shows range, restraint, and a willingness to confront emotional discomfort. It’s a career pivot that may surprise even his biggest skeptics.

The ending divides viewers

The film’s finale offers some answers, but leaves others in eerie silence. Some viewers felt satisfied by the emotional closure, while others wanted more clarity from the mystery.

DeMonaco seems to prioritize psychological resolution over narrative neatness. It’s an ending that invites discussion, not applause, subtle rather than shocking, and more emotional than explosive.

Could this be the start of a darker chapter for Davidson?

With The Home, Davidson may be signaling a shift toward more serious roles. The reception suggests that audiences are ready to see him stretch beyond comedy and into darker, more vulnerable material.

If this performance is any indicator, he’s capable of navigating both genres. The question now is whether future projects will build on this momentum or pull him back to his comfort zone.

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Final verdict: Unsteady, unsettling, and unexpectedly human

The Home isn’t a flawless horror film, but it’s a fascinating one. Its uneven pacing and ambiguous storytelling might frustrate some, but others will be drawn to its emotional core.

At its best, it’s not just about what haunts us, it’s about who we become when we’re haunted. And in that sense, it’s as much about healing as it is about horror.

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This slideshow was made with AI assistance and with human editing.