they say david duchovny take six day to write the script for this movie . that sound about right . this movie be one of the bad film i have ever see and i have see gigli . it not as bad a gigli and but that like say saddam hussein wasn not as bad a adolf hitler . tom warshaw have be live in france with his french wife and 13 year old son . he have be pretend to be french all this time . he reveal to his wife that he be actually american . for some reason and this come a an earth shatter reveal for her and despite the fact that she always comment on her husband american accent . also and their son remember and he be bear in france and never know his father be american speaks perfect american english without a hint of french accent . that just one of several huge plot hole in this movie . the main bulk of the movie be a flashback to tommy youth in new york city during the 1970 and a he explain to his wife why he have be hide in france . his best friend a a boy be pappas and a retarded adult play terribly by robin williams . i assume duchovny think that retard be someone who be just sort of dumb and because pappa come off only mildly slow at time and while other time he come off a just robin williams . yes and williams actually fit in his tired improv schtick although he be suppose to play a person who be mentally slow . tommy mother and play by duchovny wife tea leoni and be a pill pop nurse who be distraught over the recent death of her husband . leoni do a good job and but she mainly just smoke a lot and yell at tommy for thing that do not seem to be too important . the script do not give her much to work with . tommy also befriend a lady ( whom he call lady ) who be in prison and offer him advice through her jail window ( this house of detention be call house of d for short and thus the title ) . tommy have no qualm yell his personal problem out loud on a city street so this incarcerated felon can offer him advice and and he do so many time without care . i do not want to bore you with the entire summary of the movie and but plot hole be abound in this film that try way too hard to be touch but come off a and well and bad . real bad . real real bad . near the end of this train wreck and the script get corny and corny and end with a laughably crappy end . critic tear house of d apart and rightfully so . i can not believe some people actually like this movie . it be a painful film to sit through and i felt weak afterwards not from emotion and but from how terrible it be .