🎯 Quick Overview
Trailer
- Director: D.J. Caruso
- Genre: Drama, Horror, Thriller
- Release year: 2016
- Runtime (length): 1h 31min
- IMDb rating: 3.9/10 (11K votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes: 4%
😅 Plot Summary – Badly Explained
Woman buys a fixer-upper, finds a spooky room, and then can’t decide if she’s being haunted or just needs a better therapist…or maybe both?
🍿 The Disappointments Room: Detailed Plot Synopsis
Relocation and Trauma
Dana, David, and their son Lucas relocate to a remote manor in North Carolina, seeking a fresh start after the tragic loss of their infant daughter. Dana, an architect, is drawn to the historic house but is haunted by grief and unsettling visions. The move is intended to heal their family, but the house’s dark history begins to unravel.

The Discovery of the Hidden Room
Dana discovers a hidden, locked room in the attic that is not on the house’s blueprints. Her curiosity piqued, she finds the key and enters, triggering a series of increasingly disturbing events. The room becomes the focal point of her nightmares and visions, blurring the line between reality and illusion. The room’s presence suggests secrets and a history that the house has kept concealed.

Unraveling the Past
Dana researches the history of the house and discovers the existence of ‘disappointments rooms’ in old rural homes – spaces where families hid children with disabilities to avoid social shame. She learns that the original owner of the house, Judge Blacker, imprisoned his disabled daughter in the hidden room. As she delves deeper, Dana is haunted by the spirits of Judge Blacker and his daughter, and she struggles to discern reality from her own fractured psyche.

⚠️ Spoilers and Ending Explained
🎬 Cast & Characters
- Dana Barrow (Kate Beckinsale): An architect haunted by the death of her daughter and disturbing visions after moving to a new home.
- David Barrow (Mel Raido): Dana’s husband, who struggles to understand his wife’s deteriorating mental state and the strange occurrences in their new house.
- Lucas Barrow (Duncan Joiner): Dana and David’s young son, who is put in danger by the haunting and his mother’s instability.
- Judge Blacker (Gerald McRaney): The malevolent spirit of the house’s original owner, who is connected to the horrors of the disappointments room.
- Ben (Lucas Till): A handyman hired to work on the house who becomes entangled in the family’s troubles.
💬 Memorable Quotes
- Dana Barrow: “See, it’s gone unchecked for a while.” – Dana says this to Ben, the handyman, when discussing the disrepair of the house, foreshadowing the deeper, hidden problems.
- Ben: “Lucky it didn’t cave. Lucky I stopped by when I did.” – Ben’s comment highlights the dangerous state of the house and hints at his potentially ulterior motives.
💰Box Office
- Budget: $15,000,000
- Domestic Gross: $2,423,468
- Worldwide Gross: $5,745,040
💥 The Disappointments Room Reviews
Personal Review
Honestly, I went in expecting a decent haunted house flick, but ‘The Disappointments Room’ just felt…unfinished. The premise was creepy, and Kate Beckinsale did her best, but the plot threads just hung there, unresolved. I was left scratching my head more than jumping out of my seat. The dinner scene with the weird old ghost guy was definitely bizarre, though. Overall, it felt like a missed opportunity.
- Who would enjoy:
- “Fans of Kate Beckinsale”
- “Viewers interested in gothic horror”
- “Those who enjoy movies with psychological themes”
- Content warnings ⚠:
- “Grief and trauma”
- “Violence”
- “Disturbing imagery”
- “Themes of child abuse”
- “Animal death”
Professional Reviews
- FandomWire: “While Beckinsale delivers a committed performance, ‘The Disappointments Room’ suffers from a muddled plot and uninspired scares. It hints at a deeper psychological thriller but ultimately fails to deliver, leaving viewers feeling more bored than terrified. The historical context of “disappointments rooms” is intriguing, but not fully explored.
- ComicBookMovie.com: “‘The Disappointments Room’ squanders its intriguing premise with a predictable plot and lackluster scares. The movie throws in clichés without any new ideas and this could’ve been a solid psychological horror thriller, but the choppy editing and lack of scares makes it a forgettable watch.
- IMDB User Review: “This movie is the equivalent of flat skunk beer. Any processes that were once teaming with life are now dead and baking in the sun, making your patio smell like cat p***. There’s nothing resembling the ponderous hubris of Warner Bros’s DCEU or the desperate ‘love me, please’ attitude of Independence Day: Resurgence (2016).
Audience Reactions
Some found Kate Beckinsale’s performance to be the only saving grace of the film.: Viewers appreciated the gothic setting and the potential of the historical ‘disappointments room’ concept but felt it was poorly executed.
Overall Consensus: Generally considered a disappointing horror film with a weak plot, despite decent performances and an intriguing premise.
Awards
🛠️ Behind the Scenes
- “The film was shot in Greensboro, North Carolina.”
- “Two buildings in downtown Greensboro were refinished to resemble New York City for some scenes.”
- “Several scenes were cut from the movie, including a flashback party scene, leaving the theatrical release feeling disjointed.”
🖥️ How to Watch The Disappointments Room?
As of [Date], “The Disappointments Room” is available for rent or purchase on various platforms, including Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, and Vudu. Check your local listings for streaming availability and purchase options, as availability may vary by region. You can also find DVD and Blu-ray copies at major retailers.

🎥 Similar Movies
If you enjoyed The Disappointments Room, you might like these similar films:
- The Others (2001): Both films explore themes of grief, isolation, and haunted houses with unsettling twists.
- The Changeling (1980): Features a similar plot about a grieving protagonist who moves into an old house and uncovers a dark secret involving a child.
- What Lies Beneath (2000): Suspenseful thriller about a woman experiencing paranormal events in her home, leading to the discovery of a dark secret.
🛒 The Disappointments Room Related Products
- Haunted Mansion DVD: Enjoy another haunted house movie! Experience classic horror with this chilling ghost story.
- Gothic Horror Novel Collection: Explore classic Gothic horror novels with this collection. Dive into tales of suspense, mystery, and the supernatural.
- Victorian Style Dollhouse Miniature: Create your own miniature haunted mansion with this Victorian-style dollhouse. Intricate details and spooky charm!
- Ghost Hunting Kit: Investigate paranormal activity with this ghost hunting kit! Includes EMF reader, EVP recorder, and more.
🎧 Soundtrack
The Disappointments Room features a captivating soundtrack that enhances the movie’s atmosphere and emotional impact. Here are some notable tracks:
- “Introduction/If You Want To Know Who We Are” – performed by APM Music
- “Various Unlisted Compositions” – performed by Brian Tyler
You can find the complete soundtrack on Amazon Music and Apple Music.
🤨 FAQ
A disappointments room, historically, was a hidden room in wealthy homes used to conceal children with disabilities or deformities from public view. They were a symbol of shame and societal stigma in the 19th century.
While the film is not based on a specific true story, the concept of ‘disappointments rooms’ is rooted in historical practices. The film uses this historical element as a backdrop for a fictional horror narrative.
The film follows a family who moves into a new home and discovers a hidden room with a dark history. The mother, grappling with past trauma, is haunted by the room’s secrets and struggles to distinguish reality from illusion.
🔥 Bonus Content
Kate Beckinsale Smoking in The Disappointments Room
Want a quick peek at Kate Beckinsale in ‘The Disappointments Room’? This short clip gives you a vibe of the movie – I thought her performance looked pretty intense!
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