Released in 2001, The Glass House is a psychological thriller directed by Daniel Sackheim and starring Leelee Sobieski as Ruby Baker, a teenager whose life spirals into danger and suspicion after the sudden death of her parents. While the film received mixed critical reviews, it has since gained a minor cult following, in large part due to Sobieski’s gripping and mature performance at the heart of the story.
The plot follows Ruby and her younger brother Rhett (played by Trevor Morgan), who are placed in the care of family friends Erin and Terry Glass (Diane Lane and Stellan Skarsgård) after their parents’ fatal car accident. At first, the Glasses’ luxurious Malibu home—cold, modern, and ominously transparent—seems like a strange but welcome refuge. However, it doesn’t take long for Ruby to notice unsettling behavior. Terry Glass is aggressive, secretive, and clearly battling addiction, while Erin appears to be detached and emotionally fragile.
Leelee Sobieski anchors the film with a performance that elevates its otherwise conventional script. As Ruby, she conveys a rare combination of teenage vulnerability and sharp intuition. Her eyes often carry the weight of fear and resolve, and she manages to make the audience feel the walls closing in as the plot unfolds. The thriller aspects may follow genre tropes, but Sobieski’s performance adds real emotional tension and stakes.
The visual design of the Glass house itself is one of the film’s strongest elements. Its open architecture and stark modernity become a metaphor for the dangerous transparency of the new guardians’ motives—there are no curtains to hide behind, no walls to feel safe. The cinematography often emphasizes glass reflections, turning the seemingly idyllic setting into a prison of light.
While critics at the time found the plot predictable and its villains one-note, The Glass House remains memorable as a sleek thriller with an undercurrent of psychological unease. It's also a standout example of early 2000s teen suspense films, where young protagonists are forced to grow up quickly in hostile environments.
