George Monroe (movie character)

George Monroe (portrayed by Kevin Kline) is a character and the central figure in the movie "Life as a House". He is the father of Sam Monroe (Hayden Christensen), the ex-husband of Robin Monroe (Kristin Scott Thomas), and the protagonist of the film. George is diagnosed in middle age with terminal cancer and is forced to confront the meaning of his life at a very difficult stage in his life. He is divorced from the one true love of his life (Robin, now remarried), his son (Sam) is rebelling in every way possible, and in one of the opening scenes of the movie, he loses the job that he's had the 'privilege' of hating for decades.

George plots a new course

When George suffers an episode of his disease, he is briefly touched on his face by a concerned nurse, who worries that his lack of physical contact is detrimental to him. This brief contact reminds George of the importance of the warmth and caring he has been missing in his life, and he resolves to regain them, for his own good as well as that of the people around him. George decides to construct the house he's been fantasizing about for years (even going as far as generating drawings, constructing models and getting building permits). This will provide him the opportunity to raze his old tainted life, create a beautiful new life's work, and enforce some private time with his son by conscripting his son's help on the project.

Construction of a life/house begins

After forcefully demanding that his son help him in the project, without informing anybody why it's important to him, George begins first demolishing the old shack on the property, then constructing the wonderful new residence. Sam is reluctant to help at first but joins in when he finds himself short of cash. The hard work proves beneficial to both father and son; George feels the rush of creativity in his final moments, and Sam explores the rewards of hard work and begins to experience the intimate connection he's been missing so badly. Even Robin pitches in, grateful both for the meaning her son is discovering and for the opportunity to exert herself in a positively creative act.

Relationships blossom

George tells Sam about his father's struggle with alcoholism, including the accident which killed George's mother and father, as well as another couple, leaving the other couple's little girl orphaned and crippled. George finds that his plan of reconnecting with Sam works perhaps too well, and is forced to 'come clean' by admitting his disease to Sam. Sam, unaccustomed to the vulnerability of being so closely intimate with someone, is shattered by the news, and retreats just as George's condition worsens. Meanwhile, Robin finds solace in the simple honesty of her newly rekindled relationship with George, and the two rediscover the connection that had faded years before. George once again finds it necessary to share the news of his mortality, this time with Robin. Robin is rattled by the news but is able to handle it much better than Sam does.

Life and death

Sam comes to grips with the devastating news of George's condition, and goes to see George in his hospital room while George's health slips away. He wheels George's bed over to the window to see the Christmas lights he's attached to the almost-finished house, making it sparkle in the winter air. George whispers, "Finish it, Sam!" and Sam, unable to respond verbally, nods in response.

George and Robin share one final moment together before George passes away. Sam is broken up by the news when Robin gives it to him, but his newfound confidence and belief in himself see him through.

Generosity and atonement

The final scene in the movie cuts between aerial shots of the now complete, incredibly beautiful house, with George's voice overdubbing on the importance of living one's life fully, and shots of Sam and Robin approaching a lady in a wheelchair in a mobile home park. Sam introduces himself to the lady in the wheelchair. As the shot cuts away and pans back from the house to reveal the million-dollar view of the oceanfront cliff the house is located on, Sam's voice is heard to say, "My father built you a house........."