In the Bedroom
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Movie Reviews of In the Bedroom
Movie Review: The movie to keep out of the bedroom
Summary: 5 Stars
This is one of the finest power dramas released in 2001. "In the Bedroom" digs deep into the characters' emotions rather than the action. The lack of musical score gives it that extra raw edge, which is especially necessary in the violent scenes. The movie environment makes the characters look like ordinary people rather than supermodels with a tough life. More movies should do this.Sissy Spacek makes a triumphant comeback as a mother whose son is murdered. Tom Wilkinson brilliantly plays her revenge seeking husband. Their conflicts give "In the Bedroom" the extra realism that it needs. Few know that many couples have these marital problems in this situation. The duo proves that they researched these issues before filming as did Marisa Tomei for her role as a mother of two who witnesses her boyfriend's murder. Tomei's extra demand is performed wonderfully when her character's abusive soon-to-be ex-husband stalks her. Nick Stahl's lack-of-media-credit role proves that he'll perform bigger roles in the next few years.
"In the Bedroom" was well-deserving of its five Oscar nominations and a Golden Globe win(Sissy Spacek-Best Actress). This is a wonderful movie for those who are looking for an emotional drama. Some may have to watch it a second time to further understand the theme. Either way, one will not be disappointed.
Movie Review: Powerful drama--one of the best of 2001
Summary: 5 Stars
What would you do if your son died a violent death at the hands of a man you know? What if you yourself, a doctor whose entire life is devoted to healing, were known throughout your community as a gentle man, an upholder of civil order?This multi-layered drama poses not only this question, but several more. What happens when there's a lack of communication between close family members and a devastating event occurs? What do you do with anger that has been fomenting for many years and now finds it has no choice but to burst forth because of what has happened?
This is a long movie, but the powerful emotional vortex that forms as the movie progresses pulls you into it so deeply that it is a completely riveting experience. With a script this great, it's equally great to see such powerhouse performances. Sissy Spacek is a marvel. Her character's husband, played by Tom Wilkinson, a British stage actor, is superb. Marisa Tomei is perfectly cast as the young woman who, with the older couple, are at the center of the vortex. She's brilliant.
The actors who play the killer and the victim are also excellent, as are the supporting cast. This is a drama of emotional and moral choices in the extreme, and its power will stay with you LONG after the movie is over.
One of the very best of 2001, and definitely deserving of several Oscar nominations.
Movie Review: Look beyond the ending
Summary: 5 Stars
When I saw this movie, at the very end there were a lot of people who said in so many words, "Is that it?" They couldn't believe that they were going to be expected to think through this movie and provide their own "ending". And yet, for me, that's what makes this movie so overwhelming and powerful. I, for one, was glad that the ending didn't wrap things up neatly. Instead, it came across to me as if the end of the movie was, in reality, only the beginning. What this couple chose to do in response to the horrible tragedy that befell them was, in effect, to set in motion all kinds of "endings" that the viewer is completely free to imagine. One thing is for certain: they didn't live happily ever after! When one gives in to violence, then one can expect that violence will be the end-result; to live by the sword is to die by the sword! You may be one who likes movies to end cleanly, i.e., with the result given to you. But if you like to think, to ponder, to reflect on the very nature of the human condition, then this film is for you! I'm only sorry that the Academy didn't see it as did I; all the actors, the director, and the producer deserved Oscars for their efforts. This film will stick in my mind for years to come, so much so that it will be one of only a handful that I will purchase on video of DVD for my collection. Please, see it!Movie Review: "No words, yet so loud"
Summary: 5 Stars
This is amongst the most quietly intense films one is ever likely to see. Forget about plot and storytelling. The attractions here are as un-Hollywood as one can get. It uses ,instead, the power of silent suggestion to evoke a response from the viewer. Each gesture, each look, each gaze displayed by the pricipal actors, is pregnant with meaning. I disagree with those who say that the film challenges your intellect. The performances, the cinamatography, the script, they are all geared towards eliciting an intuitive, not an intellectual response. The photography in this film is not often remarked upon, but I think each frame of the house interior is a perfectly composed picture of American domesticity. The visuals do not exist for their own sake; often they suggest emotional desolation and solitude. One particular technique simply blew me away: sometimes the screen fades into utter blackness, lasting just a little too long than is common in movies, which is a simple but effective way making us feel the emptiness the characters feel. The movie, then, is very much like a painting; it leaves a lot for your imagination, it suggests rather than shows, it demands complete attention. The whole tenor of the movie is perfectly encapsulated in a line by Sissy Spacek's character: "No words, yet so loud"...Movie Review: In The Trap
Summary: 5 Stars
2001 was a banner year for film noir, with "The Man Who Wasn't There", "Mulholland Dr.", "Memento", and Richard Dutcher's "Brigham City." Add to these Todd Field's "In The Bedroom" which I finally saw this week. It's a meticulously constructed, suspenseful film where every line of dialog and shot has significance. It concerns Sissy Spacek (who pulls off a tricky performance that may get her another Oscar), an upper-middle-class woman whose promising college age son becomes involved with a working-class older woman (Marisa Tomei) with a couple of young kids and a glowering soon-to-be ex-husband. There are some surprises to be had, including a screeching big one right in the middle of the movie which I shall not reveal (although many critics ignorantly have.) Suffice it to say that the moral fault (or responsibility) is not where you initially think it is. The film is based on a short story by Andre Dubus, an explicitly Catholic writer. At one point in the film a priest offers a vision of faith as as healing and redemptive force (which is sadly not accepted). The movie is ultimately about the absolute necessity of faith and forgiveness for spiritual survival in the face of the most extreme, murderous human situations. Think of it as a Catholic companion to Dutcher's "Brigham City."