I guess we really should have had another child...
Set in a small fishing town on the American east coast, this film deals with the effect of the tragic loss of a child. A middle-aged couple has high hopes for their only son, expecting him to become an architect. He, however, has fallen in love with a married-but-separated woman with two little kids. Her husband, son of the local industrialist, does not take kindly to her new love, and things take a dramatic turn. When the court case proves disappointing, the tension between the parents forces them to face some hidden truths about themselves. It is difficult to summarise this film without revealing too much. Rest assured that it features fine performances, and is best suited to a mature audience -- youngsters are likely to be bored.
Tom Wilkinson, Sissy Spacek, Nick Stahl, Marisa Tomei, William Mapother, William Wise, Celia Weston, Karen Allen, Frank T. Wells, W. Clapham Murray, Justin Ashforth
Director
Todd Field
Screenplay
Robert Festinger, Todd Field, from a story by Andre Dubus
Music
Thomas Newman
Cinematography
Antonio Calvache
Sound formats
Dolby Digital
Soundtrack
Not available
Made in
2001
Produced by
Good Machine, Standard Film Company Inc.
Ratings
Scale (Max)
20
South African Media
The MoviesiteIan Douglas
12
Cape ArgusDerek Wilson
15
The StarTanya Farber
18
Die BurgerGabriël Botma
10
TygerburgerMariana Malan
10
Sunday TimesBarry Ronge
10
International Media
eye Weekly (Canada)Kim Linekin
15
Box Office (USA)Annlee Ellingson
13
ReelViews (USA)James Berardinelli
20
Film Review (UK)Jason Caro
20
Empire (UK)Chris Hewitt
15
Internet (IMDB)3186 Netizens
16
Average .. 73%
15
Visitor Comments
Ian Douglas: While the film features great performances from the two leads, and the script demands a certain level of intelligence from the viewer, I found it somehow emotionally lacking. Since there is a lot of emphasis on the reactions of the characters, and how they dealt with the tragedy, it sometimes feels as if the film is moving slowly, while in fact lots of things happen off-screen and off-script. Probably really best suited to an older audience, even older than me...
