In The Bedroom 8.5/10

[Kim_EZ]

I've been wanting to see this for quite some time. Rented the DVD yesterday. I am angry, however, that there were no extras besides sneak peeks at OTHER movies. Bleh.

Anyway, the movie was about a couple - Matt and Ruth - whose college son - Frank - was dating a woman - forgot her name - separated from her husband. She has two sons...

Spoilers ahead!

SPOILERS

Frank gets killed by the woman's husband, and Ruth and Matt have to deal with their son's murderer being let loose on bail. The couple's relationship suffers as well b/c of lack of communication.

END OF SPOILERS

So yeah, a good movie that deserves its hype. I was impressed with Sissy Spacek's acting. It was great. As was the actor who played Matt. Sorry, I don't remember his name. Nick Stahl as Frank was all right. Marissa Tomei's performance was good as well. The ending (no spoilers) was kind of shocking to me. Not as in shock shock, but that they actually did what they did. I wasn't expecting it.

So give this movie a see. Despite a pretty bare bones DVD, In The Bedroom really captures you. My only other complaint is the length - 130 minutes. Some movies are just getting too long for me. ^_^;

Rating: 8.5/10

[This message has been edited by Kim_EZ (edited 08-15-2002).]

[Mike]

Thanks for your review Kim! I want to see this movie really bad and I plan on watching it tonight. I avoided your spoilers but I still think I have a pretty good idea of what will happen in the end.

[urbanlegend23]

IN THE BEDROOM
RATING: 10/10

Director: Todd Field
Starring: Tom Wilkinson, Sissy Spacek, William Mapother
Genre: Drama
Year of Release: 2001
Reviewer: urbanlegend23

I’ll just make this right to the point - I have never felt so shaken and stirred by a film since REQUIEM FOR A DREAM last year. IN THE BEDROOM is a truly amazing film experience. It is a movie that shows what emotions families and parents go through together when they lose someone very close to them. If you have yet to see this splendid picture, then I recommend stop reading this review, get your butt of the computer, see the movie, and thank me later.

This movie has basically everything that a masterpiece requires – excellent acting, fantastic first-time direction, a true-to-life and realistic script that deals with many emotions parents and married couples go through, some awesome visual choices, fine character development and a good moral and message – but I won’t tell you what it is because it might spoil the film’s amazing and unpredictable finale for you.

I think the performances in this movie are what make the movie such a riveting, raw and real treat in cinema. Sissy Spacek is very good, but I don’t consider her the best actress or performer of the year like some critics said. Her performance was still very touching and complex, and I appreciated it. Nick Stahl was hardly in the movie but I really enjoy his acting, and consider him to be one of the most underrated young actors working today. Marisa Tomei is Oscar-worthy and I thought she was nothing less than incredible as the character who everyone else seems to revolve around. However, at the end of the day Tom Wilkinson really steals the show. He has proved to me that he can do any genre and do it good (he was also in THE FULL MONTY). He was a terrific leading man and he gives what I think is probably one of the best male performances of 2001. There’s also good performances from Tom Cruise’s cousin William Mapother and Celia Weston, who touched me with a particular scene at a camp.

The screenplay for IN THE BEDROOM was nothing short of spectacular. While showing the events and many obstacles mothers and fathers come across when losing a son or daughter in the drama category, the movie’s script is also very thrilling and tense. I had to remind myself to keep breathing at times. There is also some very powerful dialogue in here, and there is one masterful scene in Wilkinson and Spacek finally talk about their feelings, and not in a calm style either. This is a wonderfully written and presented film, and the writing deserves a lot of recognition for having guts to go nowhere were any other film has gone before.

The moments of silence in the film also add to the tense and atmosphere of the picture. I also noticed the movie had a continuous eerie musical sound to it, and the score was very suitable for the movie. The cinematography for the film is also to be noted as some of the best camera-work of 2001. The camera tricks are hardly noticeable but it’s the fact that the director has the camera very still and non-visceral, but let’s face it, this isn’t exactly the happiest or cheeriest movie you’ll see.

One of the most powerful pictures I’ve come across in my film viewing time, IN THE BEDROOM is not a movie I hesitate to call a masterpiece. Many will be disappointed with its length and sometimes annoying repetitive black-out’s, but I think it was all needed to showcase the feel and message this brand spankin’ new filmmaker wanted to get across. I definitely wouldn’t be upset if this earned a Best Picture Oscar this year at the Academy Awards.

[Mike]

IN THE BEDROOM (2001)

IN THE BEDROOM was a huge disappointment. It could have been a GREAT and powerful film but fails miserably. I really enjoyed the first hour but the last hour bored the shit out of me and the ending was nowhere near as powerful as I thought it would be. All of the fading to black annoyed the crap out of me. But even worse than that was how 10 second conversations would be stretched out to last 10 minutes. I swear it took 2 minutes for these people to spit out one fucking word.

The trailer was great but IN THE BEDROOM is nowhere near as great of film as it could have and should have been. I was expecting so much more. If you want to see a movie that will make you go "in the bedroom" and go to sleep then this is that movie.

Grade: 5/10 or C- or **1/2 of *****

[Sad man]

In the Bedroom (9.5/10)

When I first saw this movie at a really small theater full of old people I was very dissapointed. I thought it was a total pointless boredom and my rating back then was a 5/10. When it came out on dvd I had my doubts about seeing it again, but I'm glad I did. Maybe it was that I was comfortable in my bedroom, so I could pay more atention or something, I don't know what it was, but I really loved the movie. I've seen it four or five times by now and it's still growing on me. It's a really powerfull and human movie. The direction by Todd Field is amazing and deserved an Oscar nomination. The acting was flawless, Sissy Spacek, Nick Stahl and Tom Wilkinson were great. But my favourite was the lovely Marisa Tomei. I was so pissed that that stupid bitch Jennifer Conelly took the Oscar home for her performance in the lame A Beautiful Mind (5/10). But anyway, this was a great and touching movie that I love a little bit more every day. I have to get the dvd. Talking about the dvd, I was surprised that you say the dvd has no features. Well the one here has a trailer, recommendations, cast and crew info, making-of and interviews. It's a pretty good dvd IMO.

[urbanlegend23]

Sad man, thats harsh against Jen Connelly! Why did you call her a bitch? And how can you not think her performance in A Beautiful Mind was FANTASTIC?

Reiterating, I loved this film. It was so well done and treated the aftermath of death with seriousness and sympathy. I loved seeing the journies the characters go through and how they change over time. I love everything about this film, and never found it boring. I must get the shitty DVD soon!

[Sad man]

I know Urban. I don't think Jen is a bitch, I have nothing against her, I do like her, I thought she was the best thing about A Beautiful Mind. I was just pissed because In the Bedroom deserved at least ONE award. And A Beautiful Mind took them all. :(

Talking about this movie makes me wanna see it again. After I check out some independent and foreign movies I've been wanting to see I'll see it again.

[ilovemovies]

I thought it was damn near great until the movie the movie devolves into a revenge thriller at the end. Still, there are some powerful moments and Tom Wilkinson gives an unforgettable performance.

7/10