In the Bedroom (2001)

Director:

Todd Field

Writers:

Andre Dubus (story)
Robert Festinger (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

11 January 2002 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama

Tagline:

A young man. An older woman. Her ex-husband. Things are about to explode...

Plot:

A New England couple's college-aged son dates an older woman with two small children and an unwelcome ex-husband. Then something terrible occurs in this wrenching, emotional drama.

Plot Keywords:

Maine | Doctor | New England | Murder | Small Town

Awards:

Nominated for 5 Oscars. Another 27 wins & 41 nominations

Cast

Tom Wilkinson	...	Matt Fowler
Sissy Spacek	...	Ruth Fowler
Nick Stahl	...	Frank Fowler
Marisa Tomei	...	Natalie Strout
William Mapother	...	Richard Strout
William Wise	...	Willis Grinnel
Celia Weston	...	Katie Grinnel
Karen Allen	...	Marla Keyes
Frank T. Wells	...	Henry
W. Clapham Murray	...	Carl
Justin Ashforth	...	Tim Bryson
Terry A. Burgess	...	District Attorney
Jonathan Walsh	...	Father McCasslin
Diane E. Hamlin	...	Davis' Assistant
Camden Munson	...	Jason Strout

MPAA:

Rated R for some violence and language.

Runtime:

130 min | USA:138 min (Sundance Film Festival)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Iceland:14 | Iceland:16 (video rating) | Malaysia:18PL (uncut version) | Malaysia:U (cut version) | USA:TV-MA (TV rating) | Singapore:NC-16 (re-rating) | Singapore:PG (cut) | Netherlands:16 | Argentina:13 | Australia:MA | Brazil:14 | Canada:14A | Finland:K-11 | France:U | Germany:12 | Hong Kong:IIA | Norway:15 | Peru:14 | Spain:13 | Sweden:11 | Switzerland:14 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:14 (canton of Vaud) | UK:15 | USA:R | Philippines:R-18

Filming Locations:

Belfast, Maine, USA

Company:

Good Machine

Trivia:

The poems quoted during Willis Grinnel's two poker parties are William Blake's "Auguries of Innocence" and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's "My Lost Youth", respectively.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: The camera lens is plainly visible in the shot of Matt Fowler driving in his car.

Quotes:

Natalie: [walks up to Ruth] Oh, I was hoping we could talk.
[pauses]
Natalie: I wanted to tell you how truly sorry I am
[pauses again]
Natalie: and if there's ever anything I can ever do... to-to talk with you.
[long pause]
Natalie: [Ruth hits Natalie across the face, Natalie screams, and Ruth goes back to work, and Natalie walks off in shock and sadness]

Movie Connections:

Remade as Viruddh... Family Comes First (2005)

Soundtrack:

Baby I Love Your Way

wow...pay attention for Sissy Spacek's name at this year's Oscars...

So simple. So honest. So heartbreaking. I dare you to see this movie and not go through a self-invasive, heartfelt understanding for the familial and emotional conflicts these characters go through. one of the best films shown at Sundance, hands down. Not a movie for the emotionally squeamish...brutally powerful... Violent, excruciating truth and beauty...the raw emotional power imbued into the scenes with Wilkinson and Spacek are Oscar-worthy. Marisa Tomei finally gets a role worthy of her talent since My Cousin Vinny. Utterly unforgettable, and a slam-dunk certainty for some kind of oscar, whether screenplay, acting, or directorial.

Wow.