#21. In the Bedroom [2001]: As I move further down my list, I still find myself being saddled with great ambivalence over where certain movies are ranked. After all, these are all great movies (at least in my estimation), so choosing one over the other can be quite difficult, if not tedious. I say all of this now because I’m realizing as I write this that In the Bedroom is a force as a movie. It has all the characteristics of a great film: great writing, a great story, strong acting, and a few surprises.
In the Bedroom is a story of tragedy and subsequent grief. Set in a small town in Maine, Matt and Ruth Fowler are a married couple, troubled by their young son Frank’s (Nick Stahl) relationship with the older Natalie (Marisa Tomei). [Spoiler Alert] Consternation turns into something far worse when Frank is suddenly killed by Natalie’s jealous estranged husband in a bout of lover’s rage. As this happens early on, the movie turns to the emotions that consume both Matt and Ruth (played by Tom Wilkinson and Sissy Spacek, respectively). Both Spacek and Wilkinson are at their usual best as they struggle dealing with the rage behind the death of their son. With this loss, Matt and Ruth are forced to look inward at each other and their relationship to find answers.
In the end, there’s a little bit of everything in this movie. Directed wonderfully by Todd Field, In the Bedroom offers real emotion, suspense, and the type of acting you don’t get very often in a movie; a definite must see.
I watched it again like 3 nites ago. Tragic fantastic film, and interesting that there is almost a complete lack of a score in the film but it works.
While I cant disagree with these picks as they come out, I had no idea you were such a artsy prick when it came to movies. I am wondering if this isnt Hoyer ghost writing these reviews.