Tod Williams wrote and directed this adaptation of part of a John Irving novel. While I thought his first film, The Adventures of Sebastian Cole, was a bit over-rated, this is a very fine piece of work. Though it features several moments of the sort of unexpected humor you might associate with an Irving novel, this is largely a dark family drama set in the beautiful environs of a summer in the Hamptons. The lives of Ted (Jeff Bridges) and Marion Cole (Kim Basinger) have been slowly crumbling in the wake of an accident that killed their teenage sons. In an attempt to improve the situation Ted hires Eddie, who bears a resemblance to his sons, as his personal assistant. Events don’t go entirely to plan.
Technically, this movie is a gem. It looks gorgeous and sounds just right. Bridges and Basinger are splendid. The structure of the story really fits the tale. And I’ll note that Mimi Rogers and Donna Murphy are terrific in tiny roles. Rogers’ performance took a lot of guts, and Murphy shows just how much you can do with probably no more than a minute of screen time. Overall, it’s first-rate storytelling.
Posted by armand at December 21, 2004 10:26 AM | TrackBack | Posted to Movies