Bodies, Rest & Motion (1993)

Nick is a feckless television salesman who gets fired and impulsively decides that he and his girlfriend, Beth, will move to Butte, MT, which he's read is "the city of the future." "I read ... See full summary »

Director:

Michael Steinberg

Writers:

Roger Hedden (play), Roger Hedden (screenplay)

Stars:

Phoebe Cates, Bridget Fonda, Tim Roth

1 win & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Phoebe Cates	...	Carol
Bridget Fonda	...	Beth
Tim Roth	...	Nick
Eric Stoltz	...	Sid
Alicia Witt	...	Elizabeth
Sandra Ellis Lafferty	...	Yard Sale Lady (as Sandra Lafferty)
Sidney Dawson	...	TV Customer
Jon Proudstar	...	Station Attendant
Scott Johnson	...	Chip
Kezbah Weidner	...	Dine Woman
Peter Fonda	...	Motorcycle Rider
Amaryllis Borrego	...	Waitress
Rich Wheeler	...	Elizabeth's Grandfather
Scott Frederick	...	TV Store Kid
Warren Burton	...	Radio Preacher (voice)

Storyline

Nick is a feckless television salesman who gets fired and impulsively decides that he and his girlfriend, Beth, will move to Butte, MT, which he's read is "the city of the future." "I read that a while ago, so the future should be there by now," he enthuses. He waits until the last moment to tell Carol, his ex and Beth's best friend, about the move. While Nick is working his last day, Sid comes to the couple's house to paint it for the next tenants. He quickly develops an interest in Beth. He, Beth, and Carol get stoned and hang out. When Sid hears about the move, he tells Beth that he's never left Enfield, and has no interest in traveling. Meanwhile, Nick decides to take off on his own. When Beth gets word of this from Carol, she finds solace in Sid's arms. Sid proclaims his love the next morning, and implores Beth to stay. Meanwhile, Nick visits his childhood home, looking for his parents, has an epiphany, and decides to return to Carol.

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Plot Keywords:

friend | stoned | love | salesman | sex scene | 

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Taglines:

A romantic comedy about four people caught between loving and leaving.

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Genres:

Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language and sexuality

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

9 April 1993 (USA)

Also Known As:

Arba Nishimot, Arba Tnuoat

Filming Locations:

Casa Grande, Arizona, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$2,500,000 (estimated)

Gross:

$764,083 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Fine Line Features, August Entertainment, Mindel-Shaw Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

95 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

In the scene when Peter Fonda arrives on his motorcycle and asks Tim Roth if the phone works, Bridget Fonda is actually hiding in the back seat of the car Roth is in. If you look very closely, for a second you see a small blue patch behind the seat for a second as Roth is sitting up. The same color of the t-shirt Bridget wore in the Arizona scenes. In the audio commentary on the DVD, director Michael Steinberg explains, "Bridget wanted to be in a shot with her father. Of course you can't see her at all. She's ducked down behind in the back seat, but I guess it was not since Easy Rider that they'd been in a film together."

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Goofs

Driving toward home after his last day at work in Enfield, Nick passes the same American flag twice.

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Quotes

Sid: You've got a *subtle* tan.
Carol: Why thank you.
Sid: Do you wanna get stoned?

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Connections

References Powaqqatsi (1988)

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Soundtracks

"Pushin' Too Hard"
Performed by The Seeds
Written by Sky Saxon
Courtesy of GNP Crescendo Records

User Reviews

Excellent indie film with real-life couple as leads

"sex, lies and videotape" doesn't really have much on this film, except for a more prurient twist. Like Steven Soderbergh's seminal indie hit, "Bodies, Rest and Motion" is an intelligent drama dealing with life as a twentysomething in middle (and middle-class) America. It's tightly written, excellently acted and doesn't sound a false note along the way, except for perhaps the mystical scene in the young redhead's house when Tim Roth goes searching for his estranged parents. But that's a small quibble. Revisit this lost gem, which showcases Eric Stoltz's best role and performance, and his real-life lover at the time, Bridget Fonda, as the put-upon Olive Garden waitress who always seems to pick the wrong guy -- this time Roth as a morally bankrupt Circuit City salesman. Phoebe Cates is just right as Roth's ex-lover turned neighbor, who forgives him everything, except perhaps his treatment of Fonda.