The Safety of Objects (2001)

Director:

Rose Troche

Writers (WGA):

A.M. Homes (book)
Rose Troche (screenplay)

Release Date:

25 July 2002 (Israel)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

A powerful story intertwining the lives of four neighboring families as they struggle to understand each other and, ultimately, themselves.

Plot:

A series of overlapping stories about four suburban families dealing with different maladies. Esther...

Plot Keywords:

Train | Divorce | Marriage | Orgasm | Car Accident

Awards:

2 wins & 4 nominations

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Glenn Close	...	Esther Gold
Dermot Mulroney	...	Jim Train
Jessica Campbell	...	Julie Gold
Patricia Clarkson	...	Annette Jennings
Joshua Jackson	...	Paul Gold
Moira Kelly	...	Susan Train
Robert Klein	...	Howard Gold
Timothy Olyphant	...	Randy
Mary Kay Place	...	Helen Christianson
Kristen Stewart	...	Sam Jennings
Alex House	...	Jake Train
Charlotte Arnold	...	Sally Christianson
Andrew Airlie	...	Bruce Jennings
Stephanie Mills	...	Karen
Angela Vint	...	Tina

MPAA:

Rated R for sexual content and language.

Runtime:

121 min | Finland:116 min

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

USA:TV-MA (cable rating) | Argentina:16 | Australia:MA | Finland:K-11 | France:U | New Zealand:R13 | Norway:11 | Spain:13 | UK:15 | USA:R | Canada:14A

Filming Locations:

New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Better Safe Productions Inc.

Trivia:

Kristen Stewart’s film debut.

Goofs:

Miscellaneous: In the opening credits when the families are being listed, the Jennings family is listed as "The Jennings." The correct plural is "The Jenningses."

Quotes:

Randy: When you start collecting things, you start thinking you care about stuff. And when they're gone; when they break or someone steals them, you feel like a part of you is gone, too. When you have things and suddenly you don't, it feels like you disappeared. Nothing should make you feel that way... Except when you lose a person

Movie Connections:

Spoofs Hands on a Hard Body: The Documentary (1997)

Soundtrack:

77 Seven

Book is better but...

Although not as powerful as the (actually unrelated) short stories in the book, Rose Troche has adapted A.M Homes admirably to the big screen... which I was positive couldn't be done. The excellent performances of the entire cast are what hold some of the more thin connections together and although I was personally disappointed by some of the changes Troche made, I understand the necessity to a cohesive narrative. Had I not read the book, I think I would have enjoyed the movie more so I highly recommend viewers and readers who crave great stories about dysfunctional suburbia to check out any and all of my favorite female authors work... beginning with The Safety Of Objects and The End Of Alice.