Enduring Love (2004)

Two strangers become dangerously close after witnessing a deadly accident.

Director:

Roger Michell

Writers:

Ian McEwan (novel), Joe Penhall (screenplay)

Stars:

Rhys Ifans, Daniel Craig, Samantha Morton

4 wins & 12 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Daniel Craig	...	Joe
Samantha Morton	...	Claire
Bill Weston	...	Grandfather
Jeremy McCurdie	...	Boy in Balloon (as Jeremy Mccurdie)
Lee Sheward	...	John Logan
Nick Wilkinson	...	Farmer
Rhys Ifans	...	Jed
Bill Nighy	...	Robin
Susan Lynch	...	Rachel
Ben Whishaw	...	Spud
Justin Salinger	...	Frank
Andrew Lincoln	...	TV Producer
Helen McCrory	...	Mrs. Logan
Rosie Michell	...	Katie Logan (as Rosanna Michell)
Ella Doyle	...	Katie Logan's Friend

Storyline

On a beautiful cloudless day a young couple celebrate their reunion with a picnic. Joe has planned a postcard-perfect afternoon in the English countryside with his partner, Claire. But as Joe and Claire prepare to open a bottle of champagne, their idyll comes to an abrupt end. A hot air balloon drifts into the field, obviously in trouble. The pilot catches his leg in the anchor rope, while the only passenger, a boy, is too scared to jump down. Joe and three other men rush to secure the basket. Just as they secure the balloon, the wind rushes into the field, and at once the rescuers are airborne. Joe manages to drop to the ground, as do most of his companions, but one man is lifted skywards. As Joe, Claire and the other rescuers watch this strangely beautiful sight, they see the man fall to his death. Recalling the day's events at dinner with his friends Robin and Rachel, Joe reveals the impact the accident has had on his battered psyche. Ironically the balloon eventually lands safely,...

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Plot Keywords:

balloon | field | accident | boy | rope | 

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Taglines:

An extraordinary event brought them together. A deadly obsession will tear them apart.

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Genres:

Drama | Mystery | Romance | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language, some violence and a disturbing image

Details

Official Sites:

Paramount Classics

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

26 November 2004 (UK)

Also Known As:

Liebeswahn

Filming Locations:

Parliament Hill Fields, Hampstead Heath, Hampstead, London, England, UK

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

$34,610 (USA) (29 October 2004)

Gross:

$358,262 (USA) (18 February 2005)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Pathé Pictures International, UK Film Council, FilmFour

Technical Specs

Runtime:

100 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

One of five collaborations of actors Ben Whishaw and Daniel Craig. Prior to the Bond movies Skyfall (2012) and Spectre (2015), the pair had both worked on The Trench (1999), Layer Cake (2004) and Enduring Love (2004).

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Quotes

[first lines]
Joe: Wow...

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Crazy Credits

For Mary Selway (1936 - 2004)

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Connections

Featured in Siskel & Ebert: Episode dated 30 October 2004 (2004)

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Soundtracks

Naima
Performed by John Coltrane
Written by John Coltrane
Published by Universal / Island Music Ltd on behalf of Jowcol Music Inc.
Licensed courtesy of Warner Strategic Marketing UK

User Reviews

Nowhere near as good as the novel.

Having massively enjoyed Ian McEwan's original, I decided to watch the film adaptation, and was thoroughly disappointed. Roger Michell's decision to leave out two of the best scenes in the book, and to largely alter the ending, left me feeling cheated. Parry's assassination attempt on Joe's life in the novel is hugely important in building suspense to the final scene, and Joe's purchase of a gun injected some humour into an otherwise very bleak plot. Missing these two scenes, and curtailing perhaps the most important scene, the balloon accident, which takes up over a chapter in the novel, to a matter of minutes, made some of the later incidents unbelievable, as it did not seem convincing that Joe would be so traumatised by something portrayed as being so fleeting. While some of the acting (Rhys Ifans) redeemed the film to an extent, it still remained unsatisfying. To anyone who did not enjoy the film, I would still recommend that they read the novel, as it is hugely enjoyable, very well written, and most importantly, a very different experience from the film.