Surrender, Dorothy (TV 2006)

When her daughter Sara (Davalos) unexpectedly passes away, Natalie (Keaton) retreats to the summer home where she and Sara used to visit. Time with her best friends and some of Sara's friends help her deal with her loss.

Director:

Charles McDougall

Writers:

Meg Wolitzer (novel), Matthew McDuffie (teleplay)

Stars:

Diane Keaton, Tom Everett Scott, Alexa Davalos

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview:
Diane Keaton	...	Natalie Swerdlow
Tom Everett Scott	...	Adam
Alexa Davalos	...	Sara
Lauren German	...	Maddy
Josh Hopkins	...	Peter
Chris Pine	...	Shawn
Peter Riegert	...	Mel
Marnie Crossen	...	Mrs. Moyles
Myra McWethy	...	Bearded Lady
Roy Werner	...	Harvey
Liam Lynch	...	Sara's Lover
Ron Christopher Jones	...	Gay Bar Patron (as RC Jones)
Emil Lin	...	Gay Bar Friend
Leonard Stone	...	Neighbor
Michael Hagiwara	...	Sushi Chef

Storyline

After Sara Swerdlow's death in a nightly car accident, her excessively self-righteous mother Natalie shamelessly invites herself to move into her room at the remote summer house where her friends are on holiday as often before. Gay playwright Adam fails to evict her because of happily married Peter's cavalier hospitality. Soon everyone suffers facing Sara's, and their own past and present, as Nathalie only thought she really knew her 'all-confiding' daughter, which shifts several reports.

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Plot Keywords:

summer | playwright | car accident | baby | bed | 

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Taglines:

The hardest part is letting go.

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Genres:

Drama

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

1 January 2006 (USA)

Also Known As:

Aika luopua

Filming Locations:

San Diego, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

CBS Productions, Stu Segall Productions, Wendy Finerman Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

120 min 87 min (DVD) 120 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Goofs

The baby's hair length changes as Keaton's character cuddles it in the kitchen, 2/3 of the way through the movie.

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Connections

References The Wizard of Oz (1939)

User Reviews

thought provoking film

I very much enjoyed watching this film. I taped it while watching so that i could review it later. I actually enjoyed the second viewing more since i was able to absorb more of the clever dialog between Natalie and Adam, the 2 main characters. I thought the way this story evolved was very thought provoking. I got very intrigued with how Natalie was going to interact with her daughter's friends , at first it seemed that she was going to spew a lot of animosity but once she started interacting more pleasantly i had to see how this visit was going to unfold. i wasn't disappointed . Gradually the secrets that Sara kept from her mother started to reveal a daughter who was not so perfect, a flawed human being like most of us who wanted her freedom from a domineering mother who thought she knew her daughter but unfortunately had to learn in a very painful manner that sometimes to really love someone you have to give them their freedom. The viewers who stuck with this film to the end saw a very touching performance from Diane Keaton (who is always wonderful, even in some of her less well received films-think Town and Country). The closing scene of Diane Keaton driving home was well worth waiting for, revealing that anyone who loves another human being has got to learn that we have to live our own lives, we love others but don't own them and ultimately we have to let go. It's a hard lesson but well worth contemplating now and then.Thank you CBS for this broadcast,it was worth the long wait.