In the Bedroom (2001)

A New England couple's college-aged son dates an older woman who has two small children and an unwelcome ex-husband.

Director:

Todd Field

Writers:

Andre Dubus (story "Killings"), Robert Festinger (screenplay) (as Rob Festinger)

Stars:

Tom Wilkinson, Sissy Spacek, Nick Stahl

Nominated for 5 Oscars. Another 39 wins & 70 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Tom Wilkinson	...	Matt Fowler
Sissy Spacek	...	Ruth Fowler
Nick Stahl	...	Frank Fowler
Marisa Tomei	...	Natalie Strout
William Mapother	...	Richard Strout
William Wise	...	Willis Grinnel
Celia Weston	...	Katie Grinnel
Karen Allen	...	Marla Keyes
Frank T. Wells	...	Henry
W. Clapham Murray	...	Carl
Justin Ashforth	...	Tim Bryson
Terry A. Burgess	...	District Attorney
Jonathan Walsh	...	Father McCasslin
Diane E. Hamlin	...	Davis' Assistant
Camden Munson	...	Jason Strout

Storyline

In idyllic Mid-Coast Maine, the Fowler family's only son Frank comes home from his freshman year at college for summer vacation. His mother Ruth, the school choir director, is unhappy with Frank dating soon-to-be divorced mother Natalie who is several years his senior, but Frank's father Matt, the town doctor, doesn't see a problem. While Frank considers holding off his future for Natalie, her jilted husband causes them all problems until an unthinkable tragedy shakes the community to its very core.

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Plot Keywords:

vigilantism | school choir | maine | new england | ex husband ex wife relationship | 

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Taglines:

A young man. An older woman. Her ex-husband. Things are about to explode...

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Genres:

Crime | Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for some violence and language

Details

Official Sites:

Official site YoVideo (French)

Country:

USA

Language:

English Serbo-Croatian

Release Date:

8 February 2002 (USA)

Also Known As:

In the Bedroom

Filming Locations:

Belfast, Maine, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$1,700,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$93,972, 25 November 2001, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$35,930,604

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$43,368,779, 12 October 2003

Company Credits

Production Co:

Good Machine, Standard Film Company, GreeneStreet Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

130 min 138 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color (CFI)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

It is the only Best Picture Oscar nominee that year that did not win any Academy Awards.

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Goofs

When Matt is eating in the diner the napkin disappears and reappears underneath the silverware.

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Quotes

[after Matt shoots and kills Richard]
Willis Grinnel: Matt! What did you do? This isn't what we talked about!
Matt: He... he tried to run.
Willis Grinnel: We were going to wait and take him out in the woods.
Matt: I couldn't wait.

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Crazy Credits

Graham Leader gratefully acknowledges ... Ann, Kira & Saks.

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Connections

Spoofed in American Dad!: Irregarding Steve (2006)

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Soundtracks

Happy Birthday to You
(1893) (uncredited)
Written by Mildred J. Hill and Patty S. Hill
Sung a cappella by William Mapother

User Reviews

Revenge shown to be illusion in this realistic work.

The film is, as all the critics say, emotionally involving, wrenching and all that. Acting is natural and realistic, down to the nitty-gritty. The valuable and rare thing here is that the story works against the most common plot at the movies today: the revenge plot. Here instead, revenge gets a more ambiguous and thoughtful treatment. We are accustomed to being flattered as an audience, sent home feeling good that "our" side wins in the end against the evil. In this film that stereotypical and simplistic Good vs Evil is taken apart. The revenge leaves us feeling unusually unsettled, which is a very good thing in a deeper sense.