Levity (2003)

After two decades in prison for murder, a man is released on parole and returns to his hometown seeking redemption.

Director:

Ed Solomon

Writer:

Ed Solomon

Stars:

Billy Bob Thornton, Morgan Freeman, Kirsten Dunst

1 win.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Billy Bob Thornton	...	Manuel Jordan
Morgan Freeman	...	Miles Evans
Holly Hunter	...	Adele Easley
Kirsten Dunst	...	Sofia Mellinger
Manuel Aranguiz	...	Senor Aguilar
Geoffrey Wigdor	...	Abner Easley
Luke Robertson	...	Young Abner Easley
Dorian Harewood	...	Mackie Whittaker
Catherine Colvey	...	Claire Mellinger
Billoah Greene	...	Don
Sadiki Burke	...	Sadiki
Abede Burke	...	Abede
Diego Abella	...	Raul
Brent Rogers	...	Ty
Cordell Clyde	...	Cleve

Storyline

The film discusses a philosophical approach at redemption. The protagonist Manual Jordan has gotten parole from a life sentence for the murder of Abner Easley, and returns to the city he lived in to try to seek redemption. He ends up living and working at a community house run by a preacher, Miles Evans. The film is equipped with beautiful voice-overs about the meaning of life and different philosophies for getting redeemed. Manual also becomes friends with Adele Easley, his victim's sister, in an attempt to make up for what he did. While working at the home he has interactions with Sofia Mellinger, the druggie daughter of a famous singer, struggling with the lack of adult guidance in her life.

---

Plot Keywords:

redemption | community house | singer | parole | robbery | 

---

Genres:

Crime | Drama

---

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language

Did You Know?

Trivia

Ed Solomon wrote the screenplay over twenty years.

---

Goofs

While some have commented that Morgan Freeman's voice changes dramatically throughout the film, it is a major plot point that he is living a lie, living under an assumed identity and not particularly good at it. It is related to the theme of doing good, even though you may not be particularly good at it, nor be able to continue doing it for very long. It sounds unnatural for Morgan because it is unnatural for his character.

---

Quotes

Miles Evans: You know, you could get lucky. God might decide to grade you on the curve.
Manuel Jordan: It wouldn't matter either way.
Miles Evans: You don't know what the hell you talking about, do you? Why be afraid of a God that you don't believe in? Oh, I know, it seems like people are making up shit so they can feel good about all the pain, all the cruelty, loss, violence, suffering, death. Famine, bigotry, small-mindedness, repression, depression, oppression. Want me to keep talking? 'Cause I can go on forever with this shit.
Manuel Jordan: No, I ...
[...]

---

Crazy Credits

Thanks to ... Terry & Siobhan ... Cynthia, Evan and Olivia ...

---

Connections

Referenced in The Dialogue: An Interview with Screenwriter Ed Solomon (2007)

---

Soundtracks

Metro Man
Performed by Johnny Hawksworth (as Johnny Hawksworth)
Courtesy of DeWolfe Music
By Arrangement with Media Creature Music

User Reviews

Heavy Levity

Greetings again from the darkness. Simple story made interesting by the characters and environment. Billy Bob Thornton is our unconventional lead character. Very understated performance accurately captures the emotions of this repulsed, repentant killer. Sparkling Kirsten Dunst is unusually gritty in her sad portrayal of the pop star daughter putting up a false front. Morgan Freeman is effective as the community "reverend" with a secret. Best performance comes from Holly Hunter as frustrated mom/sister just trying to make sense of her world. Director Ed Solomon, known mostly for light weight writing, does a respectable job of capturing the pain of all the characters. Bleak world where each individual must furnish their own reason to keep going.

Details

Official Sites:

Official website [United States]

Country:

USA France

Language:

English

Release Date:

29 August 2003 (Norway)

Also Known As:

Levity

Filming Locations:

Montréal, Québec, Canada

Box Office

Budget:

$7,500,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$30,599, 6 April 2003

Gross USA:

$209,695

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$723,040

Company Credits

Production Co:

StudioCanal, Sony Pictures Classics, FilmColony

Technical Specs

Runtime:

100 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1