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IMDbPro

The Life Before Her Eyes

  • 2007
  • R
  • 1h 30m
IMDb RATING
6.3/10
15K
YOUR RATING
Uma Thurman in The Life Before Her Eyes (2007)
for The Life Before Her Eyes, directed by Vadim Perelman.
Play trailer2:23
2 Videos
48 Photos
DramaFantasyMystery

A woman's survivor's guilt from a Columbine-like event twenty years ago causes her present-day idyllic life to fall apart.A woman's survivor's guilt from a Columbine-like event twenty years ago causes her present-day idyllic life to fall apart.A woman's survivor's guilt from a Columbine-like event twenty years ago causes her present-day idyllic life to fall apart.

  • Director
    • Vadim Perelman
  • Writers
    • Laura Kasischke
    • Emil Stern
  • Stars
    • Uma Thurman
    • Evan Rachel Wood
    • Eva Amurri
  • See production, box office & company info
  • IMDb RATING
    6.3/10
    15K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Vadim Perelman
    • Writers
      • Laura Kasischke
      • Emil Stern
    • Stars
      • Uma Thurman
      • Evan Rachel Wood
      • Eva Amurri
    • 87User reviews
    • 77Critic reviews
    • 38Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 2 wins

    Videos2

    The Life Before Her Eyes: Theatrical trailer
    Trailer 2:23
    Watch The Life Before Her Eyes: Theatrical trailer
    Life Before Her Eyes
    Trailer 1:33
    Watch Life Before Her Eyes

    Photos48

    Uma Thurman in The Life Before Her Eyes (2007)
    Eva Amurri and Evan Rachel Wood in The Life Before Her Eyes (2007)
    Uma Thurman in The Life Before Her Eyes (2007)
    Eva Amurri and Evan Rachel Wood in The Life Before Her Eyes (2007)
    Evan Rachel Wood in The Life Before Her Eyes (2007)
    Uma Thurman in The Life Before Her Eyes (2007)
    Evan Rachel Wood in The Life Before Her Eyes (2007)
    Uma Thurman in The Life Before Her Eyes (2007)
    Vadim Perelman in The Life Before Her Eyes (2007)
    Uma Thurman in The Life Before Her Eyes (2007)
    Kelsey Grammer and Camille Grammer at an event for The Life Before Her Eyes (2007)
    Emmy Rossum and Eva Amurri at an event for The Life Before Her Eyes (2007)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Uma Thurman
    Uma Thurman
    • Diana (Adult)
    Evan Rachel Wood
    Evan Rachel Wood
    • Diana (Teen)
    Eva Amurri
    Eva Amurri
    • Maureen
    Gabrielle Brennan
    Gabrielle Brennan
    • Emma
    Brett Cullen
    Brett Cullen
    • Paul
    Oscar Isaac
    Oscar Isaac
    • Marcus
    Jack Gilpin
    Jack Gilpin
    • Mr. McCleod
    Maggie Lacey
    Maggie Lacey
    • Amanda (Adult)
    John Magaro
    John Magaro
    • Michael Patrick
    Lynn Cohen
    Lynn Cohen
    • Sister Beatrice
    Nathalie Paulding
    Nathalie Paulding
    • Amanda (Teen)
    • (as Nathalie Nicole Paulding)
    Molly Price
    Molly Price
    • Diana's Mother
    Oliver Solomon
    Oliver Solomon
    • Detective
    Anna Moore
    Anna Moore
    • Blonde Student
    • (as Anna Renee Moore)
    Isabel Keating
    Isabel Keating
    • Maureen's Mother
    Adam Chanler-Berat
    Adam Chanler-Berat
    • Ryan
    Tanner Cohen
    Tanner Cohen
    • Nate Witt
    • (as Tanner Max Cohen)
    Aldous Davidson
    Aldous Davidson
    • Diana's Student
    • Director
      • Vadim Perelman
    • Writers
      • Laura Kasischke(novel)
      • Emil Stern(screenplay)
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The names of the 26 victims seen on the memorial and the banner (with the exception of prominent characters such as Maureen and Mr. MacLeod) are the names of members of the production crew who worked on the film.
    • Goofs
      All entries contain spoilers
    • Quotes

      Mr. McClood: And if there's anything I want you guys to take with you from this class, as you're abusing your bodies over break, is three things: the heart is the body's strongest muscle, that the brain has more cells in it than our galaxy has stars, and that the body is 72% water. So wherever you go over vacation, don't get too dehydrated.

    • Connections
      Featured in Siskel & Ebert: 88 Minutes/The Life Before Her Eyes/Forgetting Sarah Marshall/The Forbidden Kingdom/Where in the World Is Osama Bin Laden?/The Visitor (2008)
    • Soundtracks
      She's Not There
      Composed by Rod Argent

      Performed by The Zombies

      Publisher: Marquis Music Co. Ltd. for the World

      Zombies recording licensed from Marquis Enterprises Ltd.

    User reviews87

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    The Ultimate Test Of Courage And Friendship
    Vadim Perelman's 'The Life Before Her Eyes' is just as powerful but equally complex as his harrowing 'The House of Sand and Fog'. This movie is just as engaging and at times, also confusing. Perelman uses fascinating visuals. The film opens with a montage of various beautiful flowers (that have a symbolic definition) and then follows two girls to a highschool bathroom. The shootout scene takes place only within the bathroom while we hear gunfire in the background but for me this movie has achieved in that first sequence what the pretentious 'Elephant' didn't (which was also about a highschool shootout). While the focus is on the two girls, you literally see the fear in their eyes as their 'nice' day is interrupted and their lives are threatened.

    On the technical side, it is a very well crafted film. The cinematography, the music, the sets and editing are all top notch. The visuals are detailed and pretty much every frame has something to say.

    The ending is different from that of the book but I think both of them rise the same question. What would have you done if you were in Diana's shoes? The question isn't easy to answer because you never actually know unless you are facing such circumstance. That is the test of one's courage. Emil Stern's screenplay is dazzling. The story doesn't follow a linear structure but there's a reason for that. Dialogues are laden with interesting philosophy. Perelman beautifully tackles numerous themes such as friendship, post-traumatic stress, motherhood and abortion among others.

    The cast features three powerful performances: by Uma Thurman, Evan Rachel Wood and Eva Amurri. Thurman's portrayal of Diana's complexity, devotion to her family and inability to cope with her past is spot on. Wood and Amurri deliver very natural performances as two girls going through the usual teen problems but dealing with it differently because 'one has what the other doesn't' and that way they help each other. Their on screen friendship is very convincing hinting that they might actually be good friends in real life. Then there's the bathroom scene which could have easily gone wrong had it been played by lesser actresses but this is one of the most powerful scenes in a movie of recent time and one only has to watch it to understand its impact.

    'The Life Before Her Eyes' is not an easy film to follow and those who are looking for something simple or light may feel let down but on the other hand it's a very strong movie. Perelman has hit the mark again just like he did with 'The House of Sand and Fog'. He seems to be intrigued by tragic stories and bringing them on screen. He does one hell of a job, again.
    helpful•25
    9
    • Chrysanthepop
    • Apr 23, 2009

    FAQ1

    • what are the songs in the trailer?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • September 5, 2008 (Poland)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official sites
      • Magnolia Pictures (United States)
      • Metropolitan Films (France)
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • In Bloom
    • Filming locations
      • Sheridan School - 191 Fountain Street, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
    • Production company
      • 2929 Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $13,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $303,439
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $20,220
      • Apr 20, 2008
    • Gross worldwide
      • $7,248,490
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 30 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
      • SDDS
      • DTS
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.35 : 1

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