The Greatest (2009)

A drama that is centered around a troubled teenage girl, and a family that is trying to get over the loss of their son.

Director:

Shana Feste

Writer:

Shana Feste

Stars:

Carey Mulligan, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Pierce Brosnan

3 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Carey Mulligan	...	Rose
Aaron Taylor-Johnson	...	Bennett Brewer (as Aaron Johnson)
Pierce Brosnan	...	Allen Brewer
Susan Sarandon	...	Grace Brewer
Johnny Simmons	...	Ryan Brewer
Kevin Hagan	...	Priest
Amy Morton	...	Lydia
Deirdre O'Connell	...	Joyce
Miles Robbins	...	Sean Brewer
Cara Seymour	...	Janis
Ramsey Faragallah	...	Dr. Shamban
Jennifer Ehle	...	Joan
Colby Minifie	...	Latent
Maryann Urbano	...	Cheryl
Zoë Kravitz	...	Ashley

Storyline

Teenagers Rose and Bennett were in love, and then a car crash claimed Bennett's life. He left behind a grieving mother, father and younger brother, and Rose was left all alone. She has no family to turn to for support, so when she finds out she's pregnant, she winds up at the Brewer's door. She needs their help, and although they can't quite admit it, they each need her so they can begin to heal.

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Plot Keywords:

loss | teenage mother | bare chested male | fatal car crash | substance abuse | 

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language, some sexual content and drug use

Did You Know?

Trivia

Although Johnny Simmons is four years older than his Aaron Taylor-Johnson, he plays his younger brother.

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Goofs

When Allen is in the lecture theater, the writing on the blackboard behind him switches a few times from saying 'maths 220' to 'maths'.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Bennett Brewer: All right, I have a secret to tell you.
Rose: You're in the middle of the road.
Bennett Brewer: I know. Do you wanna hear it?
Rose: Do you want to move your car first?
Bennett Brewer: No, not really. I just wanna tell you one more thing.
Rose: All right.
[takes a Polaroid picture of him]
Bennett Brewer: What? That's not gonna be good.
Rose: [laughing] Okay, tell me.
[...]

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Soundtracks

House of Lies
Performed by The Broken West

User Reviews

Sentimentality is its strength ...or its downfall

"The Greatest" feels like a Hallmark Channel movie with top A-list actors. Depending on what you think of the Hallmark Channel, this is either a compliment or an insult. As my title implies, sentimentality drives this story, not suspense or plot twists. Everything is (deliberately) predictable, meaning the actors' performances are the real attraction.

The story is about a dysfunctional family dealing with mourning and the extreme ways each person handles it, mostly in unflattering ways as if to show us how NOT to handle tragedy. The plot focuses on how they slowly attempt to reconcile their differences. The father (Pierce Brosnan) plays the stereotypical head of the household who refuses to break. The mother (Susan Sarandon) plays the self-absorbed victim who feels like she's the only one who's in pain. The son/brother (Johnny Simmons) totally disconnects as if he doesn't care. And a mysterious stranger who was the secret girlfriend (Carey Mulligan) represents the objective voice of reason with her wise, tolerant perspective, never really revealing her own struggle but instead seeking to draw the others out of their respective prisons.

If that description bores you, then you'll probably be bored by the movie. But if the core premise interests you, then give it a shot.

Although I said there are no plot twists, there are a few interesting complications (revealed right in the beginning) which spice up the story. Themes of infidelity, drug addiction, convicted criminals and unplanned pregnancy add some interesting flavor. But those remain off to the side so not to upstage the main story.

The climax and resolution comes down to a painful cliché which made me hate the movie at first, but now 24 hours later I think sometimes a cliché is the best way to make a point. I'm just mentioning that in case you have a similar reaction: give it some thought.

If you are looking for other quiet movies that focus on themes of loss and grieving, I recommend "Morning" (2010) - five chapters, or days, in the life of a couple suffering a tragedy; and on the lighter side I highly recommend "Marilyn Hotchkiss' Ballroom Dancing & Charm School" (2005) - the only movie that has multiple tragic deaths but manages to get your toes tapping to the Lindy Hop.

Details

Official Sites:

The Greatest Facebook

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

5 November 2009 (Israel)

Also Known As:

The Greatest

Filming Locations:

Rockland, New York, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$6,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$33,616, 4 April 2010

Gross USA:

$114,766

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$1,344,544

Company Credits

Production Co:

Barbarian Films, Oceana Media Finance, Silverwood Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

99 min 96 min (DVD)

Sound Mix:

Dolby Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1