Someday This Pain Will Be Useful to You (2011)

A vulnerable teenager with a deep perception of the world and no idea how to live in it.

Director:

Roberto Faenza

Writers:

Peter Cameron (based on the novel by), Roberto Faenza

Stars:

Toby Regbo, Marcia Gay Harden, Peter Gallagher

2 wins & 2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Toby Regbo	...	James
Marcia Gay Harden	...	Marjorie
Peter Gallagher	...	Paul
Lucy Liu	...	Rowena
Stephen Lang	...	Barry Rogers
Deborah Ann Woll	...	Gillian
Ellen Burstyn	...	Nanette
Aubrey Plaza	...	Jeanine Breemer
Gilbert Owuor	...	John
Dree Hemingway	...	Rhonda
Olek Krupa	...	Henryk Maria
Siobhan Fallon Hogan	...	Mrs. Breemer (as Siobhan Fallon)
Brooke Schlosser	...	Sue Kenney
Kyle Coffman	...	Dakin
Jonny Weston	...	Thom

Storyline

James Sveck is a lonely youth in the summer before he goes off to college at Brown University. Apart from hanging with his grandmother, James prefers solitude. The story is told in first person narration, which helps give an intimate inside view of James as he works through his life at the therapy sessions which his parents insist he goes to. We learn about James's past and present through the stories he tells.

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Plot Keywords:

solitude | name tag | death of family member | breaking the fourth wall by talking to the audience | funeral urn | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Official Twitter

Country:

Italy USA

Language:

English Japanese

Release Date:

5 October 2012 (USA)

Also Known As:

Du wirst schon noch sehen, wozu es gut ist

Filming Locations:

New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$8,000,000 (estimated)

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$666,922

Company Credits

Production Co:

Jean Vigo Italia, Rai Cinema, Four of a Kind Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

95 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color (HD)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Film Screened at MovieMov Italian Film Festival 2012, Thai-Italian Screening on July 7, 2012.

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Quotes

[first lines]
James Sveck: I wish the whole day was like breakfast, when people are still connected to their dreams, focused inward and... and not yet ready to engage with the world. If it was always breakfast, I would be fine.

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Connections

References The Overture (2004)

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Soundtracks

Collegiate Rhythm
Written by Keith Nichols

User Reviews

They are NOT therapy sessions....grrrrr.

Before I get to what I think about "Someday This Pain Will Be Useful to You", I have gotta point out something that really irritates me. In the IMDb summary, it talks about 'James as he works through his life at the therapy sessions'. These are NOT therapy sessions and as a trained psychotherapist, it irritates me when untrained folks do what they call 'therapy'. A life coach is NOT a therapist. Now I am not against life coaches--if you want one, fine. But in this movie a seriously depressed and suicidal young man goes to a life coach instead of seeking appropriate mental health treatment--and the life coach was WAY over her head and very unprofessional for ignoring this. Badly written and a bit irresponsible if you ask me.

As for the movie itself, this film reminds me of a couple other Marcia Gay Harden films I've seen lately--wonderfully acted yet with a script that seems incomplete or at least in need of a re-write. Now this does NOT mean I didn't like the film--it was worth it overall--even with its flaws (such as an ill-defined plot and an ending that seemed ridiculously simplistic). The acting and characters were that good. In particular, Toby Regbo (who is credited very low in the cast even though he's CLEARLY the lead) did a great job with the part he was given. Interesting and involving but the parts don't exactly work together to form a pleasing whole. See the film and see what you think.