In the Bedroom Review
By Mike Tretola
In the Boredroom
If you love arthouse films, then this one is one you should definitely see. As for me, boring, boring, and uh, boring is how I would describe this film. I understand what Todd Field, the director, was trying to do here, but for the normal everyday filmgoer, it doesn't fly. Where is the action? Where is the reaction? Acting is supposed to be about reaction. I would prefer that, in a movie that runs two hours ten minutes, some of that action occurs on the screen in front of our eyes. Even the main driving point of this film occurs as an off-camera sound effect and then makes you wait two naps and 14 stares at your watch, or about another hour, before offering up an appreciated bit of emotionally satisfying stuff to end the film.
That being said I can fully understand why film students who flock to festivals like Sundance have praised "In the Bedroom" with every acclaim they can muster. The performances are all first rate, but if you expect anything out of your two plus hours in the dark besides emotional explorations of our moral compass, you won't get it.
Frank (Nick Stahl) is dating Natalie (Marisa Tomei), an older single mother of two. Frank's parents, Matt and Ruth Fowler (Tom Wilkinson and Sissy Spacek), basically disapprove of the relationship, but are tolerating it figuring it will eventually pass when Frank heads off to study architecture at college in the fall.
At a summer barbecue, we first get a glimpse of the tension that is caused by Richard Strout (William Mapother), Natalie's not quite divorced husband. Frank is not sure of the seriousness of his relationship with Natalie, but is enjoying the time he's spending with her and her children. Richard wants to reconcile with Natalie, but because Frank is in the way of it, Frank gets shot dead. Now that leaves Matt and Ruth to come to terms with what has happened.
At this point you are about half an hour in. I won't tell you about what happens because, well, it's the only thing that happens for the next hour. In fact, it's not until 1 hour and 40 minutes into the film (I checked) that some new interesting action occurs. I was intrigued as to exactly what was going to happen next. I hoped that it would end the movie on a compelling note, but even the conclusion left more to be desired.
There is low key and there is "make it as close to real life as possible" that only a film student could love. Ultra-realism is not a good thing. Real life is boring -- so is "In The Bedroom".
