IN THE BEDROOM
US, 2001, 130 minutes, Colour.
Tom Wilkinson, Sissy Spacek, Nick Stahl Marisa Tomei, William Mapother, William Wise, Celia Weston, Karen Allen.
Directed by Todd Field.
This is a film that needs discussion. It has emerged as one of the top contenders for US awards for 2001. In fact, Sissy Spacek has won several Best Actress awards already. Prominent and popular US critic, Roger Ebert (who is a Catholic), has given it his two thumbs up rating (which means excellent). I found it both difficult and challenging.
The film is not what the title might seem to indicate. This is a film about a mother and father in their 50s whose son is callously murdered. It is about their response to such a shocking and saddening experience in their lives.
Perhaps the best way to communicate the difficulty with the film is to describe my own experience of watching it. I saw it last August at the Montreal Film Festival where it was screening in competition. In fact, it won the International Critics' Award.
For most of the film, I thought it would be a strong contender for the Ecumenical Award, made by a jury that comprised three Catholics representing the International Catholic Cinema Organisation and three from Interfilm, the Protestant Organisation for juries at cinema festivals. The film started well, a portrait of a decent American couple and their relationship with their son who was studying to be an architect but who was living with a single mother and being a loving father figure to her child. The cast is top drawer with Sissy Spacek as the mother and British actor, Tom Wilkinson, as the father. The son is played with sensitivity by Nick Stahl and Marisa Tomei is the single mother. In the Bedroom is a low-budget independent film written and directed by former actor, Todd Field.
So far, so good. The killing is jolting for the audience as well as for the characters. What follows is a picture of how death affects people differently. The father is a genial man who grieves. The mother closes up, hardening herself against the hurt of what has happened and raging interiorly over the murder and the subsequent callous behaviour of the killer. Spacek and Wilkinson share some powerful scenes of grief, anger and the possibilities of forgiveness. By this stage of the film, most of our jurors were thinking that this was certain to be a prizewinner.
But then the film changes and follows the lead of so many American films where the law seems not only impotent but is seen to fail those it should be supporting with justice. It shows the strong drive to take the law into one's own hands and wreak personal justice on the perpetrator of the crime. But is this justice or seething revenge? And the question rises as to whether the film is just portraying people who turn to violence for justice or is actually advocating it? Hence, our not listing In the Bedroom for our award.
I saw the film before September 11th. Are the American audiences looking at it in the aftermath of those acts of violence? Whatever the stance of the film, it certainly raises serious issues in an emotionally confronting way.
1. Acclaim for the film? Critical? One of the main films of 2001?
2. The Maine/US town, homes and school, doctors surgery, the wharves, the courts? The countryside – day and night? The musical score?
3. The title, in reference to Frank and Natalie, to Strout and Natalie, to Ruth and Matt? The end, Ruth and her calm and getting coffee, Matt and his sleeplessness, open eyes? Moral perspective?
4. The introduction to Frank and Natalie, happy, lyrical, in love, the boys? Strout and his background? His coming to the party, Frank happy, Natalie and Ruth and their discussion in the kitchen, Strout arriving, with the boys, Frank and Natalie, at home in the middle of the day, lunch with Matt? The fight, Frank hurt, his father tending him, not calling the police? The buildup to the confrontation, the trashing of the house, Nick shot? Natalie saying she witnessed it?
5. Matt and Ruth, the years of marriage, Ruth very strong, her comments, her control, with Natalie in the kitchen, at the party, midnight talk with Frank about his interview? Conducting the choir? The contrast with Matt, pleasant, as a doctor, with patients, going to the wharf, liking to be with Frank, his friends, the barbecue, eyes on Natalie, his letting Frank be, with Natalie’s boys and fishing?
6. The death, the news, the different reactions? Ruth tough, yet her deep grief? Matt and his wandering, going to work, on Saturdays, with his friend, at the wharf, drinking and Ruth’s disapproval? The tensions and memories of planning? Ruth at the supermarket, seeing Strout? The lack of conversation between husband and wife?
7. The lawyer, going to court, Natalie as a poor witness, Strout out on bail, Matt and his meeting with the lawyer, the discussions, talking to Strout’s friends, trying to get more information for a stronger sentence?
8. Ruth, her choir, their performance and people’s response? Natalie approaching her, Ruth slapping her? Matt going to the shop, Natalie saying she was sorry?
9. Ruth and Matt with their friends, the discussions, the wife and her grandchildren, Ruth’s response? The husband, the justice issue, plans?
10. Matt and the confrontation, his blunt speaking about Ruth and her control, criticising her son? Her criticising Matt for not showing any feelings, whether he had any feelings? The mutual apology?
11. This experience, stirring Matt, getting the gun, finding Strout, getting him to pack, the drive, his lies, shooting him? The friend, digging the grave, returning in the early hours, held up at the bridge?
12. Matt arriving home, Ruth in bed, calm, offering to get coffee, Matt lying down, turning away, not sleeping, his eyes? Guilt and responsibility?
13. Themes of justice, the law, vengeance and its effect?
14. The picture of a family, a tragedy, the feelings with the impact of such a murder, the consequences?
