reel critics

Ray Buffer

A wonderful ensemble effort turns “In the Bedroom” into a

tour-de-forcedebut for director/producer, Todd Field.

Golden Globe winner Sissy Spacek and Tom Wilkinson star as Ruth and

MattFowler, the proud parents of Frank (Nick Stahl).Frank is also having

an affair with a local single and still-married, mother (Marisa Tomei)

named Natalie.

By the end of the summer they all find themselves immersed in a

tragedy.

The film also features the talents of William Mapother, William Wise,

Celia Weston, Karen Allen and Frank T. Wells.

Field, whose best known roles are probably in Victor Nunez’ “Ruby in

Paradise” and Stanley Kubrick’s “Eyes Wide Shut,” presents a pensive,

realistic and powerful character.

“In the Bedroom” is based upon the 17-page short story “The Killings”

by Andre Dubus.

After requesting a draft from screenwriter, Robert Festinger, Field

rewrote the script into this final version, choosing to focus it into an

emotional story rather than a suspenseful thriller. The film avoids most

cliches, even though its story of overcoming grief via vengeance is quite

simple.

Field allows an abundance of silent “hanging” moments in the film,

which allow the viewer to focus on the characterization, scenery, and

emotion.

Snippet-scenes allow the audience to become embroiled in the lives of

the characters. You feel you are actually watching the lives of the

characters being revealed, not watching a reenactment.

“In the Bedroom” is littered with little pieces of pop-culture and

distractions that serve as mood-setters and help elevate or pull back the

pace as needed. Some of these “pieces” (including a for-some-reason

amusing explanation of Disney World’s fastpass system) hearken back to

the banter one might expect in a Tarantino film, but without its

artifice.

The message, if we choose to accept it, is that vengeance heals.

Regardless of today’s social and political climate, this film makes a

compelling case.

* RAY BUFFER, 31, is a professional singer, actor and voice-over

artist.