‘Door’ opens up to a dysfunctional family

SUSANNE PEREZ

Although the title sounds like a horror movie, “The Door in the

Floor” is thoroughly adult fare that will put a chill in your heart.

Based upon the John Irving novel, “A Widow For One Year,” it deals

with familiar themes from his other books -- family dysfunction,

tragedy, abandonment, the power of the written word and, of course,

sex.

Little Ruth Cole (Elle Fanning) was born after brothers Tommy and

Timmy died, but she is almost as obsessed with them as her parents.

Ted (Jeff Bridges) is a famous writer and illustrator of children’s

stories, one of which is also this film’s title. Having lost his

license, he hires a prep school kid named Eddie to be his driver and

assistant. His wife Marion (Kim Basinger) stares out to sea most days

like a beautiful statue. When Ted tells her he wants a trial

separation, it doesn’t seem to register at first, but the sadness

that flickers across their faces is palpable. Neither seems to be

capable of making a move beyond their grief and toward each other.

Ted and Marion do try to give their daughter a normal life and

they alternate their days at home with Ruth in their house in the

Hamptons. Ted is a devoted father and seems to have a closer bond

with Ruth than Marion does.

Marion is drawn to Eddie, the fresh-faced teen who idolizes Ted

and bears a striking resemblance to one of her dead boys. They begin

a strange, surreal affair, which does bring her back to life --

although with most unexpected results.

Ted is aware of it, but doesn’t seem to mind much. He’s been busy

doing nude sketches of the wealthy Mrs. Vaughn (Mimi Rogers). Their

affair reaps some hearty laughs later on. It’s quite fascinating to

see how Ted has used sex and drink to avoid intimacy for much of his

life, but he does it with so much wit and charm that you like him

anyway.

Jeff Bridges’ performance is beautifully modulated, and you forget

he is acting at all -- I certainly hope he’s not overlooked when

awards season rolls around. Similarly, Kim Basinger has her best role

since her Oscar-winning turn in “L.A. Confidential” -- there is such

a weary sadness in her lovely eyes.

I thought about this film and its characters for a long time

afterward. That Eddie, Ruth and even the baby-sitter Alice will all

suffer down the road from their involvement with this dysfunctional

couple is almost certain. Just as in Ted’s story, they’re all going

through that “door in the floor” where monsters await them in the

dark.

* SUSANNE PEREZ lives in Costa Mesa and is an executive assistant

for a financial services company.

‘Robot’ goes through blockbuster motions

The Will Smith money machine has produced another summer

blockbuster. His previous “Independence Day,” “Men in Black” and

“Wild, Wild West” magnified the Hollywood formula for mindless sci-fi

plots with fabulous special effects. But “I, Robot” sets itself apart

by focusing on some of the real philosophical issues inherent in the

classic story of artificial intelligence by Issac Asimov.

In the America of 2035, robot companions and servants are

commonplace. New robot models become highly desirable and ever more

sophisticated. As we watch corporate greed meeting hot new

technology, this film produces a lot more edge and intrigue than Will

Smith’s previous efforts. There are futuristic-crime-thriller

elements reminiscent of “Minority Report.”

Bridget Moynahan is well cast as the love interest and company

scientist, who doesn’t realize how much she knows.

While the screenplay gives some tidbits to the intellectuals in

the audience, the producers take no chances. There are plenty of

heart-pounding fight scenes and car chases, and there’s enough

over-the-top gunplay to make your head spin, while delighting the

targeted teenage demographic. It’s a total Hollywood formula at work.

But in spite of its predictability, there’s a lot of guilty pleasure

and special effects fun in this expensive ice-cream cone of a movie.

* JOHN DEPKO is a Costa Mesa resident and a senior investigator

for the Orange County public defender’s office.