Kim Basinger in this film brings to life one of the strangest paths that leads from catatonic grief to no holds barred carnal pyrotechnics that I've ever seen in a movie, which makes it not easy to understand the Marion character.
How can a mother bring "closure" to her son's death by having sex (and definitely not "love") with a college kid that exactly looks like her son, and do it not once or twice but 60 times over a few months is really hard to understand.
Yet it is clear that she thinks not to be a mother to her young daughter is better than to be a "bad mother" to her. That's a little bit more understandable a motivation that helps us put her final act into a perspective. And at the end, our sympathies are still with her. That's the kind of winning performance she manages to pull through.
And let's not forget the two other actors who contribute significantly to this solid production.
Mimi Rogers (as Ted's painting model and humiliation object Evelyn Vaughn), smart and strong in every film she did in the past, still looks so irresistible at her mid-age and delivers her part without a flaw even though it has relatively few lines. She is as dependable a supporting actress as they come.
Let's also applause the 5 year old gem, Elle Fanning, who plays Ted and Marion's precocious little daughter Ruth. It's scary to witness the intelligence and talent this little girl has at only age five. What's she going to be like when she is fifteen or thirty five? How many Oscars will she line up on her mantel when she is fifty five? I hope life will spare her from the dead ends that some similarly talented youngsters before her could not back out from -- observe Britney Spears. I wish this lovely and immensely talented acting prodigy many fruitful years ahead.
This is a small-budget movie with great actors and a terrific script and everything works like a (to use a contemporary metaphor) well-configured operating system ("well oiled machine" is so nineteen century). Or "Apple of a movie," I guess, if you excuse the irresistible world play there.
Highly recommended for those who enjoy intelligent adult dramas without any special effects or car chases -- well, almost no car chases. Highly recommended for those who enjoy intelligent adult dramas without any special effects or car chases -- well, almost no car chases.
Rated: R
RunTime: 111 min
Also See: Online Movie Rental
About the Author:
Ugur Akinci, Ph.D. is a writer with 20 years of experience. He is available for a wide variety of freelance assignments. Visit his web site http://www.writer111.com/ for more information on his services.
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