Rating: 
Summary: Bad title; good movie.
Review: The movie is based on a story by Andre Dubus called simply *Killings*. It's a much better (and more precise) title than *In the Bedroom*, which leads you to believe the story is sexy, or something. The phrase "in the bedroom" refers to some aspect or other about lobster-trapping. It stinks as a metaphor for the events that unfold. Why the changed title? Perhaps it was too scary-sounding for Harvey Weinstein, the Miramax mogul who doesn't want to frighten off his bread-and-butter, i.e., the suburban cafe-latte sippers who drove their Jimmys to the theater. ANYWAY . . . *In the Bedroom* turns out to be a pretty damn good film, despite its Lifetime Movie Network subject matter: abusive ex-husband going after his former wife, who has taken up with a college boy 10 years her junior. (We understand why the college boy is in the relationship: no young man can resist the appeal of a hot "older woman", even with 2 kids in tow. But what the hell does she see in HIM?) College Boy is staying at his parents' house for the summer. The father (Tom Wilkinson) is live-and-let-live with regards to the summer "girlfriend"; but Moms (the great Sissy Spacek) is immediately, and quite rightly, unhappy about her son's new relationship, foreseeing bad trouble on the near horizon. I won't give out any more plot details, except to say that she's proved right. This movie is the directorial debut of Todd Field, who you may know as an actor (he was the piano-playing med-school drop-out in *Eyes Wide Shut*). Because he's an actor, Field is particularly sensitive to the actors under his care, making sure that the characters they're portraying are fleshed-out creations. This is especially true for Wilkinson, who has a great part here, and delivers the titanic performance that the part demands. But more remarkable than that is what Spacek achieves with HER role, which is not quite as fully-written (for instance, we're TOLD that she's "cold" to her son without seeing many examples of it. All she's done in the movie is warn her son away from an unrealistic relationship -- where's the coldness in that?). The extra nuances Spacek brings to the part are all her own. As a director, Field shows promise: the lack of a swelling score, the oblique focus on peripheries (a set of jangling keys in someone's pocket, the view outside a window, etc.), the general tendency to avoid scenes with shouting, the little narrative surprises, are to be commended rather than criticized. (The review below mine actually complained about the lack of a "helpful" music score!) And to the reviewer below him, who complained about the sound: it's the Dolby, not any particular engineer. Someday filmmakers will learn they shouldn't record dialogue-driven dramas in Dolby Digital. Until then, turn it up, man.
Rating:
Summary: Couldn't live up to the hype
Review: Finally getting around to watching a movie that has received so much notice and praise is very often a disappointing experience. Watching "In the Bedroom" was one of those experiences. It's not so much a bad movie as it is underwhelming. There's really nothing extraordinary about it. Somehow, it seems that the slow pace, the stillness (there's very little accompanying music), and the idyllic setting are all trying to convey something deeply meaningful that instead comes across as pretentious. I won't say that I hated it or even that it was flat-out boring, but it could have been tighter, shorter, and less self-important.
Rating: 
Summary: "Ordinary People" it ain't
Review: It's really disappointing when a movie I've been looking forward to seeing for a long time just doesn't click. You read the reviews, you like the stars, you seemingly like the kind of movie, you see it's gotten some awards (or at least nominations), so you can't wait to see it once it becomes available. Then you watch the screen and wonder what the fuss was about. This happened to both my wife and I watching "In the Bedroom". What makes it more amazing is that we go into the movie rooting for it. The big problem was pacing. Even though the movie has a handful of very violent acts, which I won't reveal here, we still both found the movie very slow, and even with the violent acts, some of which are shocking, we were actually waiting for something to happen. Explanation. The movie is not really about the violent things that happen, it's how the families involved react to them. This we understood, and it's this we have the problem with. We get multiple shots consisting of the camera showing only the facial expressions of the actors, often without even music in the background. I suppose we are to believe that the actors are so good they can transfer these emotions to us, but it didn't work with us. Yes, there are a few times when people finally express their feelings, but more often than not we see them suppressing their growing unhappiness. Even at a poker game, where people speak their minds at every one of the many I've been too, we see uncomfortable silences ending with one of the guys spouting poetry. Yeah, right. Ladies, this is not how guys act at poker games. Yes, I compared it to "Ordinary People". Both movies show how families are torn apart by tragedy. Go catch that one. You care about the families more, and they seem to be a bit more honest about expressing their emotions.
Rating:
Summary: MOVIE WAS GOOD, THE SOUND WAS HORRIBLE!!!
Review: Sound Engineer Will Riley [disappointed me]! I thought something was wrong with my new DVD player, when in fact it was the horrendous lack of quality sound. I barely heard the fxxxxxx movie. It was too bad because everything about this flick was great, but my goodness the sound sucked. They pay this guy Will Riley money ? The only time the movie was heard was when there was a machine like a lawn mover or something like that going off, otherwise the only way you are going to hear anything, is by turning the volume way up!!! Oh and by the way Riley, my hearing is excellent! I think you better take some classes on basic sound engineering, I am serious dude, you need it!!!
Rating:
Summary: So-So movie, take it or leave it.
Review: This film is really a so-so film. Not great, but not bad. Worth renting, but overall I wouldn't buy it. Pay-per-view it...maybe.
Rating: 
Summary: "In the Bedroom" is superb....
Review: and my only criticism might be a slightly slow pacing in the film. First time director Todd Field uses the fine touch of a stage director to use the ordinary American Home as a backdrop with incredible symbolism. One of the truly symbolic gestures of the film is Spacek's chain smoking -- it says more about her anxiety and anguish than words could ever tell. In the final scene, a lazy spiral of smoke from the cigarette she leaves on the nightstand tells us exactly who is at peace, at last. Not so Tom Wilkinson, as the father, in an amazing performance. Wilkinson's ease at demonstrating, rather than talking of his feelings and pride for his son and his wife is remarkable. At the close of the film, it is he you worry about -- someone whose soul will continue to be ravaged by violence, even by his own hand. The killing in the films takes place largely offscreen, but the violence is jarring and raw. Marisa Tomei picks up the vibration from him, and much of her character's feeling is reflected in the way she looks, and not what she says. There are other fine performances in the film, including Spacek, who drives everyone to distraction. The Eastern European dirges she has her choir perform on the anniversary of her son's death are as mournful as anything I've ever heard. In the Bedroom is not for everyone. You have to want your films to be told by nuance instead of dialogue -- or to have an interesting mix of both. Filming is beautiful, but the additional DVD qualities are just ordinary. Truly extraordinary!
Rating:
Summary: You eather love it or hate it .
Review: I loved it ... my girlfriend fell asleep . This is the 2 major reactions for this film . If you like slow but very deep story ; if you ever lost a loved one ; if you understand the harsh reality of a little detail , painfully striking you deep into your hart ; if you prefer exellent cinematography insted of digital graphics - this is your film .
Small East coast town , usual people , usual little problems ... and tragedy strikes . The only son is killed by the ex of his girlfriend . But legal sistem works at it best , and killer still on the street . Parenths of the dead boy se him everywhere in this little town . What would you do ?
The moments of this movie , which shocked me the most :
First - when father walked in the son's room ... camera slowly shows the close on the floor , short on the chear ...the pillow with a headprint still on it ... he touches it ... and I swear , I felt the pain .
Second - when father faced the killer on the street. He looks at him ... slowly lookes down... and lookes back at him with the same speed as he rises hand with a gun .
And last one - when father quietly walks back to the bedroom... we shocked by surprise - his wife is awake and waiting in the bad ... few quiet seconds ... Did you do it ? - we shocked by her question as much as he was .
PS: For some reason , this film reminded me " Ice Storm ". You really understand what you have , only when the tragedy strikes .
Rating:
Summary: Brilliant and tragic story.
Review: "In The Bedroom" was probably one of the best films of 2001. Written and directed by first-timer, Todd Field, it's certainly bound to be a classic. "In The Bedroom" takes place in the quiet, small town of Camden, Maine. There, we meet a pretty normal family: the husband, Matt Fowler (Tom Wilkinson), his wife, Ruth Fowler (Sissy Spacek), and their college-aged son, Frank Fowler (Nick Stahl). Frank is the son anybody could ever hope for: he's young, talented, good-looking, kind, and intelligent. But when he comes home for the summer from college, he gets into a relationship with an older woman, Natalie Strout (Marisa Tomei) who has two young children and is not yet divorced from her troubled husband, Richard Strout (William Mapother). Ruth and Matt have different opinions on Frank's romancing Natalie. Matt thinks Frank "scored big-time", while Ruth doesn't like the relationship at all and wants him to concentrate harder with his studies and to see someone closer to his own age. When Richard finds out about the affair, he is outraged and murders Frank one day while Frank is at Natalie's house with her. Now Matt and Ruth are in total grief over there loss, and the court won't put Richard in jail because they don't have complete proof that he had actually murdered Frank because there were no real witnesses. Matt and Ruth's relationship with each other is going down the drain because Frank was the only one who kept their relationship going. Now, Matt and Ruth must try to make the best of their lives and not give up on all hope. The acting for "In The Bedroom" is what really made this film work, since there is no real action and at times it is pretty slow and can be depressing to watch. The script is definitely one of the best. Sissy Spacek has to be one of my all-time favorite actresses--she is just simply superb in any role she is given. Tom Wilkinson is wonderful and so are Nick Stahl, Marisa Tomei, and William Mapother. I've heard many mixed reviews about this particular film, but when I saw it in theaters I left at the end in total awe. The DVD doesn't offer much in the way of extras (available in wide screen format), but "In The Bedroom" is simply a must anyway. I highly recommend "In The Bedroom". Score:
100/100
A+
Rating: 
Summary: bad
Review: i just dont see how this movie was so critically acclaimed.
it was terrible.
it lagged A LOT and could have deleted some scenes, there was one scene that focused on a window for like 10 min.
the previews were decieving and had no real relation to the movie.
marissa tomei was only in it for like 15 min and the same goes for nick stahl.
to put it short...IT WAS BORING.
wow, it was that bad. dont waste your money on that ....
Rating:
Summary: Pitch perfect...and depressing
Review: IN THE BEDROOM absolutely knocked me off balance. I sat on the couch, watching this film, with my hand over my mouth half the time, a subconscious response to the tragedy unfolding before me. This film contains the same powerful force and resonance as did REQUIEM FOR A DREAM and EYE OF GOD, which coincidentally starred Nick Stahl in another tragic role. It is very depressing to watch though; I ask myself sometimes if I am a masochist, subjecting myself to these difficult films. The performances are "pitch perfect," a compliment which has been bestowed on Sissy Spacek numerous times. Spacek is one of the most consistent actresses present who never lets us down with a less-than-perfect performance. Here, her rage and sense for vengeance could match even that of Carrie's. At the end, when her character, Ruth, asks her husband, "Did you do it?" the chills you get are indescribable, like a modern-day, small-town Lady MacBeth and her own "Out, damned spot!" Tom Wilkinson, trying on a New England accent, which you'd never know isn't first-nature to him, plays Matt Fowler, the husband. His steely stare, his pallor, indeed, his voice all make me think that no one else could've played his role. The casting was inspired. Marisa Tomei, greatly undervalued due to cheesy roles in movies like WHAT WOMEN WANT, strikes many chords. The scene where she visits Ruth to express condolences is devastating. William Mapother, as Richard Strout, is terrifying. This movie is more about things unsaid, things kept to oneself, which is more apparent in Andre Dubus's short story upon which the movie is based. The restraint shown in the performances and in the directing style of Todd Field makes the scenes all the more tragic. How can a parent ever be happy again? In the end, the feeling that Matt's actions are justified even if they are not merciful strikes the biggest chord. When he says, "I couldn't wait any more," we all sympathize; we would've even done it for him if it hadn't meant so much for him to do it himself. When REQUIEM FOR A DREAM used nightmarish striking imagery to enhance its message, IN THE BEDROOM uses images of the everyday and mundane, images far more affecting because we see them everyday ourselves, a fishing lure, an envelope in the mail, a trip to the market, a photo on the wall. I hope this movie brings a special significance to these mundane artifacts, to elucidate their precious nature. Bravo to all those who helped bring this movie to the public and congratulations for the well-earned awards it has received.
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