In the Bedroom (2001)
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A family's life is shattered when a tragic act of violence forces them to confront their own secrets and grief.
The story
In coastal Rockport, Maine, Matt and Ruth Fowler enjoy a happy marriage and a good relationship with their son Frank, a recent college graduate home for the summer. However, tension arises when Frank falls in love with Natalie Strout, a divorced older woman with children. While Ruth is concerned about the relationship, Matt views it as a mere fling. The family struggles to communicate their feelings regarding Frank's future and his choice to stay in town. The situation escalates when Natalie's ex-husband, Richard Strout, begins making increasingly violent attempts to insert himself into her life, eventually leading to a tragic confrontation.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
In coastal Rockport, Maine, Matt and Ruth Fowler are a happy couple whose lives are disrupted by their son Frank's affair with Natalie Strout, a divorced woman. Frank decides to stay in town to be near Natalie, despite his plans for graduate school. Natalie's ex-husband, Richard, becomes increasingly violent, eventually assaulting Frank. One evening, Frank rushes to Natalie's home after a frightened phone call from her child, only to find Richard there. Frank breaks in to confront Richard but is shot and killed in the ensuing scuffle. Matt and Ruth grieve in different ways: Matt returns to work while Ruth becomes reclusive. They retreat to a cabin with friends, where Matt begins drinking heavily. After Richard is released on bail, the tension between Matt and Ruth peaks during a savage argument where they accuse each other of various failings. Eventually, they find common ground in their grief. In a desperate act, Matt abducts Richard at gunpoint, forces him to drive to the cabin, and shoots him dead. They bury the body in the woods. Matt returns home to find Ruth awake; he remains troubled and unresponsive, unable to explain his actions or the emotions he felt.
- First release year
- 2001
- Runtime (minutes)
- 131
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Todd Field
- Writers
- Todd Field · screenplay; Robert Festinger · screenplay
- Cast and characters
- Sissy Spacek · Ruth Fowler; Tom Wilkinson · Matt Fowler; Nick Stahl · Frank Fowler; Marisa Tomei · Natalie Strout; William Mapother · Richard Strout; Celia Weston · Katie Grinnel; William Wise · Willis Grinnel
- Genres
- drama; crime
- Themes
- Grief; Domestic Violence; Revenge; Family Dynamics
- Tone and mood
- Quietly wrenching; Enigmatic; Controlled
- Premise and plot tags
- Drama; Crime; Independent; Based on a short story
- Source material / true-story basis
- Killings by Andre Dubus (1979)
- Reception
- The film received critical acclaim for its direction, script, and performances, particularly those of Sissy Spacek and Tom Wilkinson. It was praised as a 'masterpiece' and 'quietly wrenching.' It was also a significant success at the Sundance Film Festival and a commercial success relative to its budget.
- Reported review scores
- Metacritic · score: 86 · scale: 100 · review count: 31
- Awards and nominations
- Golden Globe Award · Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama · Win; Critics' Choice Movie Award · Best Actress · Win; Academy Awards · Best Picture · Nomination; Academy Awards · Best Adapted Screenplay · Nomination; Academy Awards · Best Actress · Nomination; Academy Awards · Best Actor · Nomination; Academy Awards · Best Supporting Actress · Nomination; British Academy Film Awards · Best Actress · Nomination; British Academy Film Awards · Best Actor · Nomination; Screen Actors Guild Awards · Best Actress · Nomination; Screen Actors Guild Awards · Best Actor · Nomination
- Production trivia
- The title refers to the rear compartment of a lobster trap known as the 'bedroom' and how it can hold only two lobsters before the lobsters begin to turn on each other.; The film was the first film that premiered at the Sundance Film Festival to receive an Academy Award nomination for Best Picture.; The film was featured in season four, episode eight of The Sopranos.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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