Review of In a Bedroom (2012) by Seth C — 16 Nov 2007

One of the little things I didn't notice about In the Bedroom until hours after I had seen it was its lack of a score. Apart from the opening and ending themes, there's almost nothing. That I didn't notice it should tell you just how great this movie is--its sadness and intensity (there's plenty of both) are developed entirely by the actors and director.

If you want to see it, avoid reading any details about the plot. Part of the movie's devastating impact comes from its unpredictability.

One of the things I loved about it most was its subtlety--there are plot conventions here that I've seen in other movies, but here they're used in a much more realistic fashion. In a lesser movie they (and the characters) would have been exploited to gather more money at the box office, but here we're just shown what happens--no flair.

And on the realism note, In the Bedroom has some of the best writing and character development I've seen in a movie, period. Tom Wilkinson and Sissy Spacek are both incredible, and there are scenes between them that, again, would have been used in the wrong way had someone else directed. There are so many scenes that have the potential to hit a wrong note, but Todd Field and co. never misstep.

So go see it or something.