In the Bedroom

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picture
In the Bedroom poster
Directed by	Todd Field
Produced by	Todd Field Ted Hope Ross Katz Graham Leader John Penotti
Written by	Andre Dubus (story Killings) Robert Festinger Todd Field
Starring	Tom Wilkinson Sissy Spacek Nick Stahl Marisa Tomei William Mapother William Wise
Distributed by	Miramax Films
Release date(s)	25 December 2001 (limited)
Running time	130 min.
Language	English
IMDb profile

In the Bedroom is a 2001 movie directed by Todd Field and starring Tom Wilkinson, Sissy Spacek, Nick Stahl, Marisa Tomei, and William Mapother. It is dedicated to Andre Dubus and based on his short story Killings.

The movie was praised for its thought-provoking script, direction and the acting performances of the main characters.

In the Bedroom was nominated for the following Academy Awards:

Best Picture
Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material Previously Published
Actor in a Leading Role (Wilkinson)
Actress in a Leading Role (Spacek)
Actress in a Supporting Role (Tomei)

[edit] Synopsis

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

The movie is set in a sleepy fishing town in Maine, USA. The plot concerns a twenty-something young man, Frank Fowler (Stahl), who is in love with an older woman with kids, Natalie Strout (Tomei). Fowler is going to college for architecture, but contemplating staying in town, working in the fishing industry to be near Natalie. Natalie's ex-husband, Richard Strout (Mapother) is violent and abusive.

Midway through the movie he kills Fowler during a confrontation at Natalie's house, following a domestic dispute. Richard is set free on bail which causes Fowler's parents, Dr. Matt Fowler (Wilkinson) and Ruth Fowler (Spacek), a choir conductress, to become increasingly angry at seeing Richard running around town. Their anger increases when they learn that the lack of a direct witness to their son's shooting allows their son's killer to avoid murder charges since the district attorney may have difficulty proving that Richard killed their son intentionally, as opposed to accidental manslaughter in a struggle (as the defense would likely argue). Later, Dr. Fowler, believing that the court system cannot bring justice for his son, hatches and executes a plan with a friend to abduct and kill Richard. The title refers to the interior of a lobster trap and the fact that it can only hold up to two lobsters before they turn on each other.