Arlington Road
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| Arlington Road | |
|---|---|
 Arlington Road film poster |
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| Directed by | Mark Pellington |
| Produced by | Tom Rosenberg Sigurjón Sighvatsson Ted Tannebaum |
| Written by | Ehren Kruger |
| Starring | Jeff Bridges Tim Robbins Joan Cusack Hope Davis Robert Gossett |
| Music by | Angelo Badalamenti tomandandy |
| Distributed by | Sony Pictures Entertainment |
| Release date(s) | 9 July 1999 |
| Running time | 117 min. |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $31 million |
| IMDb profile | |
Arlington Road is a 1999 film which tells the story of a widowed George Washington University professor who suspects his new neighbors are involved in terrorism and becomes obsessed with foiling their terrorist plot. The film stars Jeff Bridges, Tim Robbins, Joan Cusack, and Hope Davis and is directed by Mark Pellington. Ehren Kruger wrote the script, which won the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' (AMPAS) Nicholl Fellowship in 1996. This was the first film produced by Sony's Screen Gems movie unit.
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[edit] Plot
Michael Faraday is a college history professor at the George Washington University who's been raising his nine-year-old son, Grant, since the untimely death of his FBI agent wife who was killed in the line of duty. Somewhat of a specialist regarding American terrorism, Michael starts to become suspicious of his new suburban neighbors, Oliver and Cheryl Lang, whom he's just met after taking their son, Brady, to the emergency room following a reported fireworks accident. At first his suspicions are based on little things such as Oliver's architectural blueprints that seem to be for something other than the shopping mall he claims he's building, as well as pieces of mail that contradict where Oliver said he attended college.
Neither his girlfriend and former student, Brooke Wolfe, nor his wife's former FBI partner, Whit Carver, believe any of his wild theories, especially since the Langs seem like such nice people. Yet, Michael continues to uncover what could be possible evidence and becomes even more wary of Oliver and Cheryl. As such, his beliefs that they're behind some sort of pending terrorist act, coupled with the fact that no one believes him, soon drives Michael to the brink of madness. Michael's girlfriend, Brooke, is killed in an automobile accident, which Michael comes to vaguely suspect is related to his neighbors. The conspirators use a scouting type organization to keep Faraday's son Grant as an unknowing hostage and as bait.
In the end, Faraday is blamed for the very explosion he had tried to stop. He unknowingly delivers a massive bomb to the FBI in the trunk of his car. This leads to a large explosion causing Faraday's death, and the deaths of 184 others, including Whit Carver. Posthumously, he is vilified as a terrorist seeking revenge for his wife's death. The Langs get away scot-free, and Grant, now orphaned, ends up living with relatives, not knowing of his father's innocence. It becomes obvious that Scobee, another man who was accused of blowing up an IRS building in St. Louis, was set up exactly the same way as Michael.
[edit] Cast & characters
- Jeff Bridges as Michael Faraday
- Tim Robbins as Oliver Lang
- Joan Cusack as Cheryl Lang
- Hope Davis as Brooke Wolfe
- Robert Gossett as FBI Agent Whit Carver
- Spencer Treat Clark as Grant Faraday
- Mason Gamble as Brady Lang
[edit] See also
[edit] DVD Release
The film was initially released in October 26, 1999 to Columbia TriStar Home Video. This DVD was reissued in Superbit in February 12, 2002 to Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment.
[edit] Rating
This film is Rated R by the MPAA for Violence and Some Language. Canadian Rating: 14a.
