Almost ten years ago I wrote:
It's a John Irving novel 'A Widow For One Year' adapted by the director, whose only previous credit was The Adventures of Sebastian Cole (1998) with Entourage's Adrian Grenier.
I can't comment on how it relates to the source novel (which itself has very mixed reviews) but what we have here is a brilliantly written film which reveals its plot in pieces, some of which are very subtle (e.g. the age at which the boys died and the fact you are misled into thinking the girl has known them). Also the way the wife knows everything about what her husband is doing and can predict his next move. And that the husband is an alcoholic and has presumably been banned for drink driving (but is he actually fucking his art subjects?)
Good stuff involves photography and art, story-telling and how to write. Flashes of humour are welcome, such as boy's encounter with picture framer.
Young Elle Fanning is great in great cast featuring Jeff Bridges, Kim Basinger, Jon Foster (who didn't make it) and Mimi Rogers.
It sort of made me think We Need to Talk About Kevin. It's melancholy and moving and really rather splendid. Terry Stacey (50/50, Dear John, Adventureland, The Nanny Diaries, Salmon Fishing in the Yemen) photographed it on Long Island harmoniously and the music's by Marcelo Darvos. It was another film from our collection we'd neglected far too long (eight years).
Today: The stuff in the children's books he's writing is very relevant to his own life - he even takes a comment of his daughter as a new story title. What is the meaning of the enigmatic ending? We liked the only thing you can see in the flashback is the indicator light. And the sacked groundsman getting a new job. The editor is Affonso Gonçalves (who worked on Hamnet and Carol and Winter's Bone).
We did though think it was entirely unfair of the mother to deprive her daughter of all the photos that she's come to know so well (and herself).
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