In the Bedroom is an exceptional movie with great direction, superior screen writing, and a wonderful cast that includes:Tom Wilkinson (Dr. Matt Fowler) Sissy Spacek (Ruth Fowler) Nick Stahl (Frank Fowler) Marisa Tomei (Natalie Strout) William Mapother (Richard Strout) Karen Allen has a minor role as the defense attorney, Marla KeyesTom Wilkinson and Sissy Spacek deliver performances that make the viewer really feel the emotions experienced by the film's characters. The characters are married and must deal with a horrible tragedy.The movie's scenes are mostly short "takes," but they work well, engaging the audience at a high level.

In The Bedroom is a film that parents need to see. I saw it with my parents and it has probably scarred them for life. But whatever, it is a film that needs to be watched and learned from. Already know how to avoid all these bumps? Watch it anyway. The movie features amazing acting, and a movie that really gets you feeling is really hard to come by. Here is one.Meet the Fowler family. Matt is a doctor, Ruth is a music teacher, and Frank is their son who isn't sure about his future and college. Frank is dating Natalie Strout, who is much older than he is. She formerly married an ex-con and she has two boys. Ruth doesn't like the idea of them dating, but Matt doesn't see a problem with it. He knows that both parties will come to and they will break up. The movie even hints at them breaking up. Richard, Natalie's husband, makes some unwelcome surprises, and the tension is very high. Matt is concerned, but he knows that his son is mature to handle his own situations, but he will stay in the backdrop just to see if his son needs a hand.Then the movie suddenly switches gears. *Spoilers* Richard shows up and Frank just wants to contain the situation. Richard then shoots Frank in the head. We don't actually see it, just the sound and the reactions from Richard and Natalie. That makes this scene all the more horrific. Is this a climax near the beginning? Some people interpret it that way. Whenever I watch this, it gets more clear why it was placed so close to the beginning.Since Natalie didn't actually see the murder, Richard can only be charged with manslaughter. But he gets out on bail. The Fowlers doing what they can to put Richard behind bars could take a year. In the meantime, their son's killer is free roaming the streets. There's a few times when he bumps into them. It really is shocking. Matt and Ruth really regret being so played back with their son. They really want to do all they can to destroy Richard once and for all.All the performances are first rate. Tom Wilkinson and Sissy Spacek turn in their finest performances (well, Spacek's third best) as grieving parents driven to the edge. But it is ultimately Wilkinson that dominates the film. Stahl, Tomei, and Mapother are all fantastic too. This character- driven film is pitch-perfect. The fishing scenes, the revenge aspect, the thrills, all of these are perfect. These are real characters that can have a huge affect on anybody that watch it.Highly recommended!

In the Bedroom (2001): Dir: Todd Field / Cast: Tom Wilkinson, Sissy Spacek, Marisa Tomei, Nick Stahl, William Mapother: Tense drama thriller about secrets behind closed doors. In this case, in the bedroom. That is where sex is often associated as a student and older woman engage in sexual passion. Her ex-husband isn't too keen on giving her up. Tom Wilkinson and Sissy Spacek play parents who warn their son of the potential danger but tragedy strikes when the ex-husband commits murder. He is released on bail due too nobody actually witnessing the murder leaving the victim's parents demanding justice and no other options than to justify their actions. Far better than the overrated A Time to Kill because it isn't about murder but about grief. Excellent work by director Todd Field with tremendous performances by Wilkinson and Spacek as a broken couple trying to sort through their loss and dealing with feelings of hatred. Their last scene can be interpreted differently in terms of what is said and not said. Marisa Tomei plays the woman their son was dating and whose image to the parents differs. Nick Stahl played their son caught in an immoral relationship and suffers fatal consequences despite warnings. William Mapother plays the violent ex-boyfriend caught within the law and streaming hatred. Observant portrayal of the affects of grief and secrets that dwell in the bedroom. Score: 9 / 10

"In the Bedroom" is a rather unpleasant and very slow film. I guarantee that many folks will not want to watch this film or will give up partway through it. This is because although the movie is exceptionally well made, it's also incredibly sad and its pace is like lead. Now this isn't really a complaint--just some reasonable observations about the film. So, keep this in mind before you decide to watch.The film begins with a relationship that seems rather irrational and doomed. A married woman with children is getting a divorce. In the meantime, she's having a relationship with a young man who appears to be about 18 or perhaps 19. The woman (Marissa Tomei) is significantly older and the young man is supposed to be going off to college--and his mother (Sissy Spacek) naturally wants the young man to focus on school and not this still-married woman. Soon, the estranged husband returns and begins pressuring the wife to take him back--and he becomes very violent. The wife and the boyfriend are morons--they don't go to the police and the husband's behavior escalates until he murders the young man. All this occurs in the first third of the movie and the rest of the film consists of showing the parents (Spacek and Tom Wilkenson) dealing with their grief. Neither really talks about it and they internalize their pain and become distant from one another. However, rather unexpectedly, the movie takes a very drastic and violent turn at the end--one that is quite satisfying to see but which also is difficult to watch.It's important to point this out, the portrayals of the parents coping with their grief is incredibly well done and realistic. But who wants to see this? Not most folks. In many ways it reminded me of "Rabbit Hole"--another amazingly well acted film about parental grief that is brilliant but difficult to watch. And, since most folks don't want to be THIS depressed, they're movies you should think twice about before you watch. Exceptional....and unpleasant.