I really enjoyed this film. Some may not like the fact that there is very little "action" in the storyline, but the depth of most of the characters, as well as the way in which they interact, creates something beautiful. At the film's core is how each of the main characters deal with a self-defining "object" (or the loss of that "object"). Esther Gold (Glenn Close) has a life defined by her son Paul (Joshua Jackson) who was in a terrible wreck leaving him in a coma needing around the clock care. She feels safe in the role of martyr in which she has insulated herself to keep from dealing with the tragedy. Her daughter (Jessica Campbell) is dealing with the tragedy (and her secret about it) with her own object safety, starting with her role as the neglected one. Her other attachment, to brother's guitar, is driven both by her need to connect and her need to hide from guilt.Annette Jennings (Patricia Clarkson) has a life defined by her children, neither of whom she can really control. One is a special needs child and the other, Samantha (Kristen Stewart) finds safety in rebellion, placing blame and being shocking and a smartass. Jennings is also dealing with the loss of her marriage and her relationship with Paul Gold (Esther's comatose son). She won't let herself be happy because she would have to lose the misery in which she has come to feel safe. In the end, she is forced to realize that she must let go of the misery to save herself and her children.Jim Train (Dermot Mulroney) is defined by the success he has at work, and indeed the job itself. He has safety in his position as a successful breadwinner with the "perfect" family. When the loss of a promotion at work sends him reeling, it drives him to walk away from his job and his family's only income. He is the first to give up the safety of object, but it slowly drives him over the edge. Meanwhile, each of his family members are going through their own version of the safety of an object (s). Jim has to have a complete meltdown before seeing that being truly present for his family is his true safety.Helen Christianson (Mary Kay Place) is defined by the loss of passion (excitement) in her life yet in some ways clings to the safety of the boring life that feels safe. She tries to bridge the gap by reaching out to her husband in any way she can, but he seems disinterested at best. When she finally makes the move to step from behind the safety of her circumstance, her husband suddenly becomes the man she desires and she realizes that her marriage is where she truly wants to be... not just the role that feels safe.Finally, Randy (Timothy Olyphant) longs to again feel the safety of his role as big brother... the thing he lost when his brother died in the crash that disabled Paul Gold. During the film, he begins to see Samantha (called Sam) as the substitute he needs because she reminds him of his brother. Acting on this compulsion to regain his safety object, he kidnaps Sam. The lines of reality and desired reality blur sometimes as he strives to recreate his lost life. In the end though, he finally sees that the past cannot be recaptured, and he returns Sam home.The Safety of Objects looks at a slice of life, as many of the characters are relatable. It reminds us all that there are things, people and/or circumstances where we find our safety... our coping mechanism... our comfort. Again, this is not a movie for those who require a plot-driven film. It is for those of us who find fascinating the look inside the people and lives that are so familiar.

Robert Klein, Glen Close, Mary Kay Place, Patricia Clarkson, Dermot Mulroney, Jessica Campbell, Joshua Jackson, Moira Kelly, Tim Olyphant ...talent all over the place, and a story very worthy of their efforts. No two films, writers, or directors are the same, of course, but I think it's fair to mention Ang Lee's "The Ice Storm", the work of Atom Egoyan ("Exotica", "The Sweet Hereafter"), or thematically similar films like "One Hour Photo", "Safe", "White Oleander", "Far From Heaven", and "Crash" as having a strong relationship to "The Safety of Objects". ALIENATED, DETACHED, REMOVED, UNCOMMUNICATIVE, LOST SOULS desperate for attention, warmth, love, understanding. This is NOT to say "Safety..." is merely a cog in a gathering movement of films, because it has it's own agenda, and conclusions. Watch this one with a clear head...or the complex, layered, forward/backward, puzzle pieces of this story will overwhelm you with details that ARE important. I will see it again and again.

The first time I saw this movie, I didn't like it. I decided to give it a second watch because it was such a good cast, and it left a creepy, haunting feeling with me, I thought: what was that? The movie is difficult to watch, its not entertaining and I can't say that it's very good. The philosophical underpinning is revealed titularly, and there is nothing very interesting about it, its like, yeah we know... I gave the movie 7 out of 10 only because Glenn Close is ridiculously good. Its really one of the most interesting female performances of late. The barbie doll thing was a bit disturbing, but the director deserves a break for taking chances that are not commercial. Worth looking at. Good Cast. Is the movie supposed to be weird, or did someone make a mistake? Glenn's great.

This tale of the intersecting lives of several suburban families has its moments, but not enough of them, and it is ultimately incoherent and uninvolving. Glenn Close tries very hard to be the tragic figure that the story requires but the plight of her comatose son is never quite real and the final scene in which she smothers him in plastic is nowhere near as convincing (or terrifying) as the scene in House of Sand and Fog where the Persian exile kills his wife and then commits suicide himself using the same method. In this film, it is a completely antiseptic act, and it is without consequences for the mother. Most of the other episodes in the movie are even less persuasive because less well acted.