A young man. An older woman. Her ex-husband. Things are about to explode...

Starring: Sissy Spacek, Tom Wilkinson, Nick Stahl, Marisa Tomei, William Mapother, Celia Weston, Deborah Derecktor, William Wise

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★☆ - near perfect

"You're bitter, Ruth. And you can point your finger at me all you like, but you better take a damn good look at yourself." - Matt

Why watch this? It's painful on two levels: the murder of a son and coping with it.

Plot Summary: A New England couple, Dr. Matt Fowler and music teacher Ruth, find their lives intertwined with their college-aged son, Frank. Frank is home for the summer and becomes involved with an older, separated mother of two children, Natalie Strout. This relationship, initially a source of worry for Ruth and dismissed as a fling by Matt, leads to a series of escalating conflicts with Natalie's estranged and possessive husband. Ultimately, these tensions culminate in an unthinkable tragedy.

Dad's Preview: This stellar film confronts the horrible topic of murder, and a common family's inability to fight against wealth and power in their small community. The entire cast delivers stellar performances, and by that I mean, there is a rare realness to this film. You feel like you are witnessing life as it happens. It was nominated for five Oscars, but unbelievably came away empty handed.

Good Machine, Eastern Standard Film Co., GreeneStreet Films;
Miramax Films