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THE SAFETY OF OBJECTS
(2001)
The
things we have don't bring us happiness. The Safety of Objects
is a film version of Wisdom literature (similar to Proverbs, Ecclesiastes
or Job in the Bible). That is, it helps us to look at the meaning
of life and happiness. Is it in family? in career advancement?
in escape? in what we wish were true?
This page was created on March 16, 2003
This page was last updated on May 29, 2005
Review -click
here
Trailers, Photos -click
here
About this Film -click here
Spiritual Connections -click
here
Forum -click
here
Dial up modems will take a few moments
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CREDITS
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Directed
by Rose Troche
Book
by A.M. Homes
Screenplay by Rose Troche
Glenn
Close .... Esther Gold
Dermot Mulroney .... Jim Train
Jessica Campbell .... Julie Gold
Patricia Clarkson .... Annette Jennings
Joshua Jackson .... Paul Gold
Moira Kelly .... Susan Train
Robert Klein .... Howard Gold
Timothy Olyphant .... Randy
Mary Kay Place .... Helen Christianson
Kristen Stewart .... Sam Jennings
Alex House .... Jake Train
Haylee Wanstall .... Rayanne Jennings
Stephanie Mills .... Karen
rest of cast listed alphabetically
Charlotte Arnold .... Sally Christianson
Aaron Ashmore .... Bobby Christianson
Dwayne Hill .... Bill McCarthur
C. David Johnson .... Wayne Christianson
Lori Nancy Kalamanski .... Mrs. Greene
Balázs Koós .... Walter
Matthew MacLennan .... Jeff (Bobby's Friend)
Guinevere Turner .... Voice of Tani (barbie doll)
Kathryn Winslow .... Catherine
Produced
by
Dorothy Berwin .... producer
Colin Brunton .... line producer
Stephen Evans .... executive producer
Angus Finney .... executive producer
Sophie Janson .... associate producer
Pamela Koffler .... executive producer
Jon Marcus .... associate producer
Per Melita .... line producer: additional photography
Jody Patton .... executive producer (as Jody Allen Patton)
Eric Robison .... co-producer
Rose Troche .... co-producer
Christine Vachon .... producer
Original Music by Barb Morrison , Charles Nieland , Nance Nieland
Cinematography by Enrique Chediak
Film Editing by Geraldine Peroni
MPAA:
Rated R for sexual content and language.
Runtime: 121 min
For rating reasons, go to FILMRATINGS.COM,
and MPAA.ORG.
Parents, please refer to PARENTALGUIDE.ORG
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TRAILERS
AND CLIPS
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POSTER
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The Safety of Objects
27 in x 40 in
This Poster plain, or
Framed | Mounted |
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BOOK
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THE
SAFETY OF OBJECTS
Homes, A.M.
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SYNOPSIS
A
powerful story intertwining the lives of four neighboring families
as they struggle to understand each other and, ultimately, themselves.
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 "The
Safety of Objects" is an American suburban drama filled with
subversive humor. We uncover the lives of four neighbouring families
as they struggle to make honest human relationships. In doing so the
characters realise they must emerge from the isolation provided by...the
safety of objects.
In
a desirable American suburb four families' lives become entwined.
Paul Gold (Jackson) lies in his bedroom in a coma, nursed by his
mother, Esther Gold (Close), who in her role has unintentionally
distanced herself from her husband and her teenage daughter, Julie
(Campbell). Jim Train (Mulroney) is a lawyer who has more intimacy
with his work than with his wife Susan (Kelly), who in response
chooses to settle into their new life without him. Their son Jake
is finding it hard to conceal his burgeoning relationship with his
sister's doll, Tani, the twelve-inch girl he adores. Annette Jennings
(Clarkson), once Paul's lover, is in the midst of a messy divorce
and is trying to keep herself together while bringing up her children,
Sam and Rayanne, on a shoestring. Helen Christianson (Place), bored
by her husband and the banalities of everyday life looks for something
or someone to spark her.
Over
the course of four days Esther enters a competition to win a car
for her daughter and Jim, frustrated by his job, plays hooky to
help her win; Jake throws over the Tani doll for some real friends;
Annette reclaims her life when Randy (Olyphant) enters Sam's and
Helen discovers what she has at home is not something she wants
to replace.
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REVIEW
BY
DARREL
MANSON
Pastor, Artesia Christian Church, Artesia, CA
http://netministries.org/see/churches/ch01198
Darrel
has an incredible love and interest in the cinematic arts.
His reviews usually include independent and significantly important
film.
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 One
of my first thoughts after seeing The Safety of Objects was:
Boy, do I wish I had the Prozac concession for that neighborhood.
Depression is rampant in this cozy little suburban neighborhood. You
have to wonder how they can all be so depressed when they have it
so good.
But then that is the theme of the film, that the things we have don't
bring us happiness. Like 13 Conversations
About One Thing, The Safety of Objects is a film version
of Wisdom literature (similar to Proverbs, Ecclesiastes or Job in
the Bible). That is, it helps us to look at the meaning of life and
happiness. Is it in family? in career advancement? in escape? in what
we wish were true?
This film has been screened in film festivals for the last couple
of years and now has a distributor allowing it to be seen by a larger
market.
Safety is the story of four suburban families. Writer-director Rose
Troche tied together short stories by A. M. Homes to form this film.
In each family, there is love, but also a sense of alienation. In
the Gold home, (anchored in the performances of Glenn Close and Jessica
Campbell) the mother of the family (Close) continues to take care
of their comatose son as if he were still healthy. She even brings
him to sit at the dinner table. All this attention to her son is leaving
her daughter (Campbell) feeling abandoned.
The Train household (anchored by Dermot Mulroney and Moira Kelly)
is suffering through the father's (Mulroney) crisis of feeling unappreciated
and betrayed by the law firm he works at. His son is busy entering
adolescence by having a relationship with a Barbie-style doll.
The Jennings home (anchored by Patricia Clarkson) is a single parent
home. She is struggling to get by since he ex-husband has not been
paying support or visiting the children. And when he does finally
show up and the kids don't much care, he blames her for poisoning
them towards him.
 The
Christianson home (anchored by Mary Kay Place) is the least developed
of the stories. The mother is beginning to feel trapped, perhaps because
of a touch of mid-life crisis. (This storyline really isn't tied in
very well to the others. The film probably would have been a bit tighter
and cleaner without it.)
A main part of the film is Esther Gold's attempt to win a car for
her daughter in a contest of keeping in contact with the car longer
than anyone else. Her neighbor Jim Train sees helping her as a mission
to give meaning to his life. He camps out at the mall to manage and
support her attempt.
As the contest stretches on and Esther has time to think about her
life, she recounts to Jim how after her son's accident she prayed
at the hospital chapel for days. She tells him that if he ever finds
himself in such a situation, to be very specific what he asks for,
because God has a wicked sense of humor. And indeed, part of what
is causing all the unrest and depression in these people is it seems
they often have gotten exactly what they have asked for.
It's difficult to know how we're expected to feel about these neighbors.
Their problems seem so important to them, but they don't all seem
very important to us. In fact, we don't have very much compassion
for them. We see them as a bit pathetic. The issue is that they can't
let go. They can't (or won't) let go of a son or lover or possessions
or guilt. They just keep holding on to the things (not always objects
as the title implies) that have grounded their lives. Because they
won't let go, they are failing to move on with the life that is opening
itself to them.
 Whether
it is Jake Train and his doll/lover or Esther Gold and her comatose
son, until they are ready to let loose of those obsessions, their
future is on hold. Of course, it's never easy to let go. Jake's doll
seems sort of frivolous, but it represents his whole sex life. To
give that up, even for something more real, is risky. And how can
a mother let go of a son, even if in a coma? Yet, how can she go on
with her life if she fails to recognize the reality of the situation?
In the final scene, all the neighbors are gathered in the backyard
of a new couple who has just moved into the neighborhood. They come
and pile up housewarming gifts -- the various objects that represent
what they had been holding on to. Perhaps now they will find the freedom
to find more in their life. But we also have to wonder if this new
couple in their first home will follow in the same way. |
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PHOTOS
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Continue:
Review
-click here
Trailers, Photos -click here
About this Film -click here
Spiritual Connections -click
here
Forum -click
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COMMENT
ON THIS FILM
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BULLETIN
BOARD (Rules)
Post
your thoughts in the forum
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OFFICIAL
SITE
Publicity
information and images
© 2001 Better Safe Productions, Inc.
©
2001 Clear
Blue Sky Productions
©
2001 Infilm
©
2001 Killer
Films
©
2001 Renaissance
Films.
All Rights Reserved.
No other uses are permitted without the prior written consent
of owner. Use of the material in violation of the foregoing may
result in civil and/or criminal penalties. Credits and dates are
subject to change. For more information, please visit their official
site.
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