Independent Film Guide

What It's About
Sarah (Kate Winslet) is the odd-mom-out at the playground. She can't even remember to bring snacks for her toddler, and as the narrator tells us, she doesn't particularly enjoy motherhood. Then one morning, Brad, a hot stay-at-home dad (Patrick Wilson), walks into her playground ... and into her dreams. Eventually the two, both unhappy in their marriages and unsure about their lives, become red-hot lovers. Meanwhile, their entire town is shaken with the reappearance of a released sex offender (Jackie Earle Haley) who is being harassed by a vigilante ex-cop with nothing better to do.

Why You Should See It From Todd Field, the director of the gut-wrenching 'In the Bedroom,' comes another incisive, literary exploration of contemporary suburban life. Like 'American Beauty' with a shot of 'Happiness,' this is a sublimely acted, intelligently written story about unconditional love, great sex, forgiveness, uncertainty, betrayal, failure and the "overratedness" of being beautiful -- basically, everything that makes us human.

Unforgettable Scene One unforgettably sexy scene is when Brad and Sarah, after an entire summer of day-long playdates at the community pool, rush to Sarah's home during a sudden rainstorm. The tots are napping soundly and Sarah runs to fetch fresh towels. Brad, snooping, discovers a hidden snapshot of himself in Sarah's study, and the flattered look on his face slowly turns into desire. When he meets Sarah in the laundry room, it's clear it's not the towels he has in mind.

Oscar Watch Kate Winslet's performance as the slightly inept and completely miserable stay-at-home mom Sarah has generated a few Google pages' worth of Academy buzz. But it's also the brave work of Jackie Earle Haley, best known for his teen-age roles in 'Breaking Away' and 'The Bad News Bears,' that deserves high praise. Playing a pedophile is one thing, but making a pedophile human -- just another grieving son --now that's an achievement.

Production Note If the omniscient narrator sounds familiar, chances are you're a fan of the Public Broadcasting System. The voice belongs not to a sportscaster but to Will Lyman, the narrator of PBS' 'Frontline' documentaries. And, yes, Jennifer Connelly's character is a documentarian for none other than PBS. Coincidence? We think not.

Recommended If You Liked
'American Beauty'
'The Ice Storm'
'In the Bedroom'
'Ordinary People'
'Parenthood'

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