The Safety of Objects (2001)

Story: The overlapping problems of four suburban families come to a boiling point over the course of a few days. The Golds - Julie (Jessica Campbell) believes her mother, Esther (Glenn Close), loves her comatose brother, Paul (Joshua Jackson), more, so Esther enters a contest to win Julie a car. The Trains - Jim (Dermot Mulroney) has a few days off due to a bomb threat, but he walks out on his family when he becomes obsessed with helping Esther win the car, despite his son Jake's (Alex House) odd behaviour. The Jenningses - When Sam (Kristen Stewart) goes missing, Annette (Patricia Clarkson) blames her ex husband instead of calling the police. The Christiansons - Helen (Mary Kay Place) concentrates on her looks, her husband's waning interest, and her daughter Sally's (Charlotte Arnold) eating habits. And Randy (Timothy Olyphant) is around.

Trust me when I tell you that I was trying to be brief. The movie isn't too complex to watch, but that fact that in involves 4+ families can make it seem difficult.

I enjoyed the movie for the most part. Figuring out what role each person played or didn't play in Paul's accident was pretty intriguing, but the truth sort of hung me out to dry. If I may venture to say so, though, Rose Troche (writer/director) opted for a great conclusion, even if her screenplay was lack luster at most points and bewildering at others.

For example, we are supposed to believe that although everyone seems to be able to see into everyone else's house, no one bothers to close their expensive window coverings.

Also, apparently parents no longer tell their children not to get into cars with strangers. I don't know about you, but my parents took a pretty hard line on that sort of thing.

Clarkson, Close, and Mulroney do their best to elevate what ends up being little more than a less affecting American Beauty. Campbell shines in the cliched role of a disenfranchised teen, but House steals the show as a confused little boy on the cusp of puberty.

I guess you could say that something just felt off the whole time I was watching this movie. I kept being shocked at the way people were treating each other, even if it was plausible behaviour.

The movie had its moments, but I wouldn't say it had enough to bother with it yourself.