Review: Arlington Road
Starring: Jeff Bridges, Tim Robbins, Joan Cusack, Hope Davis
Spencer Treat Clark, Robert Gossett
Directed by: Mark Pellington
Review by: Joy Wyse, the SILVER Screen Critic
In the days before television and air-conditioning neighbors got to know each other as they sat on their porches getting a breath of fresh air. Families kept their eyes open and made sure that all the children behaved. At first, you might feel that such a relationship is forming in Arlington Road. But, things aren't as they seem.
I've seen this film twice and I'm still making deductions about what really happened. The first screening was several months ago, when no hint about the plot was known. The movie literally blew me away. I wanted to see it again, but the release date kept being postponed. Eight months later, when there was another screening, I looked for scenes that would explain what I remembered. Many critics are simply dismissing the plot as too contrived…that it couldn't happen. I don't agree. The writing is very good, and the subtleties are woven well into the dialogue. I'm still thinking about certain scenes. It has certainly made me look at things differently.
The story centers on Michael Farraday (Bridges) whose wife, an FBI agent, was killed two years previously in a botched raid on terrorists. Now, in his college classes his frustrations about her death reflect in his teachings. His relationship with a former student Brooke Wolfe, (Davis) is somewhat strained, partly because his son, Grant (Clark) cannot accept her presence in the family unit.
One day Oliver and Cheryl Lang (Robbins and Cusack) `happen' to move into his neighborhood, or is this accidental? Farrady begins to question who they are and why they are there. He feels that Oliver is hiding things and that his work as an engineer is a cover-up. He calls upon his wife's former partner Whit Carver (Gossett) for assistance in delving into Lang's past. Is it paranoia or are his suspicions real?
Although you will probably guess what happens, the ending will still make you think…a lot…after you leave the theater. That makes it worth seeing. I give it a very strong B+, because I definitely wanted to see it again, and I'm glad I did.
SEE YOU AT THE MOVIES
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