Storyline
Davis (Jake Gyllenhaal), a successful investment banker, struggles after losing his wife in a tragic car crash. Despite pressure from his father-in-law, Phil (Chris Cooper), to pull it together, Davis continues to unravel. What starts as a complaint letter to a vending machine company turns into a series of letters revealing startling personal admissions. Davis' letters catch the attention of customer service rep, Karen (Naomi Watts), and, amidst emotional and financial burdens of her own, the two form an unlikely connection. With the help of Karen and her son Chris (Judah Lewis), Davis starts to rebuild, beginning with the demolition of the life he once knew.
Cast: Jake Gyllenhaal -
Davis Mitchell
Naomi Watts -
Karen Moreno
Heather Lind -
Julia
Chris Cooper -
Phil
Royce Johnson -
Security Guard
Judah Lewis -
Chris Moreno
Polly Draper -
Margot
Brendan Dooling -
Todd Koehler
Hani Avital -
Young Waitress
Celia Au -
Punk Girl
Wass Stevens -
Jimmy
C.J. Wilson -
Carl
Nancy Ellen Shore -
Socialite philanthropist
Alfredo Narciso -
Michael
Tom Kemp -
Dr. Brodkey
Filming Locations: Coney Island, Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA
Technical Specs
Runtime:
Did You Know?
Trivia:
The screenplay for this film was featured in the 2007 Blacklist; a list of the "most liked" unmade scripts of the year. See more »
User Review
Author:
Rating: 10/10
I was invited to this film at the last minute and had no idea what it
was about. I was surprised to find it was about relationships and loss,
not action and adventure. Jean- Marc Vallée sets the scene with a
haphazard, dated Technicolor palette, even in the hospital and
contrasts it with the cold tones, shapes and the crispness of Davis'
house. The coldness is a kind of veneer or ice that has settled on the
main character and the complex stages of reaction to loss that Davis
(Gyllenhaal) goes through are the heart of this film. It has a kind of
edgy subtlety that slides into crazy in just the right way. I loved the
"rock and roll" soundtrack as Vallée put it.
A strong cast and story has made an entertaining and thought provoking
film.
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