Loin des yeux, près du coeur

The trials of dysfunctional families have become something of a Hollywood staple over the years. The problem with most of the movies built around this theme, however, is that in the midst of all their troubles, the families and the dysfunctional people they're composed of tend to become wholly unlikeable and you end up not really caring about any of them - and sometimes not even wanting to watch them live through their dysfunctions. That's what I found so refreshing about "Safe Passage." The Singers are, indeed, a dysfunctional family, but in the midst of watching them carry out the requisite sniping at one another there's also a real sense that they care deeply about each other, and the end result is that the viewer also cares about them.

The family comes together from assorted places (both geographically and emotionally) because of a possible tragedy. Son Percival (the misfit of the family) joined the U.S. Marines to "find himself" and was stationed in the Sinai Peninsula, where a terrorist attack has reduced the base to rubble and killed scores of Marines. Is Percival alive or dead? The family gathers to await the news. Mom and Dad (Susan Sarandon and Sam Shepherd) are already estranged and living apart; the kids all have their own unique (and sometimes quirky) niches within the family (the perfectionist, the intellectual, the twins, the athlete, the youngest) and try to contribute what they can to this temporary living arrangement forced upon them by events far away and beyond their ability to control.

This is a very watchable movie, filled with characters that you will both care about and remember. Well done! 7/10

This film is about a mother of seven sons, who had a premonition dream about something bad will happen to one of her sons. As their family learns about the tragedy, they come together and learn to love each other again.

"Safe Passage" is a drama about real people, real family and real life situations. The characters are down to earth and authentic. they could our next door neighbours or even ourselves. Hence, I find myself connecting with the characters and the story of "Safe Passage".

Susan Sarandon is superb as a stressed out mother. She acts her character's emotions well, be it love, stress, anxiety, guilt or anger. I like the flashbacks and the home videos, as they provide further insight into how the past shaped the character's personality. "Safe Passage" is an engaging drama.

Being the mother of six children myself(so far)I feel it's great to find a movie where a mother,especially one of many kids,is made visible,as a person in her own right and not just as a bystander and comfort for the rest of the family.Usually it isn't such an attractive theme for a film maker(not being so glamorous and all),but here Susan Sarandon(grown up in a large family herself)portrays a mother of seven sons with great credibility. Maybe not one of those movies you watch for an hour or two of escapism and action,but well worth your time.Maybe I wouldn't have enjoyed it so much if a)it hadn't been a Sarandon movie b)I hadn't had many kids myself. But I can't help liking it.

THIS MOVIE ROCKS!!!!!!!!! If I want to watch a movie about how life COULD be I'll rent Cinderella! It's important to have real life movies once in a while and not just another fairy tale.

This movie is good because you get to see how each person is different and how everyone will face an emergency situation differently than the next person. It's just a story that is being told about an average American family and how they faced the problems that surfaced. The movie contains humor, drama, romance, as well as tragedy. Important family values really shine through in this film. I would and have suggested this movie to many, many people.

This film is very entertaining and should be watched by the whole family but you may not want your kids to watch it because of the Adult Themes and the little Language. The cast was well picked and they did a great job(Susan Sarandon and Nick Stahl)and Jason London was also good even though he played a minor part as one of Susan's character's sons. It tells a story of a mother with 7 sons who at night has a premonition dream that something has happened to one of her sons and the story unfolds from there. The film was just so touching but im not sure if it was rated M or PG so if it is PG you should let the whole family watch it. In conclusion to this review I give this film a 7 out of 10 because it deserves this rating and because it's a film for the whole family.