The Safety of Objects

The Safety of Objects tells the story of four suburban families of neighbors and how they are impacted by a tragic car accident. Glenn Close is perfectly cast as a grieving mother. The cast of this film is so wonderful that The Safety of Objects has a type of Robert Altman feel to it. If you get the chance to see it I would very much recommend overlooking the silly title and watching this engaging film.

This film directed by Rose Troche must have been forgotten by the studio who decided to bring it to the screen and suddenly released it without much fanfare. Granted, it is a small film. It is the kind of movie we don't get to see much because with a lot of independent films, if there are no big names, they don't get a chance to find an audience.

Glen Close, as Esther Gold, the suffering mother of a bed ridden young man in a coma gives an honest performance. She is one actress that is always interesting to watch. She makes us believe she is this woman living a nightmare because of the son's accident. Esther's marriage seems to be a loveless one. Her husband is in a different wave length. At the same time, her relationship with her daughter is strained because of the guilt of the young woman carries inside her and doesn't come out until the end.

Patricia Clarkson keeps getting better all the time. She is the town's joke because she is the victim of a husband that has fled the home because he has found a younger, more attractive woman . Ms Clarkson is another natural actress no matter where and what vehicle she appears in. I'll just mention two other roles besides this just to show her versatility: True Art and Far from Heaven. Her range is enormous. What a talented lady!

Dermot Mulroney is excellent as the young neighbor married to Moira Kelly. Mr. Mulroney is also very effective in the film. Mary Kay Place's Helen is on target. We don't get to see her a lot and she deserves to be seen. The younger actors playing the various children are very good. Praise should be given to Kristen Stewart, who is incredible as the young Sam. She is a true winner.

Director Troche has achieved something unique in bringing all this talent together. She has given us a slice of life with a detailed account on the lives of these characters that seem as though we have known them for many years.

Although not as powerful as the (actually unrelated) short stories in the book, Rose Troche has adapted A.M Homes admirably to the big screen... which I was positive couldn't be done. The excellent performances of the entire cast are what hold some of the more thin connections together and although I was personally disappointed by some of the changes Troche made, I understand the necessity to a cohesive narrative. Had I not read the book, I think I would have enjoyed the movie more so I highly recommend viewers and readers who crave great stories about dysfunctional suburbia to check out any and all of my favorite female authors work... beginning with The Safety Of Objects and The End Of Alice.

Rose Troche wrote the screenplay and directed "The Safety of Objects (2001)". I've got to hand it to her. She certainly did a fine job of linking social alienation and the commodification of human relations.

Rose poses these questions : Can one feel emotionally alone amongst people living in the heart of "upper middle class" suburbia? With real, sensuous subjects largely gone missing (i.e. human beings with genuine feelings of solidarity and love for each other) does one seek solace in the company of objects? The answer I give is, "Yes". My impression is that Ms. Troche thinks so too, but she has another take on the possibility of transcending this misery.

Granted, some of the objects, which/who are NOT subjects (well, only in our 'Barbie-est' of imaginations) are purchased. And some, (in a brief flash of subjectivity) have sold themselves into particularly alienating forms of wage-slavery. I say "particularly alienating" because these forms of wage-slavery appear to leave the human being in a state of having parts of their humanity hacked off. Granted, wage-slavery is a numbing experience for all of us. Such a cost we pay for selling ourselves in to it.

What's the choice though? Nothing or organizing to rid ourselves of the wages system. 99% of us choose the former and thereby suffer and continue to chafe under this system. But! What a playground it makes for artists like Troche. She romps around our collective misery and tell us what phonies we are and still, she gets paid for it! Wow! You go, Rose!

Enough with the hyperbole. The film is well acted, though the acting isn't perfect. So much the better in some ways. At least, one doesn't recognize say a, Bruce Willis or a Nicole Kidman AGAIN! More power to Bruce and Nicole, but for my money, I prefer an unknown who can do the part. And why not? There is good to fine acting in this film.

Do we ALL have to grovel and to worship the STARS? Hell no.

"The Safety of Objects" is NOT about how everyone discovers that they should have paid more attention to things which matter. No. What you've got here is a depiction of situations in our everyday lives which actually MIGHT occur. Okay, so you haven't heard of EXACTLY these situations developing. Hah! Dig this: the son of Gold goes from being a subject to an object. Talk about symbolism! Remember that. It'll be essential for understanding the story weave. Another thing to remember is Naturalism. Naturalism is the philosophical drive behind explaining how God is (I can't resist) essentially capricious with HIS power.

See this movie. Beware, there are pieces which you will see earlier on, which will only become apparent to you later, as the film rolls or digitizes through your viewing mechanism. No worries. With "Safety of Objects" you'll see something about your post-modern, industrialized, computer age selves. In other words, the film conveys a bit of, "the condition, your own condition is in."

Plastic people? Well, maybe so. If the shoe fits...

The Safety of Objects was Altman-like in its intertwining of stories but without the messy overlay of voices and sound. The connections among the families in a suburban neighborhood created an interesting tension, as crucial information and backstory emerged. Watch how short stories from a collection are woven to make a quilt about life in the burbs (and the secret life of kids, as well as couples)

What I especially found provocative in this film was how some dangerous situations turned out as one would expect, but others teetered on the edge of 'Oh, no,' yet were resolved without harm.