Deirdre O'Connell, Emile Hirsch, Jay Paulson

The seemingly stable Travis family crumbles when one of the children kills himself in this wrenching drama about long-buried secrets and lies, and ties that bind too tightly. Soon after the tragedy, p...( read more  read more... )atriarch Ben (Jeff Daniels) distances himself from everyone else, intent on coping with his pain alone; his wife, Sandy (Sigrouney Weaver), turns to pot for release and escape; and their restless son, Tim (Emile Hirsch), longs to be elsewhere.

Flixster Users

82% liked it

7,870 ratings

Critics

35% liked it

101 critics

R, 112 min.

Directed by: Dan Harris, Dan Harris (II)

Release Date: October 14, 2004

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DVD Release Date: June 7, 2005

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Stats: 593 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (593)


  • July 14, 2009
    great performance by Weaver and the rest of the cast aswell. very well written story aswell. funny but slow.
  • April 28, 2009
    What an amazing movie. Makes you travel with it. A movie-container of values like love and friendship that are so generously offered to the viewer. The performances are extraordinary. The greatest journal into a family's long-forgotten lies and remorse. Astonishing. Breath-taking.
  • June 29, 2008
    How cool is Sigourney Weaver in Imaginary Heroes? Simply amazing, and it's such a shame this film is relatively unknown because it doesn't deserve that status. Terribly underrated for reasons beyond me. Dysfunctional family films are ten a penny, but Imaginary Heroes is differe...( read more)nt. Dan Harris has scripted a very beautiful tale about a family falling apart after the suicde of their eldest son. But don't start thinking this is one of those dreary, depressing films, it's not. Extremely funny especially Weaver, it really is a joy to watch, especially when you see her and Hirsch onscreen together. One worth seeing
  • April 28, 2008
    Pretty standard post American Beauty depression in the suburbs faire. Great performance by Weaver
  • December 2, 2007
    Post Ordinary People and precursor to Little Miss Sunshine? Or alternate version of Squid & Whale? Tryin hard for Level One existentialism but the actin is good enough for an enjoyable watch anyway. Just didn't like the preachin.
  • November 15, 2009
    The year following a tragic loss lets us in on many family secrets. This excellent family drama shows real life highs and lows, strength and weekness. It shows that life is not always the picture perfect little story, all tied up in ribbons, too many people think it is. Life c...( read more)an be very very difficult, and for some of us it's a struggle just making it day to day. I appreciate this film. I thought it was an excellent story...told really well.
  • October 1, 2009
    Brother kils himself and Emile Hirsch and family try to get over it
  • July 25, 2009
    Weaver is magnificent as always and Hirsch gives a great performance as her broken son.
  • July 14, 2009
    The best family drama I've ever watched. That kind of movie I could watch over and over again, without getting tired. It kinda comforts me.
  • June 19, 2009
    Close to perfection.

Critic Reviews


March 18, 2005
Liam Lacey, Globe and Mail

Although she comes across as bordering on insufferable, we are expected to understand that Sandy is the touchstone of honesty in the film because, like other American films of the Sundance variety, ec... full review

February 25, 2005
Moira MacDonald, Seattle Times

Enlivened by some good performances, but it's ultimately overfamiliar and slow, and its characters feel like they were dreamed up by a screenwriter -- no one ever seems to breathe real air. full review

February 25, 2005
Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle

What saves Imaginary Heroes is its essential truthfulness about families, which it reveals, not only in the broad movements of its story but in the small details. full review

February 25, 2005
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

What remains when the movie is over is the memory of Sandy and Tim talking, and of a mother who loves her son, understands him, and understands herself in a wry but realistic way. full review

February 20, 2005
Ty Burr, Boston Globe

Harris directs at a funereal pace that snuffs out his script's own wit, and only Weaver keeps the bitter laughs coming. full review

January 27, 2005
Peter Travers, Rolling Stone

What the movie damagingly lacks is a personality of its own. full review

View more Imaginary Heroes reviews at RottenTomatoes.com

Comments


  • SamNixon
    June 12, 2006
    For those who don't know the writer/ director of this movie, Dan Harris, was hired first by Bryan Singer to make the plot for the second x-men flick after Singer read the script of Imaginary Heroes. I guess he though it was amazing. Harris gave it to him after he graduated from Universtity. From now on Singer is on the Superman Returns movie and as well on the next to come Singer flick, as you see same Usual Suspects director. Harris will be as well as a writer on the next Wolfang Petersen movie, Ender's game. For me as I see this imaginay movie I think Singer got one of the bests. They also placed Harris on Variety as one of the top ten best new writers to come. Imaginay Heroes is placed between X2 and Superman Returns

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Imaginary Heroes Trivia


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