Incendiary (2008)

23% of critics liked it
(22 reviews)
37% of users liked it
(3,291 ratings)

A woman wrestles with grief, betrayal and redemption in this psychological drama from director Sharon Maguire. One afternoon, a young woman (Michelle Williams) sends her husband and young son off to see a football game, and while they're gone for the afternoon she enjoys a tryst with her lover (Ewan… More A woman wrestles with grief, betrayal and redemption in this psychological drama from director Sharon Maguire. One afternoon, a young woman (Michelle Williams) sends her husband and young son off to see a football game, and while they're gone for the afternoon she enjoys a tryst with her lover (Ewan McGregor), an opportunistic reporter. While the woman is making love to another man, she hears a news report that a suicide bomber made their way into the stadium, and that hundreds of people are dead. The woman is horrified to learn that her husband and child were among the victims, and as she struggles to sort out the pieces of her life, she begins having second thoughts about her illicit relationship while struggling with her feelings about Terrence Butcher (Matthew Macfadyen), a police officer looking into the attack. As the woman tries to come to terms with her grief, she befriends a young boy (Usman Khokhar) whose father happened to be involved in the attacks. Adapted from the acclaimed novel by Chris Cleave, Incendiary received its world premiere at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: R, 1 hr. 36 min.
Directed By: Sharon Maguire
Written By: Chris Cleave, Sharon Maguire
Genres: Drama, Romance, Mystery & Suspense

In Theaters: Feb 6, 2009 Wide
On DVD: May 5, 2009
Studio: Capitol Films

Critic Reviews

John Anderson, Variety
Aspires to so much it ends up being less than the sum of its parts.
James Greenberg, Hollywood Reporter
Michelle William's riveting performance as the young mother makes it imminently watchable.
Amber Wilkinson, Eye for Film
If a member of cast could save a film, Michelle Williams would be the person to hire, since her central performance in this muddle of a movie is the only thing that stops it being unwatchable.
Jason McKiernan, Filmcritic.com
a well-made film featuring good actors and which tells an intimate story, but which tries to do too much and collapses under the weight of its own aspirations
William Thomas, Empire Magazine
It's an atmospheric drama and a strong turn from Williams, but doesn't tell us anything about ourselves or the terrorists that we didn't already know.
Dave Calhoun, Time Out
It ends up being a compendium of bizarre diversions, most of which are utterly surplus to the film's half-cocked desire to stick with the experience and emotions of its main character.
Jamie McLeish, Film4
A promising opening and a stunning performance from Michelle Williams are not enough to rescue a film that jumps restlessly from genre to genre without doing justice to any of its individual stories.
Kevin Maher, Times [UK]
The movie plunges straight down that treacherous black hole that exists between fact and fiction and the inability to replicate either.
Peter Bradshaw, Guardian [UK]
A big-hearted, well-intentioned but ultimately overstretched adaptation.
Tim Robey, Daily Telegraph
London is bombed and contrives to be less recognisable than it's ever been on film, full of people who don't look, act or even speak like Londoners.
Rob Daniel, Sky Movies
Bridget Jones's (Incend)Diary, Maguire is to be commended for attempting a contemporary terrorist drama, but seems more comfortable in the big-knickered North London fantasy world.
Chris Hicks, Total Film
By then, Incendiary has become a tear-stained monologue about bereavement and resilience - it goes off with a bang, but ends with a whimper.
Christopher Tookey, Daily Mail [UK]
Were it not for Williams's Oscar-quality performance, all the more remarkable for the shambolic incompetence that surrounds her, this would be a turkey.
David Edwards, Daily Mirror [UK]
It's only Williams who gives the film any life but, in the face of these odds, even she's helpless to save it from a one-star rating.
, Sun Online
A silly tale involving an unbelievably young top anti-terror cop, an unrealistic journalist, laughable imaginary letters to Bin Laden and a far-fetched friendship between the mum and the bomber's son.
Karl French, Financial Times
Michelle Williams is a fine and versatile actor but even she has her limits and is never really convincing as a working-class Londoner struggling with guilt and grief.
Robert Hanks, Independent
After that, cliché piles upon cliché, interspersed with moments of wild unreality and some ill-thought out conspiracy theory. It makes you feel embarrassed for everyone involved.
Derek Malcolm, This is London
While individual scenes work well, the whole simply defies belief. And, because of this, the final polemic which suggests that London, constantly renewing itself, will never be defeated, simply appears hopelessly sentimental.
Rich Cline, Shadows on the Wall
But it maintains its connection with us through Williams' fiercely open-hearted portrayal of a woman losing her grip on her life. And this is just emotional and offbeat enough to make the film worth a look.

Read all 19 critic reviews

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

Jim H

A woman whose husband and son are killed in a terrorist attack while she engages in a liaison with her neighbor becomes stuck in the throes of grief and regret. I have to begin by recognizing the remarkable performance by Michelle Williams, which is the only reason to watch this film.… More
A woman whose husband and son are killed in a terrorist attack while she engages in a liaison with her neighbor becomes stuck in the throes of grief and regret. I have to begin by recognizing the remarkable performance by Michelle Williams, which is the only reason to watch this film. Her moments of hysteria are just as believable as her moments of numbness, and her looks, while captivated by love for her son, are heart-warmingly lovely. That said, this is quite possibly one of the most emotionally manipulative films I've ever seen. The voice-over narration of her letters to Osama bin Laden are worthy of eye-rolls so exaggerated that they may deform one's face, and the maudlin music only adds to an effect that contrives emotion rather than produces it. What is more, the film attempts to combine drama and mystery with a little action thrown in for good measure, but the film never commits to any genre; as a result we get a hodge-podge of disparate elements, which never amounts to anything significant. The overall message of Incendiary is about forgiveness and a resistance to lumping all Arabs under the category "terrorist." Of course, I am sympathetic to these themes, but the jump that's required of the "Young Mother" to learn these lessons is never fully explored. Few people are more liberal than I, and even fewer are more inclined to advocate for Arab interests on the political stage, but even I felt anger, which is a natural response to terrorism that is conspicuously elided from this film. Overall, see this film for Michelle Williams's performance but only if you have nothing better on your queue.
♥˩ƳИИ &

Cast: Michelle Williams, Ewan McGregor, Matthew Macfadyen, Sidney Johnston, Nicholas Gleaves, Nicholas Courtney, Enzo Squillino Jr., Sasha Behar, Gavin Brocker, Chris Ellis, Ricci McLeod Director: Sharon Maguire Summary: A powerful drama staring Michelle Williams as an… More
Cast: Michelle Williams, Ewan McGregor, Matthew Macfadyen, Sidney Johnston, Nicholas Gleaves, Nicholas Courtney, Enzo Squillino Jr., Sasha Behar, Gavin Brocker, Chris Ellis, Ricci McLeod Director: Sharon Maguire Summary: A powerful drama staring Michelle Williams as an adulterous young housewife struggling to come to terms with the deaths of her husband and infant son after they're killed in a terrorist bombing at a London soccer game. Crippled by grief, the widow seeks comfort through affairs with two men (Ewan McGregor and Matthew Macfadyen), inadvertently putting herself in the midst of a dangerous love triangle. My Thoughts: "An extremely sad and heart breaking film. Michelle Williams in one of her finer performances. She really takes you through the emotions with her, and you can't help but empathize with her. Great acting by all, but Michelle carries this film. The only real down fall of this film is the character development. You never really got to know the characters. Could have made the supporting cast a bit more interesting. But besides that, it was a good emotional drama."
Dean !

A touching drama as a young mother tries to cope with the loss of her husband and son in a terrorist attack. Ewan McGregor and Michelle Williams team up again shortly after Deception made around the same time. Despite that being more of an erotic thriller they have a steamier scene in… More
A touching drama as a young mother tries to cope with the loss of her husband and son in a terrorist attack. Ewan McGregor and Michelle Williams team up again shortly after Deception made around the same time. Despite that being more of an erotic thriller they have a steamier scene in this. Williams gives probably her best performance to date. Although the film starts well, it seems to lose some direction in the second half. The ending was ok but from the first 30 minutes this could have been a much stronger film. As it is most people have probably not even heard of it? If you don't mind a drama you should enjoy this.
Candy R

This movie was disappointing. It looked good with a good cast but the story was odd and weak. Michelle is married with a child but while she has a quick romp with Ewan her family are killed in a London bombing. Afterwards she sort of loses her mind.
Leigh R

Graphic. Couldn't pull me away, I had to keep watching...
Mouhannad S

/ Incendiary / This film is about a woman who lost her husband and son in a terror attack. Her life goes into a mess as she deals with her loss and hunts for the truth. I have mixed feelings for "Incendiary". On one hand, it is beautifully shot. Every scene is nicely planned… More
/ Incendiary / This film is about a woman who lost her husband and son in a terror attack. Her life goes into a mess as she deals with her loss and hunts for the truth. I have mixed feelings for "Incendiary". On one hand, it is beautifully shot. Every scene is nicely planned and constructed. Camera work is great too. On the other hand, the plot is confusing and strange. The pacing is excruciatingly slow, with a lot of repetitive scenes (such as London burning). The movie is clearly intended as a pamphlet against terrorism, by showing the human cost at the level of ordinary people. It also takes the time to "explain" the resilience of London in a voice-over. It is a little desperate to save a movie through nationalism, but can actually be fit in here, although it could have been better prepared, by, for instance, by making her a more integral part of London. This is no masterpiece, nor an entertainment jewel, and can easily be missed altogether. A pity, because it does have some potential.
Walter M

In "Incendiary," a young mother(Michelle Williams, woefully miscast) spends a happy day at the beach with her four year old son(Sidney Johnston) in an otherwise deteriorating marriage to Lenny(Nicholas Gleaves) whose stressful job on the bomb disposal unit is destroying him… More
In "Incendiary," a young mother(Michelle Williams, woefully miscast) spends a happy day at the beach with her four year old son(Sidney Johnston) in an otherwise deteriorating marriage to Lenny(Nicholas Gleaves) whose stressful job on the bomb disposal unit is destroying him from the inside. His release comes from taking his son to an Arsenal football game. Her release comes from an affair with Jasper(Ewan McGregor), a neighboring journalist, which is rudely interrupted by explosions from the stadium. "One would have to have a heart of stone to read the death of little Nell without dissolving into tears...of laughter." - Oscar Wilde "Incendiary" means to connect the recent spate of terrorism in London to its being bombed in World War II and perhaps even further back to the Great Fire in 1666(London was also trapped in a terrorist web of fear during the 1970's due to IRA bombings), in its very awkward attempt to show the resilience of Londoners to survive and rebuild after its worst tragedies.(I did like the setting of rich and working class living side by side, though.) What the movie actually accomplishes is replicating the tone of overwrought melodramas made during the war where love goes on no matter what, and the unlucky man left out takes the gentlemanly way out by stepping on a land mine. At least, now there is hot sex which manages to save Jasper's life.(See, something good can come of sex.) And much of this way too earnest movie is ridiculous, especially the letter to Osama bin Laden. As generally optimistic as I am, I am not naive and do believe there is evil in the world. Also, knowing what I know of American sporting events, I cannot see how one could know with any reliability the names of everybody who attended a sporting event due to cash sales, scalping and other distributions of tickets. While soccer is not my religion, I did find my own religious beliefs confirmed in one sublime moment in the film.
Mark A

I really enjoyed this haunting tale of survivor's guilt. Michelle Williams plays an unnamed young mother who is enflagrante delecto when her husband and four year-old son are killed by a terrorist bombing at a soccer match. The story concerns her life hanging in the balance. Does… More
I really enjoyed this haunting tale of survivor's guilt. Michelle Williams plays an unnamed young mother who is enflagrante delecto when her husband and four year-old son are killed by a terrorist bombing at a soccer match. The story concerns her life hanging in the balance. Does she pick up the pieces and go on, or does she succomb to the despair and guilt? Fine piece of acting by Ms Williams. Ewan McGregor as the lover and journalist who who finds a suspicious link and Matthew MacFadyen as the husband's supervisor who also has designs on the young woman, were solid in supporting roles. Interesting, if puzzling, side story about the woman reaching out to the surviving family of one of the conspirators. Tender at times, the film confronts one's thoughts about security and how one deals with immense personal tragedy.
Daniel P

"Paradise was a grey day on an English beach with my boy." Michelle Williams' outstanding performance as "The Mother" (we never learn her real name) anchors this film which tries to be both a thriller and a meditation on grief.… More
"Paradise was a grey day on an English beach with my boy." Michelle Williams' outstanding performance as "The Mother" (we never learn her real name) anchors this film which tries to be both a thriller and a meditation on grief. Unfortunately, this unwillingness to concentrate on one theme harms the film. As the grieving mother, Williams is truly superb and very understated, and when the film concentrates on her story and her struggle following the death of her son and husband in a suicide bombing, barely a foot is put wrong. The mention of a beach she took her son to by another character visibly wounds her, and her expressions tell more than the words she speaks. Conversely, the thriller aspects simply do not work - there's not enough scope (budget restrictions?) or breathing space for such moments to convince, and the other characters feel contrived. It's a shame - if Sharon Maguire had enough faith in her lead actress' ability and kept the film pared back then this could have been a masterpiece. Yes, it's based on a novel, so I'm assuming the final result is representative of the original source - but if so then perhaps a mini-series would have been a better medium. Incendiary is worth watching for Williams alone, but at the end of the day it remains a frustrating experience given the huge potential. "Come to me. Come to me, and we will blow the world back together with incredbile noise and fury."
Leo L

An appealing story plot that centralizes on a young woman's devastation in losing her husband and young son. While her family is at a live soccer match, she stays behind and begins having an affair with a local journalist. An explosion erupts, and the stadium is in partial… More
An appealing story plot that centralizes on a young woman's devastation in losing her husband and young son. While her family is at a live soccer match, she stays behind and begins having an affair with a local journalist. An explosion erupts, and the stadium is in partial rambles when she makes her way out to search for her child. She waits for news about their discovery, and harbors hope that they will return. Months pass before she is forced to realize that they are no longer alive, reluctantly, she is stuck between the two individuals vying for her attention- Jasper, the journalist, and Terrance, a police superintendent. Great cast- Michelle Williams, Ewan McGregor, Matthew McFadyen, Nicholas Gleaves, Usman Khokhar, Sasha Behar, Sidney Johnston, and Edward Hughes. Worthy!
Daisy M

BRIDGET JONES DIARY director Sharon Maguire tackles more serious fare with this drama featuring Michelle Williams, Ewan McGregor, and Matthew McFadyen. Williams stars as a young woman living in London that is dominated by terrorist attacks. When her husband and son are killed by a… More
BRIDGET JONES DIARY director Sharon Maguire tackles more serious fare with this drama featuring Michelle Williams, Ewan McGregor, and Matthew McFadyen. Williams stars as a young woman living in London that is dominated by terrorist attacks. When her husband and son are killed by a bomb exploding in a football stadium, she was with her lover, causing her to pile guilt on top of her grief. However, she gets a chance at redemption when she uncovers a sinister plot to cover up the nature of the attack. INCENDIARY is adapted from the novel by Chris Cleave. The film begins with a cute child having fun with his mummy. He's so damn cute and so damn lovable but you know he's not going to make it through the film alive. And then when you realize that the film is called Incendiary, you know he's going to get blown into a million little pieces. Now having your son die in a terrorist attack is bad enough, but the film decides to make it several degrees worse. First of all, the mother in this film is no longer in love with her husband. Therefore their relationship is rather loveless. However, not to fear, a sleazy journalist played by Ewan McGregor pops up. And soon have they exchanged a few words than they're making love on the young mother's sofa. And as they're humping and pumping, they have a football game on the television. And at this game are the woman's husband and young son. And would you believe it, as they're doing the dirty, the stadium gets bombed and it's goodbye husband and son. Amongst all some ridiculous melodrama there are a few good scenes. I found this a good one, when the mother seriously begins to lose the plot and thinks that her son has come back. She spends all her time in the flat playing with him. I bet there will be some critics about the credibility of the storyline, very often a problem with today's movies. This story could easily have been told in ten minutes. It would still have been pointless, with no meaning or message. I expected a little more. <a href="http://s420.photobucket.com/albums/pp286/ladypink_2009/?action=view&current=Incendiary-ban1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i420.photobucket.com/albums/pp286/ladypink_2009/Incendiary-ban1.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

Read all 11 featured audience ratings

Cast

Michelle Williams
as Young Mother
Ewan McGregor
as Jasper Black
Matthew MacFadyen
as Terrence Butcher

Sidney Johnston
as The Boy
Nicholas Gleaves
as Lenny
Usman Khokhar
as The Bomber's Son

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