La Stanza del Figlio (The Son's Room) (2001)

84% of critics liked it
(82 reviews)
80% of users liked it
(5,025 ratings)

A family struggles to go on after a devastating loss in this deeply emotional drama from Italy. Giovanni (Nanni Moretti) is a psychiatrist with a successful practice in a small community near the ocean. Giovanni has a warm relationship with his wife Paola (Laura Morante), and they have a pair of… More A family struggles to go on after a devastating loss in this deeply emotional drama from Italy. Giovanni (Nanni Moretti) is a psychiatrist with a successful practice in a small community near the ocean. Giovanni has a warm relationship with his wife Paola (Laura Morante), and they have a pair of well-adjusted teenage kids, Andrea (Giuseppe Sanfelice) and Irene (Jasmine Trinca). But the family's calm is shattered when Andrea is unexpectedly killed in an accident. Giovanni finds it impossible to continue with his work, and blames himself for the death, since he was planning to go jogging with Andrea that morning before he opted instead to take an emergency call from a client. Paola and Irene try to keep their emotions in check, but both find this all but impossible as they sink further into anger and grief. The appearance of an unexpected visitor, however, forces the family to confront their feelings about Andrea. Arianna (Sofia Vigliar) is a girl who had a summer romance with Andrea the year before, and has come to town to pay him a surprise visit, unaware of his recent death. In addition to starring, Moretti directed and co-authored the script. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: R, 1 hr. 27 min.
Directed By: Nanni Moretti
Written By: Nanni Moretti, Linda Ferri, Heidrun Schleef
Genres: Art House & International, Drama

In Theaters: Feb 8, 2002 Limited
On DVD: Oct 8, 2002
Studio: Miramax Films

Critic Reviews

, Chicago Reader
With tender skill, [director] Moretti illuminates Samuel Beckett's familiar summation 'I can't go on--I'll go on.'
Michael Wilmington, Chicago Tribune
Nothing in The Son's Room is conventionally sentimental or reassuring.
Joe Baltake, Sacramento Bee
Chances are, if you were impressed by In the Bedroom, you'll be even more taken by Moretti's wrenching little film.
Terry Lawson, Detroit Free Press
The Son's Room addresses both death and life with honesty and respect.
Susan Stark, Detroit News
Often called Italy's answer to Woody Allen, Nanni Moretti takes a turn for the serious in The Son's Room and acquits himself in first-rate fashion.
Andrew Sarris, New York Observer
The Son's Room is ... not an interruption in [Moretti's] career, but a leap upward to a spiritual epiphany graced with visual elegance and energy.
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com
Moretti's comedies and sarires are more interesting than this family melodrama about loss and grief, though he should be commended for making a touching and sensitive film that never descends into cloying bathos.
Brian Gibson, Vue Weekly (Edmonton, Canada)
A work of powerful understatement, artfully crafted and subtly acted.
Harry Guerin, RTE Interactive (Dublin, Ireland)
We're all guilty of worrying about things that are completely unimportant; this film is a wonderful reminder that we shouldn't.
Ben Slater, Film Threat
A thoughtful and haunting study of the ways a family copes with the unthinkable.
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
The Son's Room is a sob story that is too pat for my taste.
Danny Minton, KBTV-NBC (Beaumont, TX)
proves once again that some of the best films do not come from America.
Lawrence Toppman, Charlotte Observer
The Son's Room refers to every room this family will inhabit for a long time -- he's an unseen, ubiquitous presence -- but they may learn to lead ordinary, even joyful lives again.

Read all 13 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

Jan Marc M

The Son's Room is a simple but tender drama on loss and healing. Artfully presented and subtly acted. Great soundtrack. Precise emotive content. A silent chaos.
Daisy M

<a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i32.tinypic.com/27yrew0.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a> Got this movie recommendation The Son's Room long time ago from… More
<a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i32.tinypic.com/27yrew0.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a> Got this movie recommendation The Son's Room long time ago from a dear friend and till now I saw it complete. Director Nanni Moretti told the story of a family breaking apart after the death of their son. Moretti himself played the father,a psychiatrist, that after his son's death he could not go on with his work. A movie dealing with the lost of the people we love the most, our children,and there is no cure for the sadness. Despite the tragedy in the movie Moretti managed to make the viewer smile even in the darkest moments.The movie was almost perfect and I was deeply moved by the good acting of these Italian actors.
Alex F

Devastating. The fair scene is just amazing.

Cast

            Nanni Moretti as Giovanni

            Laura Morante as Paola

            Jasmine Trinca as Irene

            Giuseppe Sanfelice as Andrea

            Sofia Vigliar as Arianna

            Silvio Orlando as Oscar

            Stefano Accorsi as Tommaso

            Stefano Abbati as Patient

            Toni Bertorelli as Patient

            Dario Cantarelli as Patient

            Eleanora Danco as Patient

            Luisa De Santis as Patient

            Renato Scarpa as Headmast

            Roberto Nobile as Priest

            Antonio Petrocelli as Ernrico

            Paolo DeVita as Lucino's father

            Roberto De Francesco as Record store clerk

            Claudio Santamaria as Dive Shop Clerk

            Silvia Bonucci as Carla

            Lorenzo Alessandri as Filippo's Father

            Alessandro Ascoli as Stefano

            Marcello Bernacchini as Luciano

            Alessandro Infusini as Matteo

            Emanuele Nardo as Filippo

            Claudia Della Seta as Patient

            Paolo De Vita
            
See full cast