Savage Grace

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Savage Grace

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Savage Grace

Julianne Moore, Stephen Dillane, Eddie Redmayne, Elena Anaya, Hugh Dancy

Julianne Moore stars in this dramatization of the shocking Barbara Daly Baekeland murder case, which happened in a posh London flat on Friday 17 November 1972. The bloody crime caused a stir on both s...( read more  read more... )ides of the Atlantic and remains one of the most memorable American Tragedies...

Id: 10887467

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Savage Grace Recent Reviews
  • mrpopcorn
    June 6, 2009
    mrpopcorn
    "Truth is more shocking than fiction."

    A dramatization of the shocking Barbara Daly Baekeland murder case, which happened in a posh London flat on Friday 17 November 1972. The bloody crime caused a stir on both sides of the Atlantic and remains one of the most memorable...( read more) American Tragedies...

    REVIEW

    I always have some difficulty with films that are unashamedly brilliant yet difficult to watch. Not in the sense of mentally and artistically challenging (although Savage Grace does this) but in the sense of being downright unpleasant.

    The film follows the (true) story of a mismanaged inheritance, complicated by incest and matricide. It is a compelling character study of a young boy left with no sense of direction, no reliable role model and, in an atmosphere where he can seemingly want for nothing, having no-one whom he can trust. Julianne Moore plays the mother with all of her practiced skill, switching from heavily interiorised emotion to outbursts of rage. A complex character, she is desperately trying to find herself, to find some meaning in her existence. An existence where she constantly affirms a society role of being at the crest of a wave. The bisexuality of a man she trusts as a friend later becomes a factor that helps to sheer away her moorings.

    Savage Grace is a dark, dark film. For strong constitutions only.
  • armybratgeo
    May 3, 2009
    armybratgeo
    Wow...what to say. I saw previews for this and thought I give it a try. Only later on found out that this was based on the real life of Barbara. WTH was wrong with that lady? The overall movie was very well done, the cast was amazing and I actually enjoyed it all very much. Very ...( read more)disturbing thought the relationship betweeen a Mother and her son, the whole time I was sitting there just shaking my head. Kinda don't know what to think or say about it all...
  • StaisilD
    February 9, 2009
    StaisilD
    Savage Grace tells the true story of the Baekelands, a mid-century, upper-class American scandal involving incest, murder, and madness. A former actress turned desperate socialite, Barbara Daly Baekeland (Julianne Moore) attempts to cover her lack of self-esteem by aggressively d...( read more)oting on her son, Tony (Eddie Redmayne), and trying to hold the attention of her cheating husband, Brooks (Stephen Dillane). With profound psychological problems, Barbara is lost when Brooks finally leaves her, turning her poisonous attention to Tony, who spends any rare time away from his mother exploring his homosexuality. As the years go by, Tony becomes hopelessly bound to Barbara, who's struggling to find love any way she can, eventually turning her advances toward her own child. An uneasy and extremely disturbing exploration of what humans are to one another. Moore is delightfully, lustful as Barbara; physically alluring. Eddie Redmayne is bland as the disconnected Tony, giving us little in the way of transitional moments. Hugh Dancy offers an entertaining cameo as a bisexual suitor for Barbara. Kalin's direction is solid and the film is almost the most unsettling in how gorgeous it looks with the combination of set, costume, lighting, cinematography, and production design despite the horrific goings on.
  • katharinec
    January 29, 2009
    katharinec
    This movie was just trying to be weird. If it had taken more time to get me personally involved with the characters, to understand them better, maybe I wouldn't have minded all the over-stylized "omg did you know incest is odd etc" self-indulgent bs. It wasn't the plot - and yes ...( read more)i know it's a true story - it was the approach to the subject matter. With a story like this one, there was such an opportunity to create something truly profound. But opportunity missed I guess.
  • ceWEBrity
    January 11, 2009
    ceWEBrity
    Circling around Savage Grace is this insane self-contained vortex of almost inhuman behavior, a white trash atom bomb just barely held back at the seams by these delusions of class and nobility. Director Tom Kalin is this story's downfall; he doesn't know how to efficiently drip ...( read more)in these juicy little bits of drama and create a cohesive narrative at the same time, so what we end up with here is a tangential collection of really bizarre shocking scenes.

    This movie is nowhere near good. There are traces of absolute exquisiteness to be found in the writing, visual composition, and narrative, and Julianne Moore's performance is one of the bravest and most thoughtful she's given in years. Savage Grace is clearly a movie informed by some really sensational tidbits. The problem is they just don't come together to make anything worth championing. The movie is wildly entertaining trash dressed up real pretty, which renders it this awesomely self-aware yet bizarrely delusional piece of uniqueness. It really does have to be seen to be believed.

    The more I say about this experience, the more it will compromise it for you, as going into the movie with a clean slate will make the film all the more shocking and ribald and utterly hilarious. Anyway, there's nothing quite like this to be seen in 2008, and if you're a fan of Moore or just over-the-top drama this is a definite must. It's divisive and your mileage may vary, but I think everyone should give it a shot.
  • GetToKnowMe121
    December 7, 2009
    GetToKnowMe121
    Don't waste your time. This is a really messed up movie...about a totally screwed up family. I usually like disfunctional family movies, but this one was just WEIRD!
  • RadarHead
    December 7, 2009
    RadarHead
    Amidst a sea of cigarette smoke, some beautiful and damaged individuals engage in various bizarre activities, sexual and otherwise. Though handled a bit more tastefully, this film reminds me of "The Believer" in that depicting these activities seems far more important to the fil...( read more)m's maker, than attempting to understand them. I feel this to be something of a cop-out, though there is an undeniable and captivating artistry here.
  • Ghw12158
    November 21, 2009
    Ghw12158
    just ok greta costumes but lacked substance
  • actingfordummies
    November 17, 2009
    actingfordummies
    Disturbing and effective.
  • LiStIv
    October 25, 2009
    LiStIv
    Strange tale of incest and forbidden love.
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