The Safety of Objects (2001)

49% of critics liked it
(72 reviews)
66% of users liked it
(4,019 ratings)

Following up on her 1998 opus Bedrooms and Hallways, Rose Troche directs this ensemble film about suburbia and its discontents. Once an up-and-coming singer/songwriter, Paul Gold (Joshua Jackson) now lies in a coma, attentively nursed by his mother Esther (Glenn Close), who dotes on her son to the… More Following up on her 1998 opus Bedrooms and Hallways, Rose Troche directs this ensemble film about suburbia and its discontents. Once an up-and-coming singer/songwriter, Paul Gold (Joshua Jackson) now lies in a coma, attentively nursed by his mother Esther (Glenn Close), who dotes on her son to the exclusion of her husband and her daughter Julie (Jessica Campbell). Meanwhile, Jim Train (Dermot Mulroney) is a workaholic lawyer who is closer to his tortes than to his spouse Susan (Moira Kelly). Their son Jake has taken a morbid fascination with his sister's foot-high girl doll. At the same time, Paul's former lover Annette Jennings (Patricia Clarkson) is trying to pull her life and her family back together after a particularly brutal divorce. This film was screened at the 2001 Toronto Film Festival. ~ Jonathan Crow, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: R, 2 hr. 1 min.
Directed By: Rose Troche
Written By: Rose Troche
Genres: Mystery & Suspense, Drama

In Theaters: Jan 1, 2001 Wide
On DVD: Oct 14, 2003
Studio: IFC Films

Critic Reviews

Peter Howell, Toronto Star
A richly compelling movie that is as hard to forget as it is difficult to warm up to.
Ray Conlogue, Globe and Mail
It's a movie located in an interesting place, but without quite enough self-confidence really to inhabit it.
Jay Boyar, Orlando Sentinel
The sheer number and variety of miseries on view suggest a kind of wallowing.
Vic Vogler, Denver Post
In boldly departing from the safety of a strong, unifying plot, Troche makes virtual objects of her characters by showing us plenty that intrigues and not enough that enlightens.
Terry Lawson, Detroit Free Press
Troche ... seems to be tuned into Homes' writing, but without really knowing how to translate it to a cinematic narrative.
Claudia Puig, USA Today
A deftly made and poignant character study that deals with life's heartaches and its tender mercies.
John A. Nesbit, Old School Reviews
mechanical film school exercise
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com
Though well-acted, Troche's third film, an adaptation of short stories, is a minor addition of a fractured, ensemble narrative to the overly populated genre of suburban malaise and anomie in the wake of the success of Mendes' Oscar-winner American Beauty
Oz, eFilmCritic.com
Four neighboring families, seven stories, one secret - one great movie.
Jamie Russell, BBC
Troche has created a truly moving film, upsetting and uplifting in equal measure.
David Nusair, Reel Film Reviews
...there's a lot worth recommending about the film.
Adam Nayman, eye WEEKLY
Simply put, there's too much going on, and too many fragile, damaged characters to fret appropriately over.
Jim Slotek, Jam! Movies
A fairly deft sewing job of short stories by A.M. Homes.

Read all 13 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

Nicki M

Saw this sometime ago and really enjoyed it, so was glad to see it going really cheap on Amazon. The rewatch was just as good. Great cast including a very young Kristen Stewart. I liked how the stories about the three sets of neighbours all wound together. Though it is a drama, there… More
Saw this sometime ago and really enjoyed it, so was glad to see it going really cheap on Amazon. The rewatch was just as good. Great cast including a very young Kristen Stewart. I liked how the stories about the three sets of neighbours all wound together. Though it is a drama, there is some black humor there as well. The Barbie doll in particular made me laugh. Very realistic with that hair - kind of creepy actually!
♥˩ƳИИ &

What an odd movie.. I liked it and I really don't know why.. these neighbors are as screwed up as the next.. they are like one big disfunctioal family living in different house's on one street.. but yet this film is very sad too.. theres just so much going on.. its just… More
What an odd movie.. I liked it and I really don't know why.. these neighbors are as screwed up as the next.. they are like one big disfunctioal family living in different house's on one street.. but yet this film is very sad too.. theres just so much going on.. its just something you need to watch for yourself to understand.. I loved it.
Leigh R

Odd, yet very likeable film.
Megan S

So I bought this movie as an impulse buy at hollywood video for $5. it was actually really good. and the way that they did the opening credits was really creative and wonderful. they had four different houses and little people on tracks came out of each house to represent the… More
So I bought this movie as an impulse buy at hollywood video for $5. it was actually really good. and the way that they did the opening credits was really creative and wonderful. they had four different houses and little people on tracks came out of each house to represent the different members of each of the four families. plus the symbolism about the stoicness of the little plastic people on the repetitive tracks in and out of the houses was good. even though the summary says that they are all having different problems they all stem from one car accident that connects them all together. and each main character is obsessed with an "object," whether it be a car, a job, a doll, or unfortunately, a comatose son. so it was about people finding solace in these objects and then realizing that they have to come to terms with reality and let things go. and there are a lot of other things going on as well.