The Safety of Objects

The Safety of Objects (2001) is a finely-woven character-driven drama anthology that explores the intricacies of suburban life, by portraying the intertwined lives of a group of neighbours as they go about their everyday existences. The ensemble cast is headlined by Glenn Close, Dermot Mulroney, and Mary Kay Place, with their performances delicately moving the story forward. The film is an adaptation of a collection of short stories by A.M. Homes, smoothly integrated into a collective narrative masterfully directed by Rose Troche.

Glenn Close plays Esther Gold, a mother burdened by her dedication to her comatose son Paul (Joshua Jackson), whose tragedy overshadows the needs of the rest of her family. Close, with her range and insight, delivers a raw and emotional performance, revealing the hidden depths of a mother's love and the lengths she will go to save her child.

Dermot Mulroney stars as Jim Train, a successful lawyer who begins to question his life's path after being passed over for a promotion. This triggers a midlife crisis where he starts to yearn for a more meaningful connection with his family. Mulroney delivers a riveting performance, effectively capturing the internal struggles of a man grappling with feelings of inadequacy and dissatisfaction, even as he appears to have everything in life.

Mary Kay Place's character, Helen Christianson, is a middle-aged woman trapped in her mundane life, feeling unnoticed by her husband and children. Place, through her moving portrayal, offers a poignant insight into the bounds of an ordinary life, and the human need for meaningful engagement and validation.

In addition to the main stars, the film includes a cast of compelling characters such as a precocious girl who believes her doll is alive, a self-obsessed father who becomes obsessed with winning an endurance competition, and a teenage goth girl fighting with the ghosts of her past.

Set in the landscaped lawns and lovely homes of a leafy American suburb, the movie is visually inviting, a perfect setting for the drama to unfold. However, what it explores is the undercurrents of the seemingly calm and simplistic suburban life—the complex relationships, the unfulfilled desires, the heartbreak and the search for identity. The narrative threads of the individual households wind together, sometimes touching in unexpected ways. Each storyline is juxtaposed against each other, offering a broader examination of how closely objects of our desire, whether human or inanimate, are connected to our feeling of safety.

Though "The Safety of Objects" orbits around the theme of suburban ennui, this isn't your typical suburban drama. The film cleverly fuses drama with elements of magical realism, adding a unique and sometimes surreal dimension to the storyline. The interconnected narratives in the film touch upon a myriad of relatable themes such as family dynamics, the struggle for identity, longing for connection, and the often-complex relationship we have with objects and how they influence our lives.

“The Safety of Objects” is a carefully crafted film directed with a sensitive hand by Rose Troche. Troche gifts the audience with a deep dive into the lives of characters who are fascinatingly real and diverse in their experiences. This creates a film that serves as both introspective character study and an exploration of suburban life. Troche's work is filled with both quiet moments that hang with a heavy air of anticipation and shocking revelations that underline the dual reality of the suburban existence.

Filled with emotional resonance and a thought-provoking narrative, 'The Safety of Objects' is indeed an engrossing cinematic piece. Exploring the complex tapestry of suburban life through the lenses of its crafted and intriguing characters, it could be identified as an insightful study of the human conditions in the modern world. As it explores each character’s intimate relationship with everyday objects that weave through their daily life, the film leaves the viewers with a lingering reflection on their own attachments to their own objects of safety.

Overall, "The Safety of Objects" combines subtly powerful performances, a brilliant screenplay, fantastic direction, and truly human stories to create a compelling, thought-provoking, and emotionally rich experience for the viewer. It's a film for those who enjoy a thematic exploration of human life, filled with real emotions and subtle—yet powerful—telling of the human experience.