Jennifer Connelly and Joaquin Phoenix in Reservation Road (Focus Features)
A family copes with grief when a young boy is killed by a hit and run driver in Reservation Road (opening Oct. 19 throughout San Diego). This is the second family drama starring Joaquin Phoenix to come out in the past two weeks. The earlier film being We Own the Night, about adult sons and their father.
But the family's suffering in Reservation Road is nothing compared to what the audience is put through in this painfully contrived drama. With a half-dozen films opening this week, I feel as if I have to quickly dismiss this one in order to get to the others. The shame is that Reservation Road wastes a good cast: Jennifer Connelly, Mark Ruffalo, Joaquin Phoenix, Mira Sorvino -- in what ultimately plays out like an extended public service announcement about the families of victims of hit and run drivers.
Pam
November 05, 2007 at 09:34 PM
What happened to this movie? After much TV and movie preview hype, it opened in D.C., ran for 1 week, and then disappeared entirely.
Is a wide release coming? When?
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Beth Accomando
November 05, 2007 at 09:53 PM
It did open wide after its initial limited release but a combination of mixed reviews and grim subject matter brought it lukewarm reception at the box office so it may have already left some area theaters. If it's not playing in your town then you'll probably have to wait for the DVD. Plus with so many big holiday releases in the pipeline, theaters are unlikely to hold onto a movie that's not performing well right off the bat.
Hope that helps.
Rob Snyder from Australia
January 06, 2009 at 03:07 PM
this is a flop and bad drama. Joaquin Phoenix was terribly miscast. He played a father who lost his son, but nothing came to his emotion, his face was just flat and seemed not really burried after the accident. Jennifer Connelly was an okay but not good enough to save her scene with Joaquin. She and Joaquin even didn't have a chemistry. they shout each other like somebody else's fight. The only person I think was doing fine job was Mark Ruffalo. But then He's also not good enough to save this terrible story.
I believe if they changed the leading actor, it would have been better even the screenplay wasn't convincing enough.
Beth Accomando from San Diego
January 06, 2009 at 05:34 PM
Sorry you had to suffer through it but glad you agree that it was a bad drama. And I agree that casting can make a huge difference.
