juneebuggy Yeah this was a pretty depressing movie about a grief stricken couple who find chaos and comfort when they reluctantly take in a young woman (Cary Mulligan) who claims to be pregnant with the baby of their recently deceased son. It's filled with such great acting though, -and not just from the obvious (Pierce Brosnan & Susan Sarandon) so that you really get pulled into the story.The family is such a mess after the death of their son that its almost painful to watch. Sarandon's character becomes a selfish bitch, for lack of a better word and Allen (Brosnan) just shuts down altogether. They both refuse to see the gift that is right in front of them in their sons unborn baby and his girlfriend who is just crying out for love and full of questions. I also enjoyed watching the younger brother deal with not only his brothers death but the decline of his parents and family as a whole. 08.13

barbourjohn-633-608932 This movie is about grief. It is tainted by an unnecessary sex scene, unnecessary sexual innuendos, unnecessary nudity, and unnecessary vulgarity. It reminded me of the Northeast and when I was younger – the Jersey shore – the feel of living in the mid Atlantic states (It was filmed in Nyack, NY). It also reminded me of 1 Thessalonians 4:13 ff and the fact that we ( as followers of Christ) don't grieve the way the world does who has no hope. The "hope" provided in this movie was a replacement of the son with a daughter (his girl friend) and her baby. It was a very strange movie at times because of the culture difference – rich, worldly, post modern, mathematician, given over to base sex instincts etc. but a family movie nonetheless and one that looked at grief from various angles and how different people handle it. "But we would not have you ignorant, brethren, concerning them that fall asleep (have died in Christ); that ye sorrow not, even as the rest, who have no hope." (1 Thessalonians 4:13)

bob-790-196018 This tear-jerker was diverting enough, though it follows the usual trajectory of movies about coping with grief. 1) Death of a loved one; 2)survivors respond in different ways, causing bitter conflict; 3) something warm and fuzzy intervenes (in this case, the dead son's girlfriend gives birth to his child); 4) dramatic realizations, with many tears spent, resolve the conflict, leaving everyone sadder but wiser.So alright, I was entertained anyway. Most appealing were the youngsters, played by Carey Mulligan, Johnny Simmons, and Miles Robbins. Pierce Brosnan was interesting until the obligatory scene where he breaks down in his wife's arms, one of the more grotesque crying jags on film.Susan Sarandon had a thankless part as the mother who refuses to let everyone else mourn in peace.The brief appearance of Michael Shannon three-quarters of the way into the movie was like finding a gold coin on a vacant lot. He is just a wonderful actor.

perkypops The subject matter seems simple. Boy gets girl pregnant and dies in road traffic accident, and his passing opens all kinds of wounds within his grieving family. But this story is far from a simple one about grief, as it explores jealousy, morbidity, self destruction, and so much more, as Rose, the pregnant girlfriend, pieces together the picture of Bennett the boy she has secretly loved for four years but really only known for just a few hours.Beautifully acted with powerful performances all round, this film is a carefully guided tour about emotional healing processes which is never over sentimental. There are several memorable moments in this film where relationships are threaded together or torn apart by virtue of the wonderful script. The film is exceedingly well edited.You will see more entertaining films but if you are looking for depth of character and well crafted story telling then this takes some beating.