Dwight (Mark Ruffalo) and Ethan (River Phoenix) are both fathers with sons. Ethan has a happy marriage to Grace (Jennifer Connelly) and a daughter as well, while Dwight has a contentious relationship with his ex (Mira Sorvino). A horrific accident results in Dwight hitting and killing Ethan’s son with his car, and he doesn’t stop. The grief of Ethan and Grace plays itself out while Dwight’s guilt does as well. Twists of fate will bring the fathers into contact and they will never be the same.

CRITIQUE

The best of cinematic drama often is born out of the most horrible of situations. The death of a child is something no one anticipates and the aftermath of such an event, however it occurred, is inherently compelling. The emotional effect of a story like this is something that is great about movies. Reservation Road powerfully engages the audience, wrenching the emotions with its story and performances.

Above all, the representations of grief and guilt that the actors are able to portray are central to a film like this, and the performances here are a strong suit. Phoenix showcases a maturity as pain moves through to rage. Ruffalo, meanwhile, uses his “every guy” demeanor to deepen the nervousness and self-loathing of Dwight. Connelly simply and effectively plays her scenes as they are meant to be seen. These are a few of the finest actors in their thirties working today and they make up one of the best parts of this film. Some of the most tense and exciting moments are the scenes where Dwight and Ethan appear together, giving us the talents of Ruffalo and Phoenix together. The surprising ending is particularly memorable in this way.

This leads me to the story. Aside from the drama, the progression of the plot here is believable and continually keeps the audience’s interest. The moments flow one after another into a captivating story, with no hint of trying too hard. As a matter of fact, the story is so timeless that the use of modern devices like cell phones and the Internet might even jar some viewers the tiniest bit. The accident itself, which of course initiates the entire plot, has an almost sickening “it-could-happen-to-anyone” quality, and this is enhanced in the film with the staging and editing.

This is, obviously, all a part of director George’s technique and he also achieves a good authenticity with locations and costuming. George has an elegant style that just lets a story like this one breathe and make the impact it needs to. His use of angles more than camera movement creates the visual interest and even when he uses something like slow motion at a typical moment, the effect is what it should be. Reservation Road is, in direction, performance, and story, powerful and memorable.

THE VIDEO

Reservation Road is presented in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen. There are no problems with color or the picture, in fact this is a very good presentation.

THE AUDIO

Reservation Road is presented in English 5.1 Dolby Digital Surround that gets the job done fairly well. Also available is a French language track, plus optional subtitles for English, French and Spanish.

THE EXTRAS

Deleted Scenes: Over seven minutes of scenes are complied for the viewer here and they are all good. A few seem to have been removed simply because there was a change from cremation to burial for the child. Most feature the grieving Learners but there is one scene between Dwight and his son which would have fit right in with the rest of his arc. Viewers will want to watch these.

Looking Back on Reservation Road: This making-of featurette has the usual interviews and clips, but it is still good. The input from author and co-screenwriter John Burnham Schwartz is nice, and director George has a lot of good insight into the story. The actors’ input is interesting as well. I like what Joaquin has to say about accessing the rage his character feels and Connelly discusses facing so many distraught scenes. This is a nice extra.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Stunningly gripping, the story of Reservation Road is a fantastic building block for strong direction and performances. The overall effect of the film is impressive, and that is true for home viewing of this DVD as well. Good extras are featured on the disc, too, so many will want to go ahead and purchase the film. Nearly everyone should at least rent Reservation Road.