The Door in the Floor (2004)

Very very predictable, including the post credit scene !!!

Don't Believe the Hype

Better Late Then Never

In truth, there is barely enough story here to make a film.

As I often do, I started watching this film, then I stopped to do something else... watching films this way may not be ideal, especially if it is the first time you are watching them but it does have an incredible advantage and that is to put some distance. Distance helps me to be more objective and make build my thoughts more coherently.When I first stopped this film I was about 15 minutes in. The film was going really well and I thought about this which led to think about other films that initially were going very well and got nowhere but somehow I had the feeling, this was not going to be one of those cases. Thankfully, it was not.There is a writer who not constantly, not like a teacher or a mentor would, speaks about writing to a younger writer. It is interesting to me how this is tackled because to talk about structure, story and when those are good the script writer needs to have the knowledge and the confidence to parallel match this in his own script. Of course the masterfully great stitching is finished when Jeff Bridges' character points out the need for specific details which connects with the title of the film being presented throughout the feature and finalising on a door in the floor of his squash court.I say I will have to watch again this film because I am sure there are several elements I did not get to see and even though I know the story now and it is not a remarkably visual film or funny it has the attribute of depth, like the strange connection between Ted Cole (Jeff Bridges) and Evelyn Vaughn (Mimi Rogers), any connections with the writer that uses that name as pseudonym? What is her job? What is her mental status, is she clinically insane? I quite liked how nuts she was and how a character that was probably a mere extra, was given a lot more importance.Pulling from that thread, I noticed how many other little characters had a strong sense of reality, the woman at the photos shop, the nanny, the man at the bookstore and the gardener. It is all very saddle but certainly it unfolds a world very naturally.Now I have to wonder what is Tod Williams up to and why is he directing so few films.

This movie got off to a promising start in its depiction of Jeff Bridges's self-centered Ted, a womanizer who never gives much thought to his serial manipulations. However, "The Door" quickly deteriorates into a ripoff of "The Summer of '42" and the real-life Mary Kay Letourneau story as Ted's depressed wife Marion (Kim Basinger) is set up to seduce the horny high-school student Ted has brought into the home for the summer. As pretty as Basinger is, I didn't believe for a minute that Eddie would fall for her instead of the family's sexy young nanny or all the nubile young girls we're shown on the Hamptons beach. The movie made me cringe when we witness Eddie's attempts at masturbation, and I finally deleted the film once Marion walked in and he was too ashamed to face her. I may be biased but I don't think people go to the movies to squirm through this kind of trash. Admittedly I am the parent of a teenager and a pre-teen, but I found the intrusiveness of these scenes to be highly distasteful. If kids are going to explore their own bodies, please directors of the world, let them do so in privacy and dignity! I also found it offensive to have little Ruth, who looks to be about 4, tell her father, "your penis looks funny." I guess we're supposed to assume she saw Ted's erection -- another violation of a child's boundaries. This actress is a tiny little girl. Why was it necessary to give her this dialog? Call me a prude if you like but I found this movie to be so disrespectful to children that I lost interest in any surrounding storyline involving the presumptive grown-ups in the tale.I'm surprised that Jeff Bridges, an actor I've always respected, would allow himself to appear in garbage like this.

This film is an example of the Hollywood business types directing a project. Here's the idea: a prime audience demographic is teen-aged boys, get their hard-earned summer job money in return for help with those self- stimulation sessions. Get their ticket money with: a character to identify with: Eddie; a really beautiful woman (Kim Basinger) who gets naked for Eddie and does him 60 times over a summer at the beach. Three other somewhat less pretty, but attractive nonetheless, women who throw themselves at him (Mimi Rogers--full nudity front and back--and Amanda Posner, and Bijou Phillips). No parental guidance here. The (unaccountably wealthy) adults are irresponsible playpeople. chchchchchchiiiiinnnnngggg!

'The Door in the Floor' is uneven in tone, but yet it delivers some convincing moments. But, more than it's potential as a film, it is it's Lead-Star, Jeff Bridges, who makes this film a must watch, for his under-stated yet loud performance, that is well-balanced & even stunning at times. 'The Door in the Floor' tells the story of how, A writer's young assistant becomes both pawn and catalyst in his boss's disintegrating household. Based on the first third of the 1998 novel A Widow for One Year by John Irving, 'The Door in the Floor' appeals in parts. Firstly, this human- drama caters to a niche audience. This film is not meant for those who admire and live to watch films such as 'Avatar' & 'Transformers'. This disturbing & mostly unspoken story, is meant, mainly, for the pseudo intellectuals. Tod Williams direction is convincing, while his Screenplay is decent. However, the uneven tone & slow-pace act as a speed-breaker. The film definitely could've been faster, in terms of pace. Cinematography & Editing are worth a mention.Performance-Wise: Obviously, Jeff Bridges steals the show with a performance, that is easily amongst his finest works. It's a performance that is loud, yet under-stated, it's a performance that is unspoken yet expressive. In many ways, Bridges makes his misery-friendly character stunning to look at. Bridges carries the film on his shoulders and once again proves his caliber as an actor. Kim Basinger is impressive. Jon Foster plays his part with honesty. Elle Fanning is superb. Others lend good support. On the whole, Watch it for Jeff Bridges! An Actor who never disappoints!