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Imaginary Heroes

Imaginary Heroes (2004)

December. 17,2004
|
7.1
|
R
| Drama Comedy

Matt Travis is good-looking, popular, and his school's best competitive swimmer, so everyone is shocked when he inexplicably commits suicide. As the following year unfolds, each member of his family struggles to recover from the tragedy with mixed results.

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Reviews

Evengyny
2004/12/17

Thanks for the memories!

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Actuakers
2004/12/18

One of my all time favorites.

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Intcatinfo
2004/12/19

A Masterpiece!

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Fairaher
2004/12/20

The film makes a home in your brain and the only cure is to see it again.

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SnoopyStyle
2004/12/21

The Travis family has to deal with the popular athletic older son Matt's suicide. Tim (Emile Hirsch) is trying to live with everybody's sympathies. Mother Sandy (Sigourney Weaver) starts smoking marijuana. Father Ben (Jeff Daniels) abandons work and spends his days in the park. Sister Penny (Michelle Williams) returns home from college on occasions.I like Tim and Sandy's journey in dealing with the lost in the first half. It would be a fine quiet small indie if that's the movie. However writer/director Dan Harris wants this movie to be about secrets. He holds all of it back until the second half. It leaves the first half with an emptiness like the movie is refusing to let the audience into the story. Once the reveals start happening, it diminishes the power of the lost somehow. It tries to give it meaning and loses its value.

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zaisim90
2004/12/22

This movie is genius! just pure genius. the plot, the characters, the imagery, the play of emotions... a script like this could have ended up being so corny, but no, not this; and i don't think that anyone can watch this movie and remain untouched. i don't think any other movie has really dealt with the complexities of a modern day family and youth like this one has.The music is something else in this movie - be it the theme music or the soundtrack - each scene is beautifully landscaped with the right choice of music. especially one particular scene - which may shock a few people initially (OH PREJUDICES!!!) but will undoubtedly create a spark no matter how tiny in anyone's heart.MUST SEE THIS MOVIE!

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blanche-2
2004/12/23

"Imaginary Heroes" is a 2004 film starring Sigourney Weaver, Jeff Daniels, Emile Hirsch, Michelle Williams, and Kip Pardue.The story concerns a dysfunctional family that becomes even more dysfunctional when the oldest child (Pardue) commits suicide."Ordinary People" has been mentioned often in relation to this film; it's sort of "Ordinary People" with a role reversal. The mother in this case, Sandy Travis (Weaver) is more accessible than the father, Ben (Daniels) who is clearly devastated and unable to cope. Like "Ordinary People," the younger son Tim (Hirsch) is the focus of the film.For me, the film was absorbing enough to keep watching but has a curious detachment about it. There were some wonderful interactions - mother and son, mother and neighbor, brother and sister (Williams) and some good offbeat moments. What never clicked was Ben being any part of that family or having any chemistry with Sandy. This seems to have been the goal of director/writer Dan Harris. In one scene in a grocery store, the checkout kid assumes Sandy is "about 30" and gives her his phone number. In almost the next scene, Daniels asks Sandy if she wants plastic surgery for her birthday. Weaver was 55 when this film was made, actually probably 54, and looks phenomenal. So what is Ben looking at? However, there's something askew about Ben's complete detachment because the viewer doesn't really see how Daniels ever WAS attached to that family.The end has a couple of twists and also some very touching scenes. Everyone is very good, with Weaver and Hirsch being the standouts.There's not a tremendous amount of dialogue in this movie and lots of stares. The script could have been sharper. But "Imaginary Heroes" is a good effort.

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Jesseca Lamb
2004/12/24

This is a fantastic movie revealing the truths about family under severe stress. This was such a touching movie. It is so honest. It's very memorable and I'm recommending it to you.Your own experiences with family life will probably be similar, however less dramatic. The strength of a family is tested here and they attempt to find strength in their own weaknesses working through grief and denial. If you have ever felt alone in your world, you'll be able to connect. It's a refreshing perspective on reality that will give you a wide range of feelings most movies neglect to attempt. Watch it, you'll love it.

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