MOVIE REVIEW FOR "THE DOOR IN THE FLOOR" STARRING JEFF BRIDGES, KIM BASINGER,
AND JON FOSTER

When films based on books by John Irving are made, I tend to get rather excited.
For the most part, every adaptation of a John Irving book has been good -- "The
World According to Garp" is one of my favorite films of all-time; "The Cider
House Rules" featured stellar performances and was nominated for numerous
Oscars; "Simon Birch" is one of the least successful, but it still manages to
entertain, thanks largely to exaggerated performances; and then there was "The
Hotel New Hampshire", which I thought was absolutely charming. "The Door In the
Floor" is based on, perhaps, his greatest novel, "Widow for One Year". So, did
it make my eyes water and my stomach churn? Was it a fine addition to the rest
of the adaptations? Hell yes.

This is probably the best film I have seen in 2004. Jeff Bridges and Kim
Basinger star as Ted and Marion Cole. Ted is an author of children's books,
after failing as a serious author. His wife, after the death of their two sons,
blames him for their deaths and is more than a little unhappy with their
marriage. Ted fools around on her considerably, and she knows, but does nothing
about it. In fact, these two argue so much on the inside, it is not necessary
for us to see it on screen. Enter Eddie (Jon Foster), whom Ted takes on as
somewhat of an intern, though all he does is chauffer Ted around and cater to
his every need. Eventually, Marion and Eddie have intercourse, but not in a
seedy, vengeful sort of way. It is sweet. It is needed by both of them. Elle
Fanning co-stars as Ruth, the Marion's daughter, whom they had in order to
escape the memories of their deceased sons. This film is about her, much like
the book, and how the lives of her parents has a startling !
affect on her life.

As far as emotional powerhouses go, "The Door In the Floor" is the best to come
around in a long time. We have everything from the tension between Ted and
Marion surrounding the deaths of their songs, to the feeling of betrayal when
one spouse has an affair. We see all of these emotions through the flawless
performances of both Jeff Bridges and Kim Basinger. They both brought their
A-games and give career defining performances. Basinger is especially memorable
as Marion. And, newcomer Jon Foster delivers a nice little performance as
Eddie; you can expect his stock to start rising. I would certainly love to see
both Bridges and Basinger receive Oscar nods for these roles, and Bridges has
the best shot of the two of them. But, another nod, and possible win for
Basinger would prove to everyone that she really is one hell of an actress. I
never had a doubt.

So, when you're trying to decide which film to see at the local cinemas, and
you're down to either "I, Robot" or "Alien Vs. Predator", ditch both of them and
give "The Door In the Floor" a try. This is the type of movie that depresses
you and depresses you throughout, but somehow you leave the theatre feeling
refreshed and happy to be alive -- we like to watch people with lives more
miserable than our own, and this sure delivers in that department. Then, go out
and purchase "A Widow for One Year" -- this film is actually only based on the
first part of that book -- there is much more story after this film ends. This
is the best film of 2004 and I strongly recommend it to everyone out there as a
must-see.

Jeff Bridges (Ted Cole)
Kim Basinger (Marion Cole)
Jon Foster (Eddie)
Mimi Rogers (Miss Vaughn)
Bijou Phillips (Alice)
Elle Fanning (Ruth Cole)

Directed By Tod Williams

RATED R

FOUR POPS

Billy Ray