I was a little disappointed after watching "The Door in the Floor" because the novel it is based on, John Irving's indescribable story "A Widow for a Year" is the best piece of literature in the whole wide world! Maybe my objective point of view ruined my movie experience... One of the biggest reason's is the fact that the movie tells only the story from the beginning. "The Widow for a Year" consist of three parts of the lead character Ruth Cole's life. "The Door in the Floor" tells only the story of Ruth's childhood events.
Eddie O'Hare is a young summer-vacationer who manages to get a summer job working for the famous children's book author Ted Cole (Jeff Bridges). Eddie has no clue that the summer at Hampton's will change his whole life... Eddie meets the sad mother and wife Marion Cole (outstanding Kim Basinger) who is the embodiment of the true beauty. At the Cole residence Eddie will discover that the life's of the family members is far from rosy living...
Kim Basinger was the perfect match to play the Femme Fetale, Marion Cole who has deep wounds in her soul. In the Irving's novel Marion was pictured to be a forty-something woman who was still more beautiful than 20-year-old girls. Basinger is that and a whole lot more. Jeff Bridges makes a subtle performance of an aging playboy. Dakota Fanning's little sister Elle plays little Ruth.
Another issue for me was the spirit of the 50's that was gone. The surrounding reminded very much of the eighties. That really wasn't a good thing at all. The world of the fifties was more reflecting for the story.
It is always hard to make a brilliant adaptation of a such amazing novel. Tod Williams's effort was nice but something was just missing. I am deeply sorry folks but that's just my opinion.
Eddie O'Hare is a young summer-vacationer who manages to get a summer job working for the famous children's book author Ted Cole (Jeff Bridges). Eddie has no clue that the summer at Hampton's will change his whole life... Eddie meets the sad mother and wife Marion Cole (outstanding Kim Basinger) who is the embodiment of the true beauty. At the Cole residence Eddie will discover that the life's of the family members is far from rosy living...
Kim Basinger was the perfect match to play the Femme Fetale, Marion Cole who has deep wounds in her soul. In the Irving's novel Marion was pictured to be a forty-something woman who was still more beautiful than 20-year-old girls. Basinger is that and a whole lot more. Jeff Bridges makes a subtle performance of an aging playboy. Dakota Fanning's little sister Elle plays little Ruth.
Another issue for me was the spirit of the 50's that was gone. The surrounding reminded very much of the eighties. That really wasn't a good thing at all. The world of the fifties was more reflecting for the story.
It is always hard to make a brilliant adaptation of a such amazing novel. Tod Williams's effort was nice but something was just missing. I am deeply sorry folks but that's just my opinion.