Details
Movie Description
Hope Davis and Campbell Scott play married dentists in this insightful dramatic comedy from director Alan Rudolph (AFTERGLOW, DOROTHY PARKER AND THE VICIOUS CIRCLE). Based on the novel THE AGE OF GRIEF by Jane Smiley, the story begins with husband David's suspicion that his wife (and mother of their three adorable daughters) is having an affair. The details of their family life and David's mounting suspicion are brilliantly evoked via overlapping dialogue, great editing, and masterful camerawork. David's jealous mind soars onto some hilarious flights of fancy and eventually caustic comedian Denis Leary turns up as his cigar-smoking alter-ego, expressing all the independent and antisocial traits David has tried so long to repress for the sake of his family. All of this culminates in a hilarious yet harrowing week when the family is hit by a flu virus.
SECRET LIVES' performances are very strong, with Scott proving himself an actor of great restraint and subtlety. The young actresses who play the daughters are uniformly talented, as is Robin Tunney (THE CRAFT) as a dental assistant. The lion's share of credit is due to director Rudolph, who is in top form with this film, displaying his mastery of the ensemble cast, camera, and audio tricks; Rudolph and his mentor, Robert Altman, are of the few directors capable of working with such perceptive, funny, and warmly human results.
Film Notes
Theatrical Release: AUGUST 1, 2003 (NY/LA)
Industry Reviews
"...Intensely appealing....Mr. Rudolph employs a lightness of touch that's gracious in its generosity..."
New York Times - Elvis Mitchell (08/01/2003)
"...THE SECRET LIVES OF DENTISTS is an excellent adaptation of a wonderful work of fiction that sheds light on the complexities and emotional truths of married life..."
USA Today - Claudia Puig (08/01/2003)
"...Alan Rudolph sketches a portrait of a seemingly idyllic marriage with briskness, economy, wit and grace..."
Los Angeles Times - Kevin Thomas (08/01/2003)
"...A luminous specimen of independent filmmaking..."
Entertainment Weekly - Lisa Schwarzbaum (08/08/2003)
"...Scott and Davis could not be better. You're in for something special..."
Rolling Stone - Peter Travers (08/21/2003)
"...An astute dissection of marital crisis..."
Film Comment - Gavin Smith (03/01/2003)
"Wonderful family scenes, as the parents try to protect the kids from their own smash-up, and a remarkable sequence as everyone gets the flu."
Chicago Sun-Times - Roger Ebert (01/23/2004)
"Scott and Davies' truthful performances are the film's pulse."
Uncut - Nick Hasted (09/01/2005)
"Rudolph conjures up his distinctive mood of subtle yearning with gently probing camerawork....Enduringly affecting."
Sight and Sound - John Wrathall (09/01/2005)
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