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I am on the verge of amazement at the number of quality films that have been released in these summer months. The Door in the Floor is the kind of film that you would normally expect to come out in December, just in time for the Oscar hunt. Who knows, maybe it will still be remembered several months down the road when award talk comes up. The film is based on John Irving's novel A Widow for One Year and directed by Tod Williams.

Ted Cole (played by Jeff Bridges) is a children's author in his '50s who also paints and typically explores deep themes through his books. He is married to Marion (played by Kim Basinger) and has one young daughter, Ruth (Elle Fanning, sister of Dakota Fanning). One summer a teenage boy named Eddie (Jon Foster) comes to work as Ted's assistant. Ted reveals to Eddie that he has come at a sad time for the family. He and Marion are temporarily separating and have been struggling for years to overcome the loss of their two sons. Surprisingly, Eddie becomes attracted to the unstable Marion and the dynamics of the family are shifted in a way that eventually must change everything.

On its surface, The Door in the Floor is a fairly simple story, but there are many deeper themes that run throughout and don't truly come to the surface until the film reaches its conclusion. And speaking of conclusions, the final shot in the film is absolutely breathtaking. Not so much for its visual beauty, but for the bounty of thoughts it leaves for the viewer to sort through as the credits roll.

The acting here is downright superb. The always impressive Jeff Bridges delivers one of his best performances to date as the quirky, understated Ted Cole. When he finally begins to break emotionally, it's almost too much to watch because of the great job that Bridges does to bring his character to this point. Basinger and Foster are both very good in their roles as well. Six year old Elle Fanning comes through with one of the best performances from a young child that I have seen in quite some time. She's the sister of Dakota Fanning (Man on Fire and I Am Sam) and clearly shows here that talent runs in the family.

The cinematography in the film is unobtrusive. It's not overly artistic and never draws attention to itself, but the camera angles work well in telling the story and setting up the feelings of the characters. There are some wise editing choices made as well. When Ted Cole tells the story of what happened to he and Marion to cause the distance they feel now, we never cut back to Eddie who is intently listening. Instead the camera rests on Ted for several minutes, allowing the viewer to be absorbed in the story he is telling.

Ultimately, The Door in the Floor is a curious film with plenty for the thoughtful viewer to chew on. It is well crafted and in the long run displays more intellect than heart. For the most part, this is a formula that serves the film well.

Trae Cadenhead 8/22/2004