When we look at the career of great actor Tim Robbins, Oscar and Golden Globe winner for Best Supporting Actor in Mystic River, we naturally think of the famous films of his career. The Runaways, of course, or The Coen Brothers’ Big Leap Forward.
For Jeff Bridges, who has been showing his figure on screen for over 50 years, we think more of his brilliant composition as the dude in The Big Lebowski; His excellent performance with Francis Ford Coppola in Tucker. His participation in the revolutionary throne in 1982. His meeting with Michael Cimino at Le Canardeur. His excellent revival of the role previously played by John Wayne in True Grit.
Model Neighbors… or not
Fairly forgotten in their respective filmographies, Arlington Road, released 25 years ago and signed by Mark Pellington, who has since slipped into near-total anonymity, deserves a serious reappraisal. And it’s not the 1671 entries left by viewers that will change our minds.
story? Arlington Road is a very peaceful residential neighborhood located on the outskirts of Washington, DC. Michael Faraday (Jeff Bridges), a history professor, is one of the residents of this quiet neighborhood. Appearing calm, he is struggling to recover from the death of his wife, an FBI agent who died two years ago due to a mistake. Her son Grant is also haunted by his mother’s memory.
One day, Michael Faraday saves the neighbor’s son, who has just moved in, injured while playing with fireworks. After this event, he befriends the young boy’s parents, Oliver and Cheryl Lang (Tim Robbins and Joan Cusack). But soon, Michael becomes interested in the strange behavior of the father of the family…
In fact, Michael Faraday suspects his seemingly model neighbors of being potential terrorists… and that’s where the movie takes us, wringing its neck on Hollywood’s eternal good morals. Because here, in the end, the bad guys win!
Oliver Lang manages to trap Michael by detonating a bomb that kills hundreds and destroys the building…quietly forcing him to take the blame. A trick that works like a charm, allowing the Langs to continue their misdeeds with complete impunity in their suburban American home.
For memory, in pictures…
In addition to being a solid film, Arlington Road was inspired by the growing concern in the United States in the 1990s about far-right and other supremacist militia movements, the horrific Waco siege, and the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing. Timothy McVeigh, who killed 168 people and injured nearly 700. Concerns and facts that suddenly returned during the events of January 6, 2021 and the attempted storming of the Capitol building in Washington, D.C., which killed 5 people.
A wonderful nugget that should be discovered anyway, breaking the dictates of happy endings so dear to Hollywood.
Source: Allocine
Rose James is a Gossipify movie and series reviewer known for her in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the latest releases. With a background in film studies, she provides engaging and informative reviews, and keeps readers up to date with industry trends and emerging talents.
