Review of The Door in the Floor (2004) by Luis O — 31 Dec 2012

What an injustice that "The Door in the Floor" has been seen by so few. It has its flaws, but it also has magnificence. It's a must-see DVD for anyone who cares about serious, complex drama and beautiful filmmaking.

What a travesty that director Tod Williams (not to be confused with Todd Field of "In the Bedroom") has not been able to get a serious film made since 2004 -- almost a decade! It pisses me off how many talented filmmakers in America die on the vine. Anyone remember Laurie Collyer, who made the exquisite "Sherrybaby" in 2006? Or Karen Moncrieff, whose powerful "The Dead Girl" also came out that year? They're probably waiting tables, no one willing to bankroll their films.

In "The Door in the Floor," which is based on the John Irving novel "A Widow for One Year," Jeff Bridges plays a famous writer living in the Hamptons. Kim Basinger plays his wife. Four-year-old Elle Fanning plays their daughter. Little-known actor Jon Foster plays a prep-school intern hired to be Bridges' assistant for the summer.

It's amazing how much we learn about this troubled family in two hours. Williams' filmmaking is so good that a lot of ground is covered in such a short time. Not a single shot is wasted. There is so much story-telling in every scene. I've complained a lot in the past few years about filmmakers who don't know much about stories. Tod Williams knows how to tell a story.

That of course means that audiences aren't interested in his work and producers don't want to work with him. In a word: Develop a talent for story-telling, lose all hope of getting work as a filmmaker in America.