The Door in the Floor (2004)
The Cast
Elle Fanning .... Ruth Cole
Jeff Bridges .... Ted Cole
Kim Basinger .... Marion Cole
Jon Foster .... Eddie O'Hare
Based on John Irving's novel, A Widow For One Year, written & directed for the screen by Tod Williams, this movie is one of those coming-of-age stories that we never tire of. Young Eddie, looking barely 16, takes a summer job with writer Ted Cole as a personal assistant because Eddie wants to be a writer some day. It turns out that Ted doesn't need a PA so much as he just needs someone to drive him around.
Ted's hiring of Eddie tells you more about his character than anything else in the movie. Ted really has no interest in molding Eddie as a writer, he just needs to use him. However, Eddie falls for Ted's wife, Marion, now that the two Coles are seperated. This leaves their daughter Ruth somewhere in between the two 'rents.
That's more than I usually go into when reviewing movies, but it's neccessary for a movie like this, one you might've heard of, but doesn't just JUMP out at you. I can tell you that I feel Jeff Bridges should've received an Oscar nom for his performance in this movie. When you first meet Ted, you might be a little entranced by his whimsy, his thoughtful carelessness & candor. The gamut of emotions that Ted goes through in this movie will twist & turn your feelings about his character in so many ways. There are times that you truly hate him for what he does.
The movie as a whole is pretty formulaic stuff, but the performances bring it to a higher level. The younger Fanning girl, Elle, is quite an impressive little actress, & Jon Foster seemed to grow with the character of Eddie. Basinger kinda sleep-fucks her way through the movie, but Bridges is phenomenal. His performance is well worth the time & money. Other than some bizarre score decisions in the movie, it's an altogether enjoyable movie. 4 outta 5.
Roger Ebert's review of The Door in the Floor (2004)