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Bodies, Rest & Motion

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Bodies, Rest & Motion

R

1993

1h 33m

Drama

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Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

53%

Tomatometer

30 Reviews

50%

Popcornmeter

1,000+ Ratings

In his sleepy Arizona town, Nick (Tim Roth) ekes out a living selling television sets. He decides, suddenly, that life has more to offer -- and that he might find it by moving to Montana with his reticent girlfriend, Beth (Bridget Fonda). But the day before their departure, Nick takes off without Beth, and she's crushed. Spurred on by her best friend and Nick's ex, Carol (Phoebe Cates), Beth takes up with a shiftless, pot-smoking housepainter (Eric Stoltz).

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Owen Gleiberman

Entertainment Weekly

Rated: C-

Sep 7, 2011

Full Review

Variety Staff

Variety

Uncompelling but moderately engaging.

Feb 4, 2008

Full Review

Jonathan Rosenbaum

Chicago Reader

The film squeaks in its joints whenever it tries too hard to make a 'generational statement,' and may annoy you with its glibness, but it manages to hold one's interest -- surprisingly at times, given the lightweight characters.

Feb 4, 2008

Full Review

Jeffrey M. Anderson

Combustible Celluloid

The secret to the movie's flow is that it has no flow. It just drifts. The hazy Arizona afternoon atmosphere and the chirpy, chanty score by Michael Convertino definitely help things along.

Rated: 2.5/4

Jan 28, 2021

Full Review

TV Guide

The strength of it, the subtext of revolving door relationships, would have been better served if allowed to remain more subtle.

Rated: 1.5/4

Feb 4, 2008

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Cole Smithey

ColeSmithey.com

Excruciating.

Rated: 0/5

Nov 15, 2007

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Yuri B

It wasn't really bad, it just wasn't anything too exciting or gripping... & honestly, I really only watched this because this was one of Phoebe Cates' last performances on film.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/22/25

Full Review

Audience Member

Objects stay in motion unless affected by an outside force yet for Bridget Fonda, Phoebe Cates, Eric Stoltz, and Tim Roth they'll have to figure out how to handle it in a comedy about love and inertia Taking place in Arizona and based on the 1986 play the focus is on 4 people Nick wants to move with Carol But that doesn't work out so she ends up meeting a single house painter named Sid Beth and Sid might fall for each other too All their interests and lives start to change The music is so beautiful here and the actors are a good collective But so much of what happens is just very dialogue heavy Plus there's no real ending...

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

04/10/23

Full Review

Audience Member

It wasn't really bad, it just wasn't anything too exciting or gripping... & honestly, I really only watched this because this was one of Phoebe Cates' last performances on film.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

02/22/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Bodies, Rest, and Motion is a nicely imperfect little film. It has these sensual, emotional, mistaken, and serious qualities that are quintessential 90s. Recommended to anyone who is in the mood for an indie drama.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/15/23

Full Review

Audience Member

A laid-back look at youthful rootlessness which never really catches fire.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

01/25/23

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Audience Member

All I want is the recording of those ethereal voices. Marginally credited, not featured on the soundtrack. What's up with that?

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

02/16/23

Full Review

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Michael Steinberg

Director

Phoebe Cates

Carol

Bridget Fonda

Beth

Tim Roth

Nick

Eric Stoltz

Sid

Alicia Witt

Elizabeth

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Synopsis

In his sleepy Arizona town, Nick (Tim Roth) ekes out a living selling television sets. He decides, suddenly, that life has more to offer -- and that he might find it by moving to Montana with his reticent girlfriend, Beth (Bridget Fonda). But the day before their departure, Nick takes off without Beth, and she's crushed. Spurred on by her best friend and Nick's ex, Carol (Phoebe Cates), Beth takes up with a shiftless, pot-smoking housepainter (Eric Stoltz).

Director: Michael Steinberg
Producer: Roger Hedden, Allan Mindel, Denise Shaw, Eric Stoltz, Jeffrey Sudzin
Screenwriter: Roger Hedden
Production Co: August Entertainment, Mindel-Shaw Productions
Rating: R
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 21, 2020
Box Office (Gross USA): $732.0K
Runtime: 1h 33m
Sound Mix: Surround

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