The Door in the Floor

R

Released Jul 14, 2004

1 hr. 51 min.

Drama

List

68%

142 Reviews

Tomatometer

64%

5,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

The lives of Ted (Jeff Bridges) and Marion Cole (Kim Basinger) are thrown into disarray when their two adolescent sons die in a car wreck. Marion withdraws from Ted and Ruth (Elle Fanning), the couple's daughter. Ted, a well-known writer, hires as his assistant a student named Eddie (Jon Foster), who looks oddly similar to one of the Coles' dead sons. The couple separate, and Marion begins an affair with Eddie, while Ted has a dalliance with his neighbor Evelyn (Mimi Rogers).

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Critics Consensus

Though uneven in tone, this is one of the better adaptations of John Irving's novels, with Jeff Bridges giving one of his best performances.

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John A

Begins fairly well but ultimately goes nowhere interesting with what is established so firmly in the first act. The cast is great.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

11/09/23

Full Review

Audience Member

The real strength of this movie is the performances by Basinger and Bridges. They play two eccentric East Enders whose life is dismantled by the death of their two sons. Both are Oscar worthy. What unfolds is a tale of a young writing assistant that comes to apprentice with Bridges and falls in love with Basinger. While it is twisted and decedent in spots; its dysfunction feels real. How do people get past such a tragedy? The film's Hamptons setting is as much a character as anyone in the film. It is tragic. Seen through the confusion of a young man, coming of age, it works. Elle Fanning is good. I love Mimi Rogers but she was underutilized in this one. This is based, in part, on a John Irving piece.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

01/13/23

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Audience Member

Bueno pienso que podria haber sido algo mejor 5/10

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

02/27/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Adapting John Irving novels will always be difficult because they are filled with so many little details that are impossible to convey on screen. This film chooses to adapt only one third of A Widow for One Year, which I regrettably have not read, but manages to pack in a lot of plot developments and interesting character detail within 111 minutes. Seeing Jeff Bridges play a role that initially appears to be comedic but quickly becomes serious was gratifying and Kim Basinger, although she's not great here, always makes me hope she will be as good as she was in Fool for Love (1985). This isn't a great film but it is very interesting and I wish that more films like this were made today so it's nice to see a film that focuses on a dysfunctional family and an odd group of characters without judgment. Eddie O'Hare, Jon Foster, who dreams of being a writer is hired as the assistant to alcoholic womanizer Ted Cole, Jeff Bridges, over the summer. He lives with them in their beachfront house on Long Island and begins a sexual relationship with Ted's depressed wife, Marion, Kim Basinger, while Ted is having an affair with his neighbor Evelyn, Mimi Rogers, who he also draws nude. The reason for Marion and Ted's depression is slowly drawn out of them as the film goes on and one of the stories that Ted wrote "The Door in the Floor" is used as an extended metaphor. Bridges' performance in the lead role is astonishing as he uses all of the charm present in his early performances but employs his ability to turn from fancy free to serious in a few seconds with devastating effect. He works hard to find the sympathetic elements of his character who his in many ways very detestable but he manages to create the sense of a man who has lost everything and deserves pity. Foster is equally good as the shy but libidinous young man who comes to understand just how flawed his idol is. The awkwardness of his performance is accurate to a real teenager and the uncomfortable approach he has to questioning those around him belies a still coming of age boy. Bridges and Foster make a wonderful pair and their work towards the end of the film is subtle but dramatically exciting. Basinger is disappointingly flat in her role and brings none of the chutzpah that she brought to The Natural (1984) or 9 ï¿ 1/2 1/2 Weeks (1986). The young actress who plays her daughter, modern day superstar Elle Fanning, completely upstages her conveying more in a few expressions than Basinger does with whole monologues. Rogers is fun as the mistress and the shot of a piece of paper, a drawing of her vagina, flying on to Ted's windshield is one of the most raucously funny scenes I have ever seen. All of the actors, excluding Basinger, manage to draw something out of their characters whether it is hidden grief or burgeoning sexual desire and that forms a very fascinating ensemble of characters to watch in a film that doesn't have all that much going on. The handling of tone is not always perfect but when the film does become serious in the third act they completely commit. Bridges telling of the story of his sons' death is tragic and the darkness in his face, when he appears so effervescent up until that point, convinces you completely of his inescapable grief. The director does a decent job the whole time at pacing the film well and dropping in some funny moments every now and then but when the film ramps and the storm occurs he really comes into his own as his touches as a director, close shots held for long periods of time and quick cuts to exterior shots, are never more clear. This is worthy or recommendation but you have to come in being a fan of Irving's work or the film won't really connect with you. You also have to be patient because the film doesn't contain much action until the third act which is just crazy but it is a rewarding experience when you make it that far.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/01/23

Full Review

william s

Bridges shines in this quirky well acted bittersweet but very entertaining drama.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Good actors overcome a bad script

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/05/23

Full Review

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Tod Williams

Director

Jeff Bridges

Ted Cole

Kim Basinger

Marion Cole

Jon Foster

Eddie O'Hare

Mimi Rogers

Eleanor Vaughn

Elle Fanning

Ruth

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David Ansen

Newsweek

Jeff Bridges is extraordinary as Ted Cole...this hothouse tale of grief, sex and betrayal is told with a cool detachment that renders it commendably unsentimental--and slightly remote.

Mar 13, 2018

Full Review

Empire Magazine

Rated: 3/5

Apr 1, 2006

Full Review

Independent (UK)

Rated: 2/5

Mar 7, 2005

Full Review

Miles Fielder

The List

The Door in the Floor's leads have remained largely and woefully under-appreciated actors... Here, they both give career best performances.

Rated: 4/5

Apr 23, 2019

Full Review

Brian D. Johnson

Maclean's Magazine

The female characters are either preposterous or pathetic.

Mar 28, 2019

Full Review

Cole Smithey

ColeSmithey.com

Complex, candid, and satisfying "The Door In The Floor" beckons back to the socially provocative American films of the late '60s and early '70s. It is an adult drama with characters you sympathize with in spite of their immoral behavior.

Rated: A

Jul 11, 2010

Full Review

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Synopsis

The lives of Ted (Jeff Bridges) and Marion Cole (Kim Basinger) are thrown into disarray when their two adolescent sons die in a car wreck. Marion withdraws from Ted and Ruth (Elle Fanning), the couple's daughter. Ted, a well-known writer, hires as his assistant a student named Eddie (Jon Foster), who looks oddly similar to one of the Coles' dead sons. The couple separate, and Marion begins an affair with Eddie, while Ted has a dalliance with his neighbor Evelyn (Mimi Rogers).

Director: Tod Williams
Executive Producer: Amy J. Kaufman, Roger Marino
Screenwriter: John Irving, Tod Williams
Distributor: Focus Features
Production Co: Revere Pictures, Good Machine, This Is That Productions, Focus Features
Rating: R (Language|Graphic Images|Strong Sexuality)
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jul 14, 2004, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Dec 1, 2017
Box Office (Gross USA): $3.8M
Sound Mix: Surround, Dolby Digital, DTS