Marvin's Room [Blu-ray]

Director: Jerry Zaks Jerry Zaks

Overview

Two sisters try to set their familial differences aside -- one in hopes of saving her own life -- in this drama with comic accents. Bessie (Diane Keaton) has lived in Florida for the past 20 years, where she's been caring for her chronically ill father Marvin (Hume Cronyn) and her Aunt Ruth (Gwen Verdon), who does not seem well acquainted with reality. While Bessie's life has not been easy, she feels that it's rewarding in its way, and she's come to love her father very much. However, when Bessie is diagnosed with cancer, she's told that the only treatment likely to save her would be a bone marrow transplant from a close relative -- which leads Bessie to contact her sister Lee (Meryl Streep) for the first time since their father fell ill. Bessie and Lee have a number of issues with each other that they've never resolved, many concerning their responses to Marvin's illness (Bessie rushed to his side, while Lee preferred to stay away), and Lee's own life has been difficult. She's gotten herself out of a bad marriage, has only recently started supporting herself as a beautician, and has to raise two kids on her own. Ten-year-old Charlie (Hal Scardino) tries to simply ignore the chaos going on all round him, while Hank (Leonardo DiCaprio), a troubled 17-year-old, was recently institutionalized after burning down the family's home. As the straight-laced Bessie and the earthy Lee reestablish contact after two decades, they discover just how much emotional ground they have to cover before they can meet on common ground. Robert De Niro appears in a supporting role as Dr. Wally, Bessie's physician. Marvin's Room was based on the stage drama by Scott McPherson, which opened in 1990; McPherson himself was critically ill at the time -- he died two years later from complications relating to AIDS.

Product Details

Release Date:	07/27/2021
UPC:	0191329202654
Original Release:	1996
Source:	Miramax
Language:	English
Time:	1:38:00
Sales rank:	17,236

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Meryl Streep	Lee
Diane Keaton	Bessie
Leonardo DiCaprio	Hank
Robert De Niro	Dr. Wally
Hume Cronyn	Marvin
Gwen Verdon	Ruth
Hal Scardino	Charlie
Dan Hedaya	Bob
Margo Martindale	Dr. Charlotte
Kelly Ripa	Amber/Coral
John Callahan	Lance
Olga Merediz	Beauty Shop Lady
Joe Lisi	Bruno
Steve Dumouchel	Gas Station Guy
Bitty Schram	Janine
Victor Garber	Minister
Lizbeth MacKay	Novice
Helen Stenborg	Nun on Phone
Sally Parrish	Nun No. 3
Cynthia Nixon	Retirement Home Director
Chad Dowdell	Delivery Guy (uncredited)
Rachel Portman	Composer

Technical Credits

Scott McPherson

Jerry Zaks	Director
Scott McPherson	Screenwriter
Tod Scott Brody	Executive Producer,Producer,Executive Producer
Robert De Niro	Producer
Frank Ferrara Sr.	Stunts
Jane Rosenthal	Producer
Scott Rudin	Producer
Ilene Starger	Casting
Lori Steinberg	Executive Producer,Producer
Danny Michael	Sound/Sound Designer

Editorial Reviews

Based on a highly successful off-Broadway play by Scott McPherson, this respectable film adaptation overcomes its familiar, TV-movie terrain to eventually become a heartfelt tribute to family ties and the prospect of death. In a wonderfully reversed casting scenario, Meryl Streep plays the cigarette-smoking, brash sibling of Diane Keaton, who is beautifully restrained as the older, quieter caretaker figure. Actually, the film is superbly cast all around, with Leonardo DiCaprio quite affecting in a supporting role, and Hume Cronyn providing a strong portrait of old age and mortality without having a word of dialogue in the entire picture. The film at times struggles to break out of its stagebound nature, but the high-caliber performances and sensitive direction by Broadway veteran Jerry Zaks lift it up considerably. Despite Streep's much-showier role, the Academy rightfully nominated co-star Keaton, for what might be her finest work to date.

All Movie Guide - Jason Clark