RottenTomatoes.com
Log In | Register | What is RT?
Found a Bug? Squash It! Report Bugs Here
  • Home
  • Movies
  • DVD
  • Celebrities
  • News
  • Critics
  • Trailers & Pictures
  • CommunityBeta
  • Box Office
  • | Best Of
  • | Certified Fresh
  • | Showtimes
RT Search Powered by Google
help icon Enhanced RT
searches on Google
Click here to turn on enhanced search results from RT on your Google searches.
 
Movies / On DVD / The Safety of Objects
The Safety of Objects

Rate this Movie Help Icon

  • Write a Review
  • Read Reviews
  • Add to List
  • Buy Poster External Icon
  • Visit Official Site External Icon
Bookmark and Share

The Safety of Objects (2003)

  • T-Meter Critics
  • Top Critics
  • RT Community
  • My Critics
  • My Friends
  • DVD
49 %
Tomatometer
Template ImageTemplate Image

How does the Tomatometer work Help Icon

Reviews Counted:72

Fresh:35

Rotten:37

Average Rating:5.9/10

Consensus: The large cast of characters and scripting are too unwieldy, and the suburban angst theme feels tired.

Runtime: 2 hrs

Genre: Dramas

Synopsis: THE SAFETY OF OBJECTS is an American suburban drama filled with subversive humour. We uncover the lives of four neighbouring families as they struggle to make honest human relationships. In doing... THE SAFETY OF OBJECTS is an American suburban drama filled with subversive humour. We uncover the lives of four neighbouring families as they struggle to make honest human relationships. In doing so the characters realise they must emerge from the isolation provided by...the safety of objects. In a desirable American suburb four families' lives become entwined. PAUL GOLD (Joshua Jackson) lies in his bedroom in a coma, nursed by his mother, ESTHER GOLD (Glenn Close), who in her role has unintentionally distanced herself from her husband and her teenage daughter, JULIE (Jessica Campbell). JIM TRAIN (Dermot Mulroney) is a lawyer who has more intimacy with his work than with his wife SUSAN (Moira Kelly), who in response chooses to settle into their new life without him. Their son JAKE is finding it hard to conceal his burgeoning relationship with his sister's doll, Tani, the twelve-inch girl he adores. ANNETTE JENNINGS (Patricia Clarkson), once Paul's lover, is in the midst of a messy divorce and is trying to keep herself together while bringing up her children, SAM and RAYANNE, on a shoestring. HELEN CHRISTIANSON (Mary Kay Place), bored by her husband and the banalities of everyday life looks for something or someone to spark her. Over the course of four days Esther enters a competition to win a car for her daughter and Jim, frustrated by his job, plays hooky to help her win; Jake throws over the Tani doll for some real friends; Annette reclaims her life when RANDY (Timothy Olyphant) enters Sam's and Helen discovers what she has at home is not something she wants to replace. -- © 2002 Renaissance Films [More]

Starring: Glenn Close, Patricia Clarkson, Dermot Mulroney, Joshua Jackson

Starring: Glenn Close, Patricia Clarkson, Dermot Mulroney, Joshua Jackson, Moira Kelly, Robert Klein, Timothy Olyphant, Jessica Campbell, Kristen Stewart, Mary Kay Place

Director: Rose Troche

Director: Rose Troche
Screenwriter: Rose Troche
Producer: Dorothy Berwin, Christine Vachon
Studio: IFC Films

[See More Credits]

  • Trailers
  • Pictures
1 - 5 of 10

See More Movie Trailers & Pictures

Reviews for The Safety of Objects

  • T-Meter Critics
  • Top Critics
  • RT Community
  • My Critics
  • My Friends
  • DVD
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by date; UK critics are listed first)
Bubble View | 1 2 3 4 5 >> >|
Arrange By:Fresh | Rotten | Comments | Name | Source | Date
 
 
Reviews
Tomatometer Critic Review Category
tomato
4/5

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Dec., 30 2006 07:04 AM

Empire Magazine

N/R

Derek Adams

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Feb., 09 2006 03:17 AM

Time Out

N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Aug., 19 2003 05:08 PM

Guardian [UK]

N/R

Rich Cline

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Aug., 14 2003 05:07 PM

Shadows on the Wall

tomato
4/5

Jamie Russell

Troche has created a truly moving film, upsetting and uplifting in equal measure.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Aug., 05 2003 05:08 PM

BBC

N/R

Urban Cinefile Critics

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Oct., 18 2008 06:27 AM

Urban Cinefile

splat
C

Emanuel Levy

Though well-acted, Troche's third film, an adaptation of short stories, is a minor addition of a fractured, ensemble narrative to the overly populated genre of suburban malaise and anomie in the wake of the success of Mendes' Oscar-winner American Beauty

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Jul., 17 2008 10:12 AM

EmanuelLevy.Com

N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Jul., 21 2005 03:57 AM

Houston Chronicle

tomato
4/5

Oz

Four neighboring families, seven stories, one secret - one great movie.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Oct., 19 2004 10:55 PM

eFilmCritic.com

N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Feb., 21 2004 07:01 AM

Atlanta Journal-Constitution

tomato
3/4

David Nusair

...there's a lot worth recommending about the film.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Aug., 01 2003 08:08 AM

Reel Film Reviews

splat
2.5/5

Adam Nayman

Simply put, there's too much going on, and too many fragile, damaged characters to fret appropriately over.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Jul., 08 2003 05:15 PM

eye WEEKLY

tomato
3/4

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Jun., 23 2003 05:18 PM

Sunday Times (Australia)

tomato
3/5

Peter Howell

A richly compelling movie that is as hard to forget as it is difficult to warm up to.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Jun., 06 2003 04:50 PM

Toronto Star

tomato
3.5/5

Jim Slotek

A fairly deft sewing job of short stories by A.M. Homes.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Jun., 06 2003 04:46 PM

Jam! Movies

splat
2.5/4

Ray Conlogue

It's a movie located in an interesting place, but without quite enough self-confidence really to inhabit it.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Jun., 06 2003 04:44 PM

Globe and Mail

N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Jun., 06 2003 08:11 AM

Sydney Morning Herald

splat
2/5

Jay Boyar

The sheer number and variety of miseries on view suggest a kind of wallowing.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Apr., 10 2003 02:42 PM

Orlando Sentinel

splat
2/4

Nick Carter

The effectiveness of The Safety of Objects and all such 'burb-angst weepies comes down to how far viewers will go toward feeling empathetic, or even sympathetic, rather than resentful toward such self-absorbed and self-loathing characters.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Apr., 03 2003 06:49 PM

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

tomato
9/10

Brian Orndorf

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Mar., 27 2003 05:09 PM

Modamag.com

 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by date; UK critics are listed first)
Bubble View | 1 2 3 4 5 >> >|
See All

More DVDs

Top Rentals
Tomatometer Percentage Movie
36% 36% Angels & Demons
25% 25% Four Christmases
68% 68% Funny People
95% 95% Star Trek
14% 14% The Ugly Truth

More Rentals…

New On DVD This Week
Tomatometer Percentage Movie
83% 83% Harry Potter and the H…
67% 67% Public Enemies
75% 75% Julie & Julia
95% 95% The Cove
85% 85% World's Greatest Dad

More New Releases…

What’s Hot On RT

Twilight Saga: Eclipse

Twilight Saga: Eclipse

5 facts straight from the cast.

Disney Animation

Disney Animation

We chart the studio's classics.

Avatar

Avatar

An exclusive look at the human hardware.

Eric Bana

Eric Bana

The Star Trek star talks cars with RT.

Other News

  • Top Stories
  • Popular
  • Interviews
 
 

Comments

 
 
Top Stories
Headlines Comments
  
  • Avatar Picks Up Golden Globes Buzz Source: HitFix
9
  • Disney's Upcoming Hand-Drawn Movies Revealed Source: Slashfilm
4
  • Cameron Explains Blue Avatar Aliens Source: MTV
19
  • Matt Damon Expects Greengrass to Return for Fourth Bourne Source: Collider.com
6
  • Burton's Dark Shadows Rising in 2010 Source: Sci Fi Wire
5
  • Exclusive: The World of Where the Wild Things Are
27
  • Peter Jackson Talks Hobbit, LotR Blu-ray Source: Collider.com
20
  • Woman Jailed for Filming New Moon Screening Source: Chicago Sun-Times
18
  • McG Has Plans for Fifth and Sixth Terminator Movies Source: Gizmodo
204
  • Spielberg Hops Away from Harvey Source: Variety
22
Popular
Headlines Comments
  
  • Total Recall: Natalie Portman's Best Movies
83
  • Five Favorite Films with Jason Reitman
57
  • Critics Consensus: Everybody's Fine Is Just OK
50
  • 10 Horrifically Profitable Films
46
  • Sundance 2010: RT's 10 Most Anticipated Movies
41
  • Five Favorite Films with Jesse Ventura
40
  • Weekly Ketchup: Tron Team to Remake The Black Hole
37
  • Box Office Guru Wrapup: The Blind Side Takes the Lead
29
  • Awards Tour: National Board of Review Winners List!
28
  • Friday Harvest: Iron Man 2, Harry Potter, and more!
24
Interviews
Headlines Comments
  
  • Five Favorite Films With Avatar's Sam Worthington
24
  • Director Ruben Fleischer Talks Zombieland
2
  • "I Don't Hate Women": Lars von Trier on Antichrist
17
  • Eric Bana talks Love the Beast - RT Interview
12
  • Fight Club Sound Designer Reflects on Film's 10th Anniversary
23
  • James Schamus talks Taking Woodstock - RT Interview
8
  • John Hurt Talks Harry Potter, Quentin Crisp and Alien - The RT Interview
15
  • Terry Gilliam Talks Doctor Parnassus
22
  • Wes Anderson Talks Fantastic Mr. Fox - RT Interview
9
  • Wolverine Creator Len Wein Talks About the Film
28
 
 

Sponsored Links

Around The Network

  • The Safety of Objects at Rotten Tomatoes
  • The Safety of Objects at AskMen

Fresh Links

Featured
RT on YouTube
RT on YouTube External Link

Subscribe to RT's YouTube channel and don't miss a second of our cracking video content.

RT on Twitter
RT on Twitter External Link

Follow Rotten Tomatoes and join us as we tweet about the week's releases.

 
 
About| Site Map| Help| RT To Go| Contact Us| Critics Submission| Linking to RT| Licensing| Movie List| Celebs List| Newsletter
IGN Logo

IGN.com | GameSpy | Comrade | Arena | FilePlanet | GameSpy Technology
TeamXbox | Planets | Vaults | VE3D | CheatsCodesGuides | GameStats | GamerMetrics
AskMen.com | Rotten Tomatoes | Direct2Drive | Green Pixels


By continuing past this page, and by the continued use of this site, you agree to be bound by and abide by the User Agreement.
Copyright 1998-2009, IGN Entertainment, Inc. About IGN | Support | Advertise | Privacy Policy | User Agreement | Subscribe to RT's XML feed! IGN RSS Feeds
IGN's enterprise databases running Oracle, SQL and MySQL are professionally monitored and managed by Pythian Remote DBA
Certain product data ©1995-present Muze, Inc. For personal use only. All rights reserved.