Wikipedia

Safe Passage(film)

Safe Passageis a 1994 Americandrama filmstarringSusan Sarandon,and featuringSam Shepard,Robert Sean Leonard,Marcia Gay Harden,Nick Stahl,Sean Astin,andJason London.Directed byRobert Allan Ackermanand written by Deena Goldstone, it is based on the 1988 novelSafe Passageby Ellyn Bache.

Safe Passage
Theatrical release poster
Directed byRobert Allan Ackerman
Written byDeena Goldstone
Based onSafe Passage
by Ellyn Bache
Produced byGale Anne Hurd
Starring
CinematographyRalf D. Bode
Edited byRick Shrine
Music byMark Isham
Production
company
Distributed byNew Line Cinema
Release dates
  • December 23, 1994(1994-12-23)(Los Angeles)
  • January 6, 1995(1995-01-06)(United States)
Running time
98 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Box office$1.6 million[1]

The film centers on a large family that reconvenes when one of the adult sons, aMarinedeployed in Lebanon for theGulf War,is possibly among the victims of an explosion at his base. As the family waits out the news, they reopen old wounds, grudges, and unresolved issues.

Plot

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Margaret "Mag" Singer, a wife and mother of seven sons, is on the verge of divorcing her husband Patrick and moving to the city for a life of her own. All of the Singers' sons—except for Simon, the youngest—are grown and live on their own. Suddenly, Mag hears news of a terrorist bombing at a Marine base in theMiddle East,where Percival, one of her sons, is stationed. Upon learning the news, the remaining five sons gather at the Singer home, anxiously awaiting updates on Percival. The sons include Alfred, the eldest Singer, who is engaged to Cynthia; Gideon, who feels responsible for Percival's decision to enlist and thus blames himself for Percival's possible death; identical twins Darren and Merle; and Izzy, the second-youngest who followed his father into science.

The film's plot shifts between the Singer family resolving old hurts and wounds and flashbacks to Mag raising her sons. At the end, the family is gathered around the TV nervously waiting for word on Percival. Percival is revealed to be safe, and the family rejoices at the good news and their renewed bonds.

Cast

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Production

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Safe Passagewas shot inGlen Ridge, New Jersey.[2]It began shooting on January 26, 1994, and completed on March 22 of that year.[3]The film was held up for release by a court injunction brought by Dan Lupowitz, who claimed he brought both the director and Susan Sarandon into the project and wanted an "executive producer" credit. The claim was later dismissed in court.[4]

Reception

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The film received mixed reviews, with aRotten Tomatoesscore of 54% based on 13 reviews.[5]In a two-star review,Roger Ebertpraised the cast and Sarandon’s performance, but said the family drama felt contrived and formulaic.[6]Lisa SchwarzbaumofEntertainment Weeklygave the film a grade of B−,[7]commending the acting but saying Goldstone’s screenplay “has all of the heft of a special, two-hour episode ofParty of Five— a TV-shaped domestic drama overloaded with the kinds of emotions you see only on TV and never in your own family.”[7]

Year-end lists

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References

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  1. ^Safe PassageatBox Office Mojo
  2. ^"Safe Passage (1994) Filming & Production".IMDb.RetrievedNovember 16,2021.
  3. ^"Misc notes"onTCM.com
  4. ^"Gale Anne Hurd | Biography".TCM.com.RetrievedNovember 16,2021.
  5. ^"Safe Passage".Rotten Tomatoes.
  6. ^Ebert, Roger(6 January 1995)."Reviews | Safe Passage".Chicago Sun-Times.RetrievedNovember 16,2021.
  7. ^abSchwarzbaum, Lisa(January 27, 1995)."Safe Passage".Entertainment Weekly.RetrievedNovember 16,2021.
  8. ^Bates, Mack (January 19, 1995). "Originality of 'Hoop Dreams' makes it the movie of the year".The Milwaukee Journal.p. 3.
  9. ^Lovell, Glenn (December 25, 1994). "The Past Picture Show the Good, the Bad and the Ugly -- a Year Worth's of Movie Memories".San Jose Mercury News(Morning Final ed.). p. 3.
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