Reservation Road

Reservation Road is a 2007 American crime drama film directed by Terry George and based on the book of the same title by John Burnham Schwartz, who, along with George, adapted the novel for the screenplay. The film, starring Joaquin Phoenix and Mark Ruffalo, deals with the aftermath of a fatal car crash. It was released to theaters on October 19, 2007.
Plot
Dwight Arno is an attorney who is going through a divorce from his wife Ruth. As part of the divorce agreement, Ruth has custody of their son Lucas while Dwight has visitation rights. On a recent afternoon, Dwight took Lucas to a baseball game. When Dwight and Lucas were leaving the game, Ruth called Dwight to remind him that he was running late in returning Lucas home. Dwight, worried that he might lose his visitation rights if he were late, drove Lucas home in a rush. In his haste, Dwight lost control of his vehicle and struck a young boy, Josh Learner, who was standing by the roadside. Dwight was horrified by the accident, but was thankful to learn that Josh had only suffered minor injuries.
Dwight, in a moment of honor, was aware that he had just struck the young boy, Josh. The boy Lucas had only suffered a minor injury, so Dwight, panicked, told him they had collided with a tree log. Little did Dwight know, however, that Josh had not survived the collision. When Dwight heard the news on a newscast, he was overwhelmed with guilt and fear. He frantically attempted to cover up any evidence that could implicate him in the hit-and-run. Meanwhile, Josh's mother, Grace, slowly began to pick up the pieces and moved on with her life, but her husband Ethan was determined to find the perpetrator and bring them to justice. As the police were making little progress, Ethan eventually chose to hire a lawyer, and to his surprise, it was Dwight.
Dwight is consumed with guilt and the burden of his actions weighs heavily on his conscience. He finds himself contemplating turning himself in to the police, but in the end, his cowardice gets the better of him and he is unable to go through with it. When he goes to the police station, the investigating officer mistakes him for Ethan's lawyer and tells him that the case is going nowhere. Dwight leaves the station without confessing. When he picks up his daughter Emma from her piano lessons with Ruth, Dwight is forced to face his guilt and the reality of his situation. Knowing that he has to go to jail, Dwight requests Ruth to take care of Lucas for a week, telling her that it will be the last week for a long time. Despite sensing his desperation, Ruth reluctantly agrees. Dwight leaves with the knowledge that he was unable to face his mistakes and that he had to rely on someone else to take care of his child.
Ethan nervously holds the gun, as Dwight kneels before him. Dwight pleads for his life, explaining that he had to do it out of desperation. Dwight's wife had died a few years back, and he was struggling to make ends meet. He had no other choice but to rob the convenience store, in order to provide for his son. Ethan can see the love and desperation in Dwight's eyes, and he can feel the pain of a father who is desperate to provide for his child. Dwight's years of hard work and dedication all came rushing back to Ethan, and he felt the need to forgive. He slowly lowers the gun, and the two men embrace in a tearful hug. Ethan forgives Dwight for his crime, and decides to look the other way. He walks away from Dwight's house, understanding the struggles of life and the desperate measures people take in order to survive.
Ethan forces Dwight into the trunk of his car and lets him out after a short drive. Dwight is initially angry with Ethan, but upon exiting the car, he realizes that Ethan had been in an emotional state and was too hesitant to go through with his plan. Dwight then seizes the opportunity and grabs the gun, pointing it at Ethan. In a surprising twist, Dwight then turns the gun on himself and begins to cry, saying how he wishes he had died instead of Josh. This convinces Ethan that Dwight is sincere, and he leaves Dwight to deal with his remorse. The film ends with Lucas, alone, watching a taped confession to the hit-and-run that Dwight had made earlier. Overall, the scene serves to show how Dwight had come to terms with the accident and was now ready to face the consequences of his actions. The film ends on a bittersweet note, with Dwight accepting responsibility for what he had done and Ethan being able to move on with his life.
Cast
Joaquin Phoenix as Ethan Learner
Mark Ruffalo as Dwight Arno
Jennifer Connelly as Grace Learner
Mira Sorvino as Ruth Wheldon
Elle Fanning as Emma Learner
Eddie Alderson as Lucas Arno
Sean Curley as Josh Learner
Antoni Corone as Sergeant Burke
John Slattery as Steve Cutter
Production
Filming
The film was shot in Stamford, Connecticut, starting in late October, 2006, with the very first city scene from Annapolis, Maryland, and the next scene at Cove Island Park in Stamford. Parts of the movie were also filmed at Lake Compounce Amusement Park in Bristol, Connecticut, and the Olde Blue Bird Inn & Gas Station and adjacent Baseball Field in Easton, Connecticut. Shots of Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts are used in the trailer and movie.
Release
Reservation Road grossed a total of $36,269 in its first weekend. It ended up making $121,994 in the United States, and ended with a worldwide gross of $1,783,190. The film was released on DVD on April 8, 2008.
Reception
The film received mixed reviews from critics. Metacritic gives the film an average score of 46 out of 100, based on 29 reviews. Rotten Tomatoes gives the film 38% based on reviews from 112 critics, with an average rating of 5.23/10. The website's critics consensus reads, "While the performances are fine, Reservation Road quickly adopts an excessively maudlin tone along with highly improbable plot turns."
References
External links
2007 films
2007 crime drama films
2000s English-language films
American crime drama films
Films about child death
Films about grieving
Films about road accidents and incidents
Films based on American novels
Films directed by Terry George
Films scored by Mark Isham
Films set in Connecticut
Films shot in Connecticut
Films shot in Martha's Vineyard
Focus Features films
2000s American films