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Empire Falls (2005)

Empire Falls (2005)
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This two-part HBO miniseries is based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Richard Russo. Having long since sacrificed youthful ideals and values to remain in his New England hometown for the sake of his family, middle-aged Miles Roby (Ed Harris) finds his "secure" little world disintegrating when his wife, Janine (Helen Hunt), divorces him. Equally vexing is the emotional and financial pressure exerted by domineering town matriarch Francine Whiting (Joanne Woodward), who owns (among other things) the Empire Grill, the little diner that Ed has run for several years. As he reflects on what he considers to be a wasted life, Ed flashes back to memories of his curmudgeonly father, Max (Paul Newman, who also executive-produced the miniseries); his long-dead mother, Grace (Robin Wright Penn); his scapegrace brother, David (Aidan Quinn); his blossoming daughter "Tick" (Danielle Panabaker); and Francine's late husband, C.B. Whiting (Philip Seymour Hoffman). Also tied in with Miles's reminiscences is the spectacular saga of the rise and fall of Empire Falls, a once-prosperous mill town that has fallen into disrepair -- as have the town's once-rigid and inviolate social barriers. Despite the initial bleakness of Miles' plight, and the revelation of innumerable family skeletons as the plot progresses, the story is ultimately both heartwarming and life-affirming. Filmed on location in Maine, Empire Falls originally aired on May 28 and 29, 2005. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

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Starring:
Ed Harris, Danielle Panabaker, (more)
Director(s):
Fred Schepisi
Format(s):
DVD
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Synopsis of Empire Falls

This two-part HBO miniseries is based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Richard Russo. Having long since sacrificed youthful ideals and values to remain in his New England hometown for the sake of his family, middle-aged Miles Roby (Ed Harris) finds his "secure" little world disintegrating when his wife, Janine (Helen Hunt), divorces him. Equally vexing is the emotional and financial pressure exerted by domineering town matriarch Francine Whiting (Joanne Woodward), who owns (among other things) the Empire Grill, the little diner that Ed has run for several years. As he reflects on what he considers to be a wasted life, Ed flashes back to memories of his curmudgeonly father, Max (Paul Newman, who also executive-produced the miniseries); his long-dead mother, Grace (Robin Wright Penn); his scapegrace brother, David (Aidan Quinn); his blossoming daughter "Tick" (Danielle Panabaker); and Francine's late husband, C.B. Whiting (Philip Seymour Hoffman). Also tied in with Miles's reminiscences is the spectacular saga of the rise and fall of Empire Falls, a once-prosperous mill town that has fallen into disrepair -- as have the town's once-rigid and inviolate social barriers. Despite the initial bleakness of Miles' plight, and the revelation of innumerable family skeletons as the plot progresses, the story is ultimately both heartwarming and life-affirming. Filmed on location in Maine, Empire Falls originally aired on May 28 and 29, 2005. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Theatrical Feature Running Time:
195 mins

Complete Cast of Empire Falls


Director(s):
Fred Schepisi
Writer(s):
Richard Russo
Producer(s):
William Teitler
Categories:
Television
Empire Falls Awards:
  • 2005 - Golden Globe - Best Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television
  • 2005 - Hollywood Foreign Press Association - Best Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television
  • 2005 - Hollywood Foreign Press Association - Best Supporting Actor in a Series, Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television
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    Member Reviews
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    Colin T.

    I want to give this five stars, but I could have done without some of the gratuitous profanity and I don't need to see people having sex to get the point (though I do appreciate that they spared me the actual nudity). I think I will need to read the book now, because the story drew me in from the first few minutes. I wanted to watch the whole thing in one sitting. The acting was superb and the production quality was very high. Good stuff.

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    Charles G.

    Boring! Had to turn it off and mail back after the 2nd time I fell asleep watching.

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    Patrick D.

    As a fan of the novel I put off watching this for a while because I really hated the casting. Philip Seymour Hoffman should have been Miles, who is supposed to be a chubby mild everyman, something Ed Harris is not. Paul Giamatti might have worked too. And casting Helen Hunt as his ex-wife also a big FAIL. It highlights the problem at the end where it seemed tacked on to make it kind of Happily Ever After. Russo's "Nobody's Fool" is a better book and movie. I'm just saying.

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