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The Greatest (2009)

The Greatest (2009)
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Tragedy opens the wounds a family has long struggled to ignore in this powerful emotional drama. Bennett Brewer (Aaron Johnson) was a bright, handsome, and talented young man who was suddenly killed in an auto accident late one night while driving home with Rose (Carey Mulligan), a girl who had been a close friend for years but had only recently become romantically involved with him. Bennett's death devastates his family: his mother, Grace (Susan Sarandon), is overcome with grief and can't stop wondering what his final minutes must have been like; father Allen (Pierce Brosnan) is forced to turn away from his mistress (Jennifer Ehle) and try to comfort a woman he's no longer certain he loves; and brother Ryan (Johnny Simmons) mourns Bennett while becoming painfully aware that he will never live up to his late brother's example in the eyes of his parents. As grief slowly brings the family's emotional troubles to the surface, two unwelcome characters come into the picture -- Rose, who has discovered she's pregnant with Bennett's child, and the truck driver (Michael Shannon) who unwittingly took Bennett's life. The first feature film from writer and director Shana Feste, The Greatest received its world premiere at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

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Starring:
Pierce BrosnanSusan Sarandon, (more)
Director(s):
Shana Feste
Theatrical MPAA Rating:
R
Format(s):
DVD  |  Blu-ray
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Synopsis of The Greatest

Tragedy opens the wounds a family has long struggled to ignore in this powerful emotional drama. Bennett Brewer (Aaron Johnson) was a bright, handsome, and talented young man who was suddenly killed in an auto accident late one night while driving home with Rose (Carey Mulligan), a girl who had been a close friend for years but had only recently become romantically involved with him. Bennett's death devastates his family: his mother, Grace (Susan Sarandon), is overcome with grief and can't stop wondering what his final minutes must have been like; father Allen (Pierce Brosnan) is forced to turn away from his mistress (Jennifer Ehle) and try to comfort a woman he's no longer certain he loves; and brother Ryan (Johnny Simmons) mourns Bennett while becoming painfully aware that he will never live up to his late brother's example in the eyes of his parents. As grief slowly brings the family's emotional troubles to the surface, two unwelcome characters come into the picture -- Rose, who has discovered she's pregnant with Bennett's child, and the truck driver (Michael Shannon) who unwittingly took Bennett's life. The first feature film from writer and director Shana Feste, The Greatest received its world premiere at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Complete Cast of The Greatest


Director(s):
Shana Feste
Writer(s):
Shana Feste
Producer(s):
Lynette HowellBeau St. Clair
Theatrical MPAA Rating:
R(Drug Content, Sexual Situations, Violence)
Categories:
Drama
Warning:  This product is intended for mature audiences only. It may contain violence, sexual content, drug abuse and/or strong language. You must be 17 or older to purchase it. By ordering this item you are certifying that you are at least 17 years of age.

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    Member Reviews
     
    Dana T.

    I agree that this is a sad and somewhat depressing movie but it was a good one. It is possible to be a good movie even though it is sad.

    Yes   |   No

     
    Susan B.

    I would highly recommend this movie for how genuine it felt. I haven't had to deal with grief before, so I don't know if it's realistic, but I felt that the emotions shared between the characters where very believable. I did not find the movie depressing, although I did feel like crying at one point, more out of relief that they were finally resolving their differences than sadness. I found the movie very hopeful. I agree that the theme isn't new, but it is a movie about opening up and dealing with personal issues, and it reinforces how much we need other people sometimes to heal. The only aggravatingly slow part in the movie was at the beginning where they are driving back from the funeral - seriously, when you hit that part, just fast-forward through it - someone definitely got carried away during that scene. If you like movies with heart, you should see this one...you will be smiling and feel good at the end.

    Yes   |   No

     
    Mike D.

    GOOD MOVIE. SOME VERY TOUCHING SCENES. KINDA LONG .

    Yes   |   No

     
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