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Synopsis:
Like
his landmark debut SWOON, Tom Kalin's long-awaited follow-up
is based on a shocking true story. This time around, Kalin
uses the celebrated nonfiction book by Natalie Robins and
Steven M.L. Aronson as his source material in order to
revisit one of the 20th century's most notorious family
tragedies. Julianne Moore (SAFE, SHORT CUTS) plays Barbara
Daly, a damaged but beautiful woman who elevates her status
when she marries Brooks Baekeland (Stephen Dillane), heir to
a plastics fortune. The birth of a son, Tony (Eddie Redmayne),
does nothing to solve Brooks and Barbara's conflicted
relationship. As Tony grows older and the family relocates
from New York City to Paris to Spain to Ibiza throughout the
1950s and '60s, Barbara's fanatical smothering has left her
son a sheepish wreck. The fact that he's homosexual only
makes matters worse. Unable to escape from his mother's
clutches, Tony begins to lose his mind, spurring a fatal act
that will destroy the family. SAVAGE GRACE finds Moore
delivering one of her most electrifying and challenging
performances. She brings humanity and credibility to a
character who is deeply damaged. Kalin's bold decision to
present six chapters in the family's saga, as opposed to
taking a more traditional route, results in a richer and
more intellectual work. Let it be known, SAVAGE GRACE has
some truly dark material that will shock many viewers. But
Kalin's artistry as a director keeps it from feeling like
mere exploitation.
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