Subscribers Only Content Area

Home

New Movies

All Movies

New DVDs

All DVDs

Newsletter

Search

Tell Others About This Page By Using This Button "WINTER SOLSTICE" (2005) (Anthony LaPaglia, Aaron Stanford) (R) Alcohol/ Drugs Blood/Gore Disrespectful/ Bad Attitude Frightening/ Tense Scenes Guns/ Weapons Mild None Moderate Minor None Imitative Behavior Jump Scenes Music (Scary/Tense) Music (Inappropriate) Profanity Mild None None None Extreme Sex/ Nudity Smoking Tense Family Scenes Topics To Talk About Violence Mild Mild Moderate Moderate Mild QUICK TAKE: Drama: An emotionally sheltered widower tries to keep his family together when one of his sons announces he's moving out of town. PLOT: Jim Winters (ANTHONY LaPAGLIA) is a New Jersey landscaper who's discovered that things don't always work out the way one would like or want. Five years after his wife's untimely death, he's still trying his best to raise his sons, but they don't fail to disappoint him. The youngest, Pete (MARK WEBBER), has yet to graduate from high school and his underachieving results mean he'll have to attend summer school under the tutelage of Mr. Bricker (RON LIVINGSTON). Pete's older brother Gabe (AARON STANFORD) has a job, but isn't happy in his hometown and wants to leave, much to the chagrin of his girlfriend, Stacey (MICHELLE MONAGHAN). The one bright point in Jim's life is an unemployed paralegal, Molly Ripken (ALLISON JANNEY), who's moved into the neighborhood to housesit for several months. They slowly develop a friendship that has the potential for something more, but Jim seems reluctant to move in that direction. When Gabe drops the bombshell that he's moving out of town, Jim and everyone else must deal with the sudden news. WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT? Unless they're fans of someone in the cast, it's highly unlikely. WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: R For language. CAST AS ROLE MODELS: ANTHONY LaPAGLIA plays a widower and landscaper who's been raising his boys since their mother's untimely death five years ago. He's upset with Pete for being an underachiever and with Gabe for suddenly announcing he's moving. He uses some strong profanity, smokes a few times and takes a liking to Molly. AARON STANFORD plays his oldest son who feels trapped in his hometown and thus suddenly announces that he's moving to Tampa, abandoning his father and brother, as well as his girlfriend. He uses some strong profanity. MARK WEBBER plays his younger brother, an underachiever who's yet to finish high school and seemingly has no purpose or direction in life. He uses strong profanity and drinks some. MICHELLE MONAGHAN plays Gabe's girlfriend who can't believe he's suddenly moving away from her. RON LIVINGSTON plays the summer school teacher who tries to light any sort of fire under Pete. ALLISON JANNEY plays an out of work paralegal who's house-sitting in Jim's neighborhood and takes a liking to him after she moves in. CAST, CREW, & TECHNICAL INFO HOW OTHERS RATED THIS MOVIE Curious if this title is entertaining, any good, and/or has any artistic merit? Then read OUR TAKE of this film. (Note: The "Our Take" review of this title examines the film's artistic merits and does not take into account any of the possibly objectionable material listed below). OUR WORD TO PARENTS: Here's a brief summary of the content found in this R-rated drama. Profanity consists of at least 23 "f" words, while other expletives and colorful phrases are also uttered. A couple briefly, but passionately makes out (clothed), while some characters briefly scuffle. Some bad attitudes are present, as are some tense family moments involving somewhat strained father/son relationships and talk of and the aftermath of a mother's accidental death a few years back. Some characters briefly drink and/or smoke, while a few bits of behavior might be enticing for some kids to imitate. Should you still be concerned about the film's appropriateness for yourself or anyone else in your home, you may want to look more closely at our detailed listings for more specific information regarding the film's content. ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE We see what looks like beer on the table for Jim and Gabe with dinner. Pete and some of his friends have beer. We see an ad for Mike's Hard Lemonade on the front of a convenience store. Jim and Molly have wine with dinner. When Stacey's brother won't tell Gabe where she is, Gabe reminds the guy how many times he's bought him beer. Gabe jokes with his dad that if he lets Pete drink wine with dinner, "he passes right out." BLOOD/GORE None. DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE All of the local kids seem moody, and two refuse to help Molly move into her house (out of goodwill or even for money). There are a few father-son based bad attitudes between Jim and Pete and Jim and Gabe. Despite Jim telling them they had to go to Molly's for dinner after she invited the family, Pete and Gabe don't show up. When Jim offers to help Gabe with his car, Gabe has a bad attitude and tells his dad to go inside. Gabe's finger or hand ends up getting pinched (no impact is seen), the two get into a yelling match and Jim eventually drives Gabe back against the garage wall while mad at him. FRIGHTENING SCENES Pete attacks another guy in convenience store parking lot (possibly over an unseen girl). He throws his soda cup at him, rushes him and then tackles him to the parking lot where the two struggle until Pete's friend pulls him away. GUNS/WEAPONS None. IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR Phrases: "You're a f*cking weirdo," "What the f*ck /does my hearing aid have to do with anything/did you do?" "F*ck it," "You f*cking p*ssy," "My f*cking eye," "F*cking nuthouse," "You little m*therf*ckers," "It's f*cking locked," "That's a f*cking lie," "Sounds like bullsh*t," "Live it and breathe it," "Losers," "Smart ass" and "Feel like a jerk." Stacey wears a midriff-revealing top. Jim uses one of Pete's dirty socks to rouse Pete from his slumber (putting it at his face). While mad at his sons for disobeying him and standing up Molly for dinner, Jim drags their mattresses and bedding out into the yard and makes them sleep there. The next morning, he drives by and wakes them up by blowing his truck's horn. JUMP SCENES None. MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE) None. MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE) None. PROFANITY At least 23 "f" words (1 used with "mother"), 3 "s" words, 1 slang term using female genitals ("p*ssy"), 2 asses, 2 damns, 1 S.O.B. and 2 uses of "God." SEX/NUDITY Gabe and Stacey do some brief (and clothed) passionate kissing. SMOKING Gabe and Jim each smoke several times, while Stacey's brother smokes once. TENSE FAMILY SCENES There are some minor tense family moments between Jim and his sons over their chores, Jim being disappointed that they don't jump at his suggestion of the three spending a weekend boating, and between Jim and Pete over the latter needing to finish high school. Jim isn't happy when Gabe announces that he's moving out of town. When Molly asks Pete about his mom, Pete doesn't answer and his friend looks apprehensive. Later, Jim tells Molly that his wife was killed in a car accident in which Pete was a passenger in the car. Jim sees that Gabe has discovered a box of his dead mother's belongings and tells Gabe that he can't take it with him as it belongs at the house. When Jim offers to help Gabe with his car, Gabe has a bad attitude and tells his dad to go inside. Gabe's finger or hand ends up getting pinched (no impact is seen), the two get into a yelling match and Jim eventually drives Gabe back against the garage wall while mad at him. TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT People withdrawing emotionally following tragedies. There are some minor tense family moments between Jim and his sons over their chores, Jim being disappointed that they don't jump at his suggestion of the three spending a weekend boating, and between Jim and Pete over the latter needing to finish high school. Gabe stating that he can't get anything started in his hometown. Jim's comment that everything you build your life on can be gone in an instant. VIOLENCE One of the brothers throws his shoe at the other (for being in the way of his TV watching) and the two then engage in some playful struggling and hitting. Pete attacks another guy in convenience store parking lot (possibly over an unseen girl). He throws his soda cup at him, rushes him and then tackles him to the parking lot where the two struggle until Pete's friend pulls him away. When the guy drives away in his car, Pete kicks the side of it. Pete later has something in his eye (not directly seen) from this scuffle. When Jim offers to help Gabe with his car, Gabe has a bad attitude and tells his dad to go inside. Gabe's finger or hand ends up getting pinched (no impact is seen), the two get into a yelling match and Jim eventually drives Gabe back against the garage wall while mad at him. Reviewed April 11, 2005 / Posted May 20, 2005