Fairhaven

2013
5.1| 1h21m| NR| en
Details

Long-time friends reconnect when one returns to their small Massachusetts town for a funeral.

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Trailers & Clips

Also starring Tom O'Brien

Reviews

Comwayon A Disappointing Continuation
Myron Clemons A film of deceptively outspoken contemporary relevance, this is cinema at its most alert, alarming and alive.
Payno I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.
Philippa All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.
steve1480 You know, it isn't easy to make a good movie. To begin with, I believe you need a good script. That is to say, in my mind at least, the story has to be complete. You can have great acting, great direction, great film making and yet, because of the script itself, it's literary values, the film isn't complete. The story isn't complete. That is the case with this movie. (Spoiler Alert) Two of three main characters are released, so to speak, from their torment. The third character, the one played by Messina: we don't really know what happens to him. He goes back into the oblivion. These are my film aesthetics: the viewers need to have the complete story. It's fine if a character doesn't come to terms with his life, but we want to know how. Messina's character has screwed up his life. He's run away from a tough situation with a woman he loved and he has refused to understand his parents. His girl has found another guy. His life has been emptied out. But the movie leaves him pretty much where it found him, except now he most likely knows he has screwed up. It's not enough. I obviously hate it when filmmakers leave things hanging. I really believe there's a laziness to it. If they can't complete the story they shouldn't make the film.
michele-608-655459 FAIRHAVEN is a quiet film that packs an emotional punch. Tom O'Brien does an amazing job writing and directing beautifully authentic scenes between people we all can relate to. Chris Messina can always be depended upon to deliver a scene-stealing performance (I loved him in Julie and Julia and Vicky Cristina Barcelona), however in this case his co-actors Sarah Paulson, Rich Sommer, Maryann Plunkett, and Phyllis Kay, are all so talented, they give him a run for his money. Lovely, wide shots of the melancholy Connecticut seacoast abound and the setting almost becomes a secondary character. This is a sleeper gem that's well worth watching. We have not seen the last of the talented (and handsome) O'Brien.
Maura L. Thomas I have to admit that I'm not often pulled in to character-driven movies. I'm afraid I might be a victim of the fast-paced, constant-stimulation environment that technology has created for us. But this movie got to me. I'm from New England and the vibe and the characters were so accurate, and the story was so engrossing that I felt like I was a part of the movie. The other reviewer put it well when she wrote, "it wasn't like I was watching a movie, it was like I was watching life." I felt like I knew the characters, and I was left with the feeling of wanting another "episode." I actually think the movie would make a great premise for a dramatic television show, and I would definitely be a weekly viewer. I'm looking forward to nationwide release of the movie so that I can share it with my friends.
becmatt-401-394891 How can I see this movie again? I saw Fairhaven at the Tribeca Film Festival and loved it. I was moved by its beautiful cinematography and flawed characters-- you end up relating to almost every character in the film. We need more character driven films! Fairhaven is story about friendship but addresses so many other issues at the same time. I loved it's documentary style filming --kind of reminded me of Friday Night Lights. It wasn't like watching people act, it was like watching people live. Rich Somer was fantastic-- his character was so sweet and vulnerable. Chris Messina was perfect as the asshole with a good heart...and Tom O'brien's character made the film--soul searching while he actually has everything right in front of him all along. Seriously folks, how can I see this movie again?