On the complete opposite end of the spectrum is this thought-provoking drama by rookie director Todd Field. This is without a doubt one of the most moving emotional pieces I have ever seen and was proclaimed by my mentor, Roger Ebert, to be the best film of the year. In terms of acting, I have to agree that the performances by Sissy Spacek and Tom Wilkinson were two of the greatest performances in film history and the film should be recognized for that alone, if nothing else. The story is about two parents dealing with the loss of a child and what it does to a marriage relationship, as well as the parents as individuals. Never has such a realistic look been taken at this subject and never has it been more believably portrayed than in this film. The film follows the obvious moment of grief when the parents first hear the news of their son’s murder, but that is where it stops being a conventional film. Where most films have the parents either learning from or moving on from the death, In The Bedroom reveals the ugly side of loss. The parents begin to blame each other, first secretly in their minds and later openly to each other after weeks of silence begin to wear on each person’s sanity. The raw human emotion expressed in the script and through the actors is simply astounding and makes this film one of the best pure dramas in years. I was truly moved by this film, more so than by any other film in 2001 and for that it lands in my top five of the year.