Poster of Imaginary Heroes

Imaginary Heroes

Drama

Director: Dan Harris

Release Date: November 10, 2005

Where to Watch

Imaginary Heroes has a lot that works for it, but somehow all the parts don’t quite fit. Pros: actors involved, individual scenes and story lines are interesting and thankfully it gets more right about mourning than not. Cons: I never quite believed that there was a world where the characters played by Sigourney Weaver and Jeff Daniels would get together. The older son is a sketch and his action seems more like an excuse for the events of Imaginary Heroes to unfold as opposed to a whole character. Also seeing it so soon after August: Osage County made me think, “Oy, is accidental incest becoming a trope?” Many of the elements of the movie reminded me of other movies such as Ordinary People and The Ice Storm, but I actually thought it executed those elements better. Also the last scene with just Jeff Daniels and Emile Hirsch was brilliant, but I did not entirely believe Daniels’ character would react that way. Sure he had the entire movie to meditate, but it seemed like such a perfect move for someone so thoroughly awkward throughout the entire film. Anytime Sigourney Weaver does anything, it is transcendent so it is worth a watch and her scenes with the neighbor are pitch perfect. Perhaps the movie just ends too tidily considering all that came before.

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