Save your money for something good and enjoyable

Each character in this movie — down to the smallest one — is an individual rather than a type, prone to spontaneous changes of mood and sometimes amusing outbursts of pettiness or ill humor.

Great movie. Not sure what people expected but I found it highly entertaining.

Strong acting helps the film overcome an uncertain premise and create characters that hold our attention absolutely.

I really enjoyed this film. Some may not like the fact that there is very little "action" in the storyline, but the depth of most of the characters, as well as the way in which they interact, creates something beautiful. At the film's core is how each of the main characters deal with a self-defining "object" (or the loss of that "object"). Esther Gold (Glenn Close) has a life defined by her son Paul (Joshua Jackson) who was in a terrible wreck leaving him in a coma needing around the clock care. She feels safe in the role of martyr in which she has insulated herself to keep from dealing with the tragedy. Her daughter (Jessica Campbell) is dealing with the tragedy (and her secret about it) with her own object safety, starting with her role as the neglected one. Her other attachment, to brother's guitar, is driven both by her need to connect and her need to hide from guilt.Annette Jennings (Patricia Clarkson) has a life defined by her children, neither of whom she can really control. One is a special needs child and the other, Samantha (Kristen Stewart) finds safety in rebellion, placing blame and being shocking and a smartass. Jennings is also dealing with the loss of her marriage and her relationship with Paul Gold (Esther's comatose son). She won't let herself be happy because she would have to lose the misery in which she has come to feel safe. In the end, she is forced to realize that she must let go of the misery to save herself and her children.Jim Train (Dermot Mulroney) is defined by the success he has at work, and indeed the job itself. He has safety in his position as a successful breadwinner with the "perfect" family. When the loss of a promotion at work sends him reeling, it drives him to walk away from his job and his family's only income. He is the first to give up the safety of object, but it slowly drives him over the edge. Meanwhile, each of his family members are going through their own version of the safety of an object (s). Jim has to have a complete meltdown before seeing that being truly present for his family is his true safety.Helen Christianson (Mary Kay Place) is defined by the loss of passion (excitement) in her life yet in some ways clings to the safety of the boring life that feels safe. She tries to bridge the gap by reaching out to her husband in any way she can, but he seems disinterested at best. When she finally makes the move to step from behind the safety of her circumstance, her husband suddenly becomes the man she desires and she realizes that her marriage is where she truly wants to be... not just the role that feels safe.Finally, Randy (Timothy Olyphant) longs to again feel the safety of his role as big brother... the thing he lost when his brother died in the crash that disabled Paul Gold. During the film, he begins to see Samantha (called Sam) as the substitute he needs because she reminds him of his brother. Acting on this compulsion to regain his safety object, he kidnaps Sam. The lines of reality and desired reality blur sometimes as he strives to recreate his lost life. In the end though, he finally sees that the past cannot be recaptured, and he returns Sam home.The Safety of Objects looks at a slice of life, as many of the characters are relatable. It reminds us all that there are things, people and/or circumstances where we find our safety... our coping mechanism... our comfort. Again, this is not a movie for those who require a plot-driven film. It is for those of us who find fascinating the look inside the people and lives that are so familiar.

Attracted by the strange title I decided to watch the movie for an explanation. Having watched the film I was none the wiser and somewhat confused with the interweaving of four short stories There were lots of characters in these four families (too many for me) and what might have been an interesting expose of their lives turned out to be very ordinary.I have to say the actors did well in their individual roles but as characters they failed to get me involved in their every day lives. I thought Glenn Close did quite a remarkable interpretation of a mother grieving over her first born son. The plastic bag scene was the high light of the film. It was done with such emotional intensity. Very little of the remainder of the film reached this high standard.It is not a cheerful film. Very few of the characters seemed to be really happy. All had their problems. Perhaps it was all too much like real life. And if you cannot find solace in other human beings you must look beyond for other objects.Isn't it true that during our lives we surround ourselves with familiar objects that give us a sense of security? You know the feeling that one gets after arriving home after a very long journey. A certain warm glow pervades your being because this is home, this is security, so much is familiar and you find at last the desired safety of objects.

This movie contained some excellent characterizations, esp. by Glenn Close, Dermot Mulroney, Patricia Clarkson, Mary Kay Place and others. But with those actors, and all of their "children" in the story, it made my brain hurt to try and keep track of everybody and what connection one person had to the other. I had really wished that the movie had fewer characters, thus allowing the best stories to be expanded upon rather than trying to do it all. I prefer movies that truly absorb me, where I root for a character or at very least, want to see what happens to them. There was just so much going on here that I cared for a second here and a second there. The appreciation of films is very subjective. I have really liked many films that have had many characters because they were so well done that everything came together. When this film ended, I still wasn't clear on much. Maybe that's just my tired brain. The film had some thought-provoking stories and wasn't close to what I'd classify as a bad film. It just wasn't something I could appreciate as much as I'm sure others have.

This 2001 indie film starts with the premise of characters and stories that are supposed to intertwine with each other. This is something similar to Magnolia and more recently Crash. However this does not play out quite as well. The acting is first and foremost the best thing about this film. Three excellent actresses in Mary Kay Place, Glenn Close,and especially Patricia Clarkson make the film better than it ought to be. Dermont Mulroney also does a good job.If only the writing and pace of the film was better. This film meanders and uses flashbacks throughout without finding its footing. It never quite captures the audience or even gives a firm resolution the questions the film raises. Its somewhat interesting and therefore I would recommend it to rent simply for the acting turned in by the cast.Grade:C+