Plot
New Jersey police lieutenant, Laurel Hester, and her registered domestic partner, Stacie Andree, both battle to secure Hester's pension benefits when she is diagnosed with terminal cancer.
Release Year: 2015
Rating: 6.0/10 (214 voted)
Critic's Score: 39/100
Director: Peter Sollett
Stars: Julianne Moore, Ellen Page, Steve Carell
Storyline
New Jersey police lieutenant, Laurel Hester, and her registered domestic partner, Stacie Andree, both battle to secure Hester's pension benefits when she is diagnosed with terminal cancer.
Cast: Ellen Page -
Stacie Andree
Steve Carell -
Steven Goldstein
Julianne Moore -
Laurel Hester
Michael Shannon -
Dane Wells
Josh Charles -
Bryan Kelder
Luke Grimes -
Todd Belkin
Mary Birdsong -
Carol Andree
Dennis Boutsikaris -
Pat Gerry
Stink Fisher -
Jake
Skipp Sudduth -
Reynolds
Gabriel Luna -
Quesada
Tom McGowan -
Bill Johnson
Jeannine Kaspar -
Margaret
Suzanne Savoy -
Town Clerk
Mina Sundwall -
Maya Kelder
Filming Locations: Town of North Hempstead, Town Hall, 220 Plandome Road, Manhasset, New York, USA
Technical Specs
Runtime:
Did You Know?
Trivia:
Reunites Julianne Moore and Steve Carell after their appearance in Crazy, Stupid, Love. (2011). See more »
Quotes:
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User Review
Author:
Rating: 4/10
In a time when our nation is going through some the most progressive
and long overdue changes in history, a film as timely as "Freeheld"
would be welcomed with open arms and minds from critics and audiences.
Unfortunately, what director Peter Sollett creates, in partnership with
Academy Award nominated screenwriter Ron Nyswaner, is an uninspired,
insipid, and downright cheap take on a same-sex couple fighting for
death benefits.
Starring recently Oscar-crowned Julianne Moore and Ellen Page, the two
manage decent chemistry and maneuver through generic and Lifetime
movie-like lines. The impressive Michael Shannon does his very best to
elevate all the material, showing the if you're talented enough, no
script can hold you back. On the hand, the rest of the cast,
particularly Steve Carell, is so over-the-top, and poorly guided, that
everything that could have made "Freeheld" a spectacular and moving
drama, is quickly transformed into a distorted and tragic version of
the Oscar-winning short that the film is based on. The most novice
filmmakers could have created something more gratifying.
"Freeheld" tells the story of New Jersey police lieutenant, Laurel
Hester (Moore), and her registered domestic partner, Stacie Andree
(Page). When Laurel is diagnosed with terminal cancer, both battle to
secure Hester's pension benefits.
After just winning her long overdue Academy Award for last year's
"Still Alice," the excitement and anticipation for Julianne Moore's
next role was at an all-time high. Moore, as we come to expect, commits
firmly to the role of a dying woman. Reminiscent of performances like
Hilary Swank in "Million Dollar Baby," Moore dives into her psyche,
offering her soul to a woman who lived her life with secrets, and
became alive in her later years. While Nyswaner's script offers little
insight into Laurel and Stacie's love, outside of montages and cancer
treatments, Moore finds her way through the pitfalls to come out on the
other side intact. Page, who was a strong voice in getting the picture
made, is relegated to crying and awkward ticks. Several instances, we
are led to believe that "this scene" will be "her scene" where she gets
the chance to let loose and show us what she's all about. Once again,
Sollett's plain and boring direction quickly cut her every scene short,
and offer no room to explore her character's surroundings and feelings.
It's a terrible waste of talent.
Michael Shannon delivers a competent and layered performance as Dane,
Laurel's cop partner. He finds the humanity and conflict in Dane's
misunderstanding about Laurel's lifestyle and later in the fight for
equality. He's the film's key positive note. Carell's over-the-top
yelling and mannerisms is among the worst acting examples seen in 2015.
It's as if Sollett decided to let "Michael Scott" from "The Office" run
amok on the set because that's all that Carell manages to evoke. One
year after a career-topping work in "Foxcatcher," I'm embarrassed that
this is his next venture for the world to behold.
Even down to the cheesy score by Hans Zimmer, nothing about "Freeheld"
sings. It lays dormant in a small courtroom, where anger and
inspiration are supposed to fly but lies lifeless among the picket
signs and Josh Charles' snarls. I was sincerely hoping for something
better, actually something magnificent; too bad there's not enough
vision to bring this powerful story to life.
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