Waking The Dead Movie
Storyline
TAGLINES
Sometimes love has a life of its own.
Fielding Pierce lives the life of an aspiring politician - in 1972 he's serving in the Coast Guard (trying to avoid Vietnam in the most honorable way), and by 1973 he has entered law school. Along the way he falls in love with Sarah, a fiercely idealistic woman who devotes her life to helping others - unfortunately she's killed in an explosion while assisting members of the Chilean resistance. Nine years later, in the middle of a congressional election, Fielding is suddenly flooded with thoughts and visions of his lost love.
| Billy Crudup | Fielding Pierce |
| Jennifer Connelly | Sarah Williams |
| Molly Parker | Juliet Beck |
| Janet McTeer | Caroline Pierce |
| Paul Hipp | Danny Pierce |
| Sandra Oh | Kim |
| Hal Holbrook | Isaac Green |
| Nelson Landrieu | Francisco Higgens |
| Ivonne Coll | Gisela Higgens |
| Lawrence Dane | Governor Kinosis |
| Ed Harris | Jerry Charmichael |
| Larry Marshall | Angelo Bertelli |
| Stanley Anderson | Fielding's Father |
| Patricia Gage | Fielding's Mother |
| John Carroll Lynch | Father Mileski |
| Keith Gordon |
6.60 out of 10 (3041 votes)
Visitor Reviews
Outstanding film.
posted on 09 Aug 2009I recently saw Waking the Dead and loved it. It´s a great film.Billy Crudup and Jennifer Connelly were terrific.
I don´t usually see this type of movies, I´m more of an action movie person, but this one has something that you just can´t stop watching it. It captivates from beginning to end.
A gem worth looking for.
posted on 09 Aug 2009Until today(2/27/2002) I thought this title was a Nic Cage film. I got the DVD because of the director and cast--Keith Gordon, Billy Crudup, Jennifer Connely, Janet McTeer,Hal Holbrook et al. The "selling"points promoting the love story-the politician-the implications of sweet elements and all were so misleading. The film uses the Scott Spencer novel as a base and from the opening extreme close-up of the main character watching the news of his beloved's death on television throughout the unfolding, multi-layered, textured, superbly wrought construction this film deals with broad, deep, and more emotional realities of American life and values.The acting is stellar throughout-the direction affords concise clarity and charm that brought the story home brilliantly. This is a little unknown gem of a film. Within the DVD is also buried more information of the makers and the making of a film than anything short of a production course could offer.Do strive to see this one.
Beautifully acted but ultimately dull and disappointing.
posted on 05 Aug 2009While beautifully acted and directed, this movie is ultimately dull and preachy. The premise is interesting but the screenplay doesn't live up to its subject matter. There's a real chemistry between leads Billy Crudup, who plays the politically aspiring Fielding Pierce, and Jennifer Connelly, who plays his politically radical girlfriend Sarah Williams, but their dialogue is so pat and forced, even they have a hard time rising above it. In fact all of the political musings, and there are many, are pedagogical and out of place in what could have been a Sixth Sense-ish moving and haunting love story. In addition, all of the other characters around the couple are complete cliches; especially Fielding's pushy, obnoxious and unsympathetic family. The ambiguous ending is a disappointing cop out. Almost worth it for the outstanding and very emotional performances, especially of handsome Crudup, but wait for the video.
One Of The Better Pictures of 2000.
posted on 22 Jul 2009Fielding Pierce (Billy Crudup) has dedicated his life to public service; his biggest problem is the lingering memory of Sarah Williams (Jennifer Connelly), the great love of his life, who died in a car bombing in the seventies. It is his memories of Sarah that cause him emotional torment that proves next to impossible to endure.Moving back and forth in time between the early & mid-1970's and the early 1980's, this nicely handled movie has its share of boring stretches but it is so heartbreakingly emotional that I ended up liking it. Best of all are the impassioned performances of leads Crudup and Connelly, who both get quite a showcase. (This was easily Connelly's best pre-"A Beautiful Mind" role.) The supporting actors are good, but their roles are mostly small ones. I do wish that Sandra Oh could have had more to do - playing Kim, the girlfriend of Fielding's brother Danny (Paul Hipp), she has no more than a couple of lines. Then again, I know her character isn't integral to the main plotline. Too bad.Overall, a good job. I think I'll give this one eight out of ten.
'I can only say, keep fighting. God be with you. I love you.'
posted on 19 Apr 20091982; Fielding Pierce (Billy Crudup, 'Big Fish') is a young man who is striving to become a Senator, but he begins seeing and hearing the love of his life, Sarah Williams (Jennifer Connelly, 'A Beautiful Mind'), who died in 1974 in a terrorist bombing, along with two Chilean political refugees... or did she? Fielding begins to relive his love story with her (which we see in flashbacks) and at the same time wonders if it had been right to sacrifice a part of himself, of his idealism, his hopes, his dreams, to reach his goal...It's never clear if Sarah is actually alive or if she only 'lives inside him', as one Priest states, though the woman tends to act as a personification of Fielding's conscience, and this makes the film even more precious, the haunting tale of a love that goes beyond death, and of the courage it can give to a man.I have had the pleasure of buying it on VHS, since it never opened in theaters where I live, and seeing the church/politics conflict in it I can probably understand why (not that I have to like it, though), and I really loved it. In the hands of a lesser director and cast, it could have become a 'chick flick' (sparkling bright example of this is 'You've Got Mail'), but with Keith Gordon ('A Midnight Clear', 'Mother Night') at the helm and the aforementioned Crudup (especially him, because he carries the whole movie) and Connelly (who manages to be an ethereal beauty without glamorizing Sarah in any way), with also the sparkling Sandra Oh (who sadly has way too few screen time) in a small supporting role, this movie manages to cross borders and tell an enrapturing tale, and put hope in the people who see it.
The best chemistry since Love Story
posted on 26 Mar 2009It took me about an hour after watching this movie to realize how much I liked it. I was at first unsatisfied with the abrupt ending but after some pondering I realized what a unique and beautiful story it truly was. Unusually, you get to see a true love affair through the eyes of a man and it is just as touching and emotional. The realistic sex scenes and arguments between Billy Crudup and Jennifer Connelly make it easy to forget that you are watching fictional characters. The acting and direction of this movie are superb. I would like to see Billy Crudup get an oscar nomination next year. His is the finest performance I have seen in a while.
Truly awful, absolutely ghastly
posted on 23 Jan 2009Crudup proves again he cannot act, and Connelley's once-legendary beauty continues its rapid decline with this turgid melodrama.And make no mistake, this is a CHICK FLICK, so men everywhere should beware!Crudup is an aspiring politician who loses his one great love in a terrible accident and then imagines he sees her everywhere as he comes completely unglued during a stressful senatorial campaign.
She may or may not be a ghost but believe me when I tell you, this is no GHOST.
Crudup has a dinner table scene near the end where he gets to show some emotion.
Beyond that, there is nothing here.
Politics Vs. Activism
posted on 04 Nov 2008You'll have to choose sides in 'Waking The Dead'. Are you going to be an obedient politician or a liberal activist? Those opposing viewpoints cause a tug-of-war, with eternal love playing the ever-tightening knot in the middle. Billy Crudup and Jennifer Connelly are Fielding and Sarah; he the idealistic politician and she the faithful revolutionary. We know from the start that she dies via car bomb while raging against the machine. The movie's chronology is all over the place (which is occasionally confusing) and we see them when they're blissfully happy and otherwise. But after she's gone, the upstanding young man fears for his marbles after he starts to see & hear his dead lover everywhere. Is she actually alive or is he just too insane for public office?Seeing ghosts is tricky. It can turn into unintentional humour without the proper direction. Director Keith Gordon doesn't pull it off as well as he should, but at least the heat between them seems real. Crudup and Connelly make a great romantic match. She's sandpaper to his block of wood, but she's also his conscience. The phrase "Jiminy Cricket" is actually used, and he succeeds politically only as he's failing emotionally. He clearly needs her whispering in his ear, even if he wouldn't agree with what she would have to say. It's clear that she wouldn't approve of what he's become and he knows it. So I guess that makes her the ghost of Jiminy Cricket too.The movie would be a turd without strong performances. While no one in the supporting cast has lingered in my memory, the talented leads have. They're both good in almost everything they do, so I expected them to be an excellent duo here too. Connelly has since won an Oscar and Crudup probably will too. Some of Gordon's directorial choices undercut what his actors are doing. His style of editing and use of too many arty shots don't work. When the actors are already front row centre, the director should get out of their way.What grabbed me about 'Waking The Dead' was that both Fielding and Sarah are trying to make the world a better giant rock. She's counterculture and he's as mainstream as it gets. Since the story boils down to politics versus religion, it's no wonder the film didn't find an audience. Most people have opinions on those matters, yet political correctness demands you not share them. But you ARE allowed to discuss love. The movie knows how to get that right...the ache, the irritation, the yearning, and the loss of true love.
Will haunt your heart
posted on 07 Oct 2008Although I have only watched this film twice, once when it came out and just recently(2 days ago) I cannot help but consider it as one of my favorites. I must admit I am a sucker for small movies, because they really bring out the best in the makers and performers.Waking the Dead is a tale of the spirit, hidden behind the issues of politics and love. The story takes place in the early 70' and early 80's jumping into flashbacks throughout the film.Fielding(Crudup)is an ambitious young man destined to be on the top America's political system. His view on life is that to change a system you first have to get in, risking becoming part of it. He falls in love with Sarah(Connelly)who is a radical activist, believing that the system must be changed from outside, not within. They seem to be a couple who, despite their difference of opinion, are madly in love with each other. Two years later she dies in a car explosion and he continues his career up the political ladder.Ten years later, about to jump into the senatorial elections, Fielding finds himself feeling that Sarah might be alive, but is she really? Or is it a product of his heart?The movie point is taking you through a journey of a man's soul, a person who wants to change the world he live in, to do good, to help. After Sarah's death he becomes cold, ambitious, merciless, becoming just like the system he once wanted to change. Sarah's presence in his life was the light of his life, his fighting spirit, and when she died, it died with her. Now that he senses her, or thinks he does, will that re-kindle his old ambitions, his hope of actually doing good and helping people?Waking the dead has left me with a haunted feeling for days after each viewing. Crudup and Connelly have great chemistry together. The emptiness and painful which he lives during the 80's is well portrayed by the music and atmosphere which Gordon creates.He also masters the difficult and tricky art of using flashbacks. In a high standard of filmmaking I give this movie a 10(out of 10).
Best film i've ever seen
posted on 17 Jun 2008The film tells the story of Fielding Pearce as he is plagued by memories of his former girlfriend, Sarah Williams, who died 10 years ago. This forces Fielding to self destruct while running for political office in New York. Billy Crudup is fascinating to watch in the lead role of Fielding. In the opening scene we see his reaction to the death of his girlfriend and the pain is right there in his eyes, nothings hidden, it's just a raw reaction to the worst moment in the characters life. The chemistry between Crudup and the equally talented Jennifer Connelly, who plays Sarah is tangible. They ARE a couple, these 2 actors appear so comfortable with each other you totally believe in the relationship. I first watched "Waking the dead" about 4 years ago, and it left me stunned that a film with such emotional depth and superb performances went unnoticed (atleast in the UK),I was a film student at the time and not even my class mates had heard of it! But they had heard of junk like the "Planet of the apes" remake! I love this film so much and its as close to perfect as can be...Keith Gordon is one of the most underrated directors working (watch "A midnight clear" for further proof)...Billy Crudup should be in way more movies...Everyone should watch "Waking the dead" as soon as they can.
Sarah Willians effect
posted on 12 May 2008Maybe a movie that really touch my taciturn and melancholic emotions.A movie with a single lightness and full of allusions to our deepest desires of loving somebody unconditionally.At the same time this work shows the impossibility to annul ourselves or to annul the "other"in a affection relationship.Sarah Willians; character of Jenifer Conelly; is attired with an almost mystic aura.Your silhouette of sweet little girl , your simple beauty in the middle of a Gothic fog, is the great piece that feed this movie, that is just a very common story, about two common people.I confess that t I din't know her(Jenifer Connelly) before to watch this movie. The sadness, the sensibility and the force that her face shows us,framed by your black hairs, burned in a misty and cold Chicago. The shock of Sarah Willians caused in me is inexplicable.The great merit of the director Keith Gordon(besides this amazing character)was trying to demystify, even of a soft way, the romantic love, that accepted only the unconditional pleasure between two people.Sarah Willians and Filding pierce,were not what we could say "twin souls" . She is an activist that wanted saving the world as a Che Guevara. He is a politician with a brilliant career.They find in one another the anguish not found in the fairy tales.From the madness of Pierce, Keith Gordon paint your board. Gordon explores the inner fragility of Peirce by his paranoid. He see Sarah in every woman and children, paranoid that keep on insoluble till the end.
Surprisingly powerful film
posted on 16 Apr 2008Subtle acting and lots of talking tells the story of a love that will not die, our hero and heroine are star-crossed but that in many ways is what fuels their passion.Despite the constant casting as the "Hot Babe" Jennifer really brings emotions to the surface, this could be a break out role for her if enough people see the movie.A good movie is one where you understand everyone's motivations even when it causes them pain you know why they do what they do, and this is an extreme example. A character study that focuses on the drives of these individuals in a touching romantic story of how one really makes a difference in this lifetime, "...crawling toward paradise"
Constantly think about this.
posted on 22 Feb 2008I haven't seen this movie in years but I often think about it. I'm not sure why exactly, but something about it really stuck with me. The performances are fantastic and it is no wonder Jennifer Connelly won an Oscar years later and Billy Crudup is a well respected actor. This isn't a perfect film by any means (a little slow in places) but it is very clever and well done by everyone involved. If you are a serious film buff watch this film, if you like crap like the re-makes "Prom Night" & "One Missed Call" then you should skip this, because you won't know how to appreciate it. Give this a try otherwise and help it open your mind for some of the imaginative people that do exist out there.
The last scene makes me feel more alive.
posted on 24 Dec 2007The last scene makes me feel more alive. The story about politics is just a glue to fill the main part - their relationship. There are strong, pure emotions between them and Keith Gordon slowly leads us to feel their love more and more. Shifting from presence to past and backwards gives us comparison between the rational and successful presence, with shallow emotions and past in which Fielding was swimming in deep emotions and where he hadn't achieved his goal yet. This comparison emphasizes our experience of their love. Uncertainty about Sarah's death creates hope which is not so real, and sadness caused by the lack of hope. Expectation and sadness prepare foundation for the end of the movie. Their conversation in the end puts the question: Did Death decide or Sarah about their relationship? Death leaves us with no choice, which is sad. If Sarah decided to break their love it shows the strength of the emotions they had since being virtually dead is the only way to break off. In the last sentences we see feelings Fielding kept inside, and I'll finish my comment with the quote:"And to this day, I still don't know if Sarah was real that night or just the product of my broken heart. But, Sarah, if you are alive and it was you that night, here for one last moment of sweetness before going back out to try to make things better in the world, I can only say keep fighting. God be with you. I love you. And if it wasn't really you, if my visit was only the you that still lives in my heart, the you that never gave up, that taught me what being brave was all about, if it was only the you that I will carry with me in my soul until the day I die, I can only say…keep fighting. And God be with you. I love you."
Ultimately a disappointing story.
posted on 22 Nov 2007This film, a combination of a love story and a ghost story, had
potential that was never quite realized. The plot involves a congressional candidate who begins to be haunted by his old
girlfriend who had died tragically 10 years earlier. Without giving away the ending, I will say that I felt the resolution of the "is she or isn't she haunting him, or is he just plain crazy?" question was ultimately unsatisfying. The acting by
Billy Crudup and Jennifer Connelly was adequate, but we never quite believe they would have been together in the first
Waking the Dead- Kept me awake!
posted on 15 Oct 2007I very much enjoyed this movie. This is one of the few movies that you can actually see the chemistry develop between the two main characters. They were both passionate people, even if some of their passion was a bit different.I kept thinking was Sarah really there at the end or was it just Fielding's imagination. I think that she probably wasn't there, but then he did answer the phone and it was her. Then we see Fielding running after her in the snow. Although in the beginning we see sarah's face as the person who was killed in the bombing. Does anyone know for sure if she was really dead or was alive at the end? Jon Black
Not Political. Not Supernatural. Not Love. Just Lousy.
posted on 17 Sep 2007As you watch "Waking the Dead", you can tell that it is based on a novel.
There are many HINTS of a well developed love/supernatural story that includes the political movement in the early 1970's, the greed of the early 1980's, the heartfelt desire by Connelly's character to help improve the world, the heartfelt desire by Crudup's character to help improve America.But that is all you get... hints. The movie tries to cram too much into 105 minutes, and ends up giving us nothing. You never come to truly feel the passion of the characters for each other nor for their causes. The acting, the editing, and the too-loud background music leave much to be desired.I have not read the book, but the hints of a deeper story makes me think that this might have done better as a slightly longer 2-part TV movie. Any time you do NOT read the original book, but are still left thinking "the book was better", then you know that the film has really missed its mark.
Worth seeing twice
posted on 27 Aug 2009There is some great writing in this movie, and you'll want to watch it again in case you missed something. I had no idea who Billy Crudup (other than his memorable last name) was before this film. This boy can act. The story is a little idealistic, but not unrealistic: a young Coast Guard officer, politician-wanna-be, meets a poor-person's advocate, a left-wing activist type woman and she captivates him. Against her wishes, he goes on military patrol; against his wishes, she goes to Chile to rescue revolutionaries from the right wing government. She is apparently killed in a car bomb...or is she? Years later, as he is pulled somewhat reluctantly and mindlessly through a candidacy for (state?) senator by a Democratic election machine, his memory of her gets stronger and stronger until he begins to see her again. She even calls him. Is he hallucinating because he feels guilty that he's not standing up for those beliefs she had that he loved her for?This is a Jodie Foster executive production and I want to thank her for funding it. This movie reminds us that we weren't always so jaded.