The Secret Lives of Dentists (2002)

User Rating:

6.6/10   

Director:

Alan Rudolph

Writers (WGA):

Jane Smiley (novel)
Craig Lucas (screenplay)

Release Date:

22 July 2004 (Argentina)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

An introspective dentist's suspicions about his wife's infidelity stresses his mental well being and family life to the breaking point.

Plot Keywords:

Dentist | Opera | Flu | Infidelity | Alter Ego

Awards:

3 wins & 3 nominations

Cast

Campbell Scott	...	David Hurst
Denis Leary	...	Slater
Robin Tunney	...	Laura
Peter Samuel	...	Larry
Hope Davis	...	Dana Hurst
Jon Patrick Walker	...	Mark
Gianna Beleno	...	Lizzie Hurst
Lydia Jordan	...	Stephanie Hurst
Cassidy Hinkle	...	Leah Hurst
Adele D'Man	...	Carol
Kathleen Kinhan	...	Virgin
Sara Lerch	...	Virgin
Lori Mirabal	...	Virgin
Mark Ethan	...	Conductor
Flora Martínez	...	Female Patient (as Flora Martinez)

MPAA:

Rated R for sexuality and language.

Runtime:

104 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Australia:M | Singapore:M18 | USA:R | Argentina:16 | Chile:14 | Brazil:14 | Canada:14A | UK:15

Filming Locations:

Westchester County, New York, USA

Company:

Holedigger Films

Goofs:

Continuity: The headboard in the bedroom appears and disappears between scenes

Quotes:

Slater: These children are monsters, they should be struck... can I hit them?
David Hurst: No.

Movie Connections:

References The Boys from Brazil (1978)

Soundtrack:

This Is the Night

About as much fun as a root canal

Ugh! Where to begin ... first, Campbell Scott's non-stop angst becomes a real turn-off after awhile (a very short while) as he internalizes his mounting anguish, curiosity and anger. Only we don't care! These characters as presented by the writer and director are wholly unlikable, and therein lies the key. They haven't given us anything to make us care if they are adulterous and whether or not they are still in love with one another. When Scott quietly tells his wife, "I could kill you" before their three daughters at the dinner table, after the shock of his selfishly poor timing wore off I almost wished that he had--and then done the same thing to the smug, wisecracking apparition of Denis Leary before being hauled off the the looney bin. An utter waste of time and perhaps--only perhaps--resources.