Wakefield

Name: Wakefield
Item: Wakefield
Rating: 4
Author: S. Jhoanna Robledo

Movie review by

S. Jhoanna Robledo, Common Sense Media

Common Sense says

age 15+

(i)

Bitter husband checks out in fascinating, intense drama.

R
2017
109 minutes

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age 18+

Based on 1 review

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Wakefield

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A lot or a little?

The parents' guide to what's in this movie.

Positive Messages

After walking away from his life, Howard gradually comes to some realizations about himself (but it's not totally clear whether he also manages to dispel some of the delusions that let him think of himself as the victim in his struggling marriage).

Positive Role Models & Representations

It's hard to see much positive behavior in this portrait of a man who decides to abandon his family out of spite and revels in watching his wife and daughters deal with his mysterious absence. Cast isn't particularly diverse.

Violence

Bickering between a husband and a wife. In one scene, two men argue in a bar; one decks the other with a punch to the face. Another sequence shows scavengers getting into a brawl over trash.

Sex

No graphic/sensitive nudity, but many scenes show a couple kissing, embracing, and having sex. Sometimes the encounters are tender, and sometimes they're far more passionate. Other scenes show a man spying on a woman through her window at night as she changes; she's often seen in her underwear.

Language

Language isn't constant but includes "f--k," "s--t," "ass," "d--khead," and "douchebag."

Consumerism

The wealthy characters have iPhones, fancy cars (Mercedes, Porsche, Range Rover, Lexus), and high-end clothes, including suits by Joseph Aboud. Also lots of Ben & Jerry's ice cream.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

Occasional drinking, including wine, champagne, and scotch.

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that Wakefield is an intense drama about a man having a midlife crisis who checks out of his life and spends months hiding above his garage while watching his wife and daughters deal with his unexplained absence. Expect occasional swearing (including "s--t" and "f--k") and a little bit of drinking, as well as a couple of fights/altercations and several scenes that show the main character (played by Bryan Cranston) and his wife embracing and having sex. There's no graphic nudity, but some of the sequences can get pretty racy. With its themes of marriage and self-reflection, the movie isn't likely to appeal to younger viewers.

User Reviews

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Adult Written bymarty G. November 29, 2017

age 18+

What's it all about ?

Something there for everyone, but what you take away from this may vary from person to person , I found it very intense and sad and uplifting as well.

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What's the story?

Coming home from work one night, Howard WAKEFIELD (Bryan Cranston) simply decides not to. He skips walking through the door of his house (and into his family's arms) and hides out in the storage room above the garage. In other words, he checks out of living his life and instead observes it. For days, then weeks, then months, Howard watches his wife, Diana (Jennifer Garner), and twin teen daughters try to go on with their lives, with a suddenly absent husband and father. As he watches, Wakefield reveals through a series of lengthy monologues the roots of his anger. Eventually he comes to realize that these epic issues may not be as significant as he thought. Or does he?

Is it any good?

This drama is disturbing, thought-provoking, and imperfect; it's good for you but also feels disingenuous. The questions it presents -- what is the place of resentment in a marriage? what is one owed, if anything, in a long-term relationship and a family? -- are urgent, interesting, and relatable. Cranston is undoubtedly the powerhouse behind Wakefield. The film is an examination of Howard's life as a husband and father, but that examination is conducted by Howard himself, which reveals more about how his mind and emotions work than the actual truth. (Though she spends considerably less time being heard, Garner is an able partner to Cranston's masterful turn.)

Despite its strengths, there's something claustrophobic about the movie, devoted as it is to sticking to Howard's version of his life. It also requires a lot of suspension of disbelief: Could a family really never have thought to look in the attic of the garage right across the street? What about the cops? And though Howard's voiceover does reveal his own blind spots, the movie's final moments end Wakefield on a maddeningly vague note.

Talk to your kids about ...

Families can talk about how Wakefield portrays Howard's life and marriage. Why is he so angry with his family? Do you think his concerns are justified, or is he making them seem bigger than they really are?
Are any of the characters role models? Why or why not?
Is Howard a reliable narrator? We see his wife throughout the film, but we don't really learn how she's doing. How do you think she responds to his absence?
How does the film contrast what we hear in the voiceover with what we see -- and assume is reality? What does this say about how conflicts can have many different versions?