The Ballad of Jack and Rose

Infobox Film
name = The Ballad of Jack and Rose


caption = Theatrical release poster
director = Rebecca Miller
producer = Caroline Kaplan
Graham King
Lemore Syvan
Melissa Marr
Ethan Smith
writer = Rebecca Miller
starring = Daniel Day-Lewis
Camilla Belle
music = Michael Rohatyn
cinematography = Ellen Kuras
editing = Sabine Hoffman
distributor = IFC Films
released = January 23, 2005 (Sundance)
March 11, 2005
runtime = 112 min.
country = flagicon|USA
language = English
budget = $1.5 million
gross = $712,294
website = http://www.ifcfilms.com/ballad
imdb_id = 0357110

"The Ballad of Jack and Rose" is a 2005 drama film written and directed by Rebecca Miller, and starring her real-life husband Daniel Day-Lewis. It was filmed on Prince Edward Island, Canada and in New Milford, Connecticut.

Plot

Jack Slavin (Daniel Day-Lewis), an aging Scotsman with a heart condition, lives alone with his teenage daughter, Rose (Camilla Belle), on a small island in the remains of what was once a thriving hippie commune. Rose has been home schooled since the age of 11. Rose adores her father and is content with their simple existence, but Jack begins to suspect that her intense feelings for him are more than a daughter's love for her father. In an attempt to end her isolation, Jack persuades his girlfriend, Kathleen (Catherine Keener), and her two sons to move in with them.

Rose is displeased with this new "experiment" and sees Kathleen as an intruder. She attempts to rebel against Jack and Kathleen in a variety of increasingly disturbing ways: she has her hair cut short, fires a loaded gun into Jack and Kathleen's bedroom, and captures a copperhead snake to scare Kathleen. Finally, she has a sexual encounter and loses her virginity to Kathleen's younger son Thaddius (Paul Dano), and flaunts the evidence in front of Jack. Despite this behavior, however, Rose forms a genuine connection with Rodney (Ryan McDonald), Kathleen's sensitive, overweight son.

As Jack's health declines, he becomes more aware of how he has "failed" to prepare Rose for a future without him, and is forced to face his complicated feelings for his own daughter. When a fight over Rose breaks out between Jack and Thaddius, Rose pushes Thaddius out of a window, severely injuring him; with that, Kathleen's relationship with Jack ends and her family moves out, but not before Jack agrees to back Kathleen a "severance" of $20,000. Jack and Rose are alone again for the final days of Jack's life. While lying beside each other, Jack and Rose share an incestuous kiss, that is ambiguously portrayed as either reality or Jack's "nightmare". Jack pulls away, asking both her and God to forgive him, but Rose sees nothing shameful in their feelings. After his death, Rose sets fire to their house, intending to die as well, but remembers her promise to "live" for Jack and escapes by boat. Rose then leaves the island and moves to a commune in Vermont to continue in the lifestyle taught by her father.

Cast

*Daniel Day-Lewis as Jack Slavin
*Camilla Belle as Rose Slavin
*Catherine Keener as Kathleen
*Ryan McDonald as Rodney
*Paul Dano as Thaddius
*Jason Lee as Gray
*Jena Malone as Red Berry
*Beau Bridges as Marty Rance
*Susanna Thompson as Miriam Rance

Box Office

The film was released on March 23, 2005, grossing $59,459 in its opening weekend, in 4 theaters. The highest position it reached was during its second week of release, grossing $135,100, and the lowest position it reached was at its last week of release, grossing $406. Its widest release was 74 theaters. The film grossed $712,275 domestically and just $916,051 worldwide.

DVD

The film was released on DVD on August 16, 2005. The DVD contained commentary with director and writer Rebecca Miller and the making of "The Ballad of Jack and Rose".

External links

* [http://www.ifcfilms.com/viewFilm.htm?filmId=65 Official site]
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* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i-C3PGPDF2g Full "Charlie Rose" clip]