MEADOWLAND Hits Close to the Heart!

Sarah (Olivia Wilde) and husband Philip (Luke Wilson) are with their young son Jesse on a drive. Stopping to get goodies, it takes a moment before their son is missing from the bathroom. Philip goes back to being a New York City policeman and Sarah continues teaching. Philip’s brother Tim (Giovanni Ribisi) has become a part time roommate as well.

Sarah finds comfort keeping her eyes on Adam (Ty Simpkins), a young boy who clearly has a disability and parents who shows no sign of being parental. Philip finds it by attending a group and talking about his son with others.

That is on the outside, on the inside they are both fighting a battle of grief that no one can possible understand. Sarah tries to feel again by pushing the boundaries of danger to herself and Philip pushes his limits of being a police officer.

Wilde as Sarah gives a performance that is filled with hurt, sadness and a rage fueled by everything around her. Trying to find something, anything that connects her to the world only brings her closer to self destruction on so many levels. Wilde brings is full circle brilliantly.

Wilson as Philip is a man who just wants the truth about his son. More realistic than his wife about the outcome of their sons’ disappearance, he has moments of panic and pain that are all over his face. Watching Wilson’s character take on his friends, family and even a road side altar is heartbreaking to watch.

Ribisi as Tim is a brother who wants to ease the pain but doesn’t really know how admitting he isn’t much more emotionally stable than they are.

Simpkins as Adam portrays a young man who wants to fit in but he sees the world differently. This is a difficult role for any young actor to play and Simpkins is charming. He is an unwitting player in Sarah’s pain.

Other cast includes: Kevin Corrigan as Joe, Merrit Wever as Kelly, Elisabeth Moss as Shannon, Juno Temple as Mackenzie, Nick Sandow as Garza and John Leguizamo as Pete.

TUBS OF POPCORN: I give MEADOWLAND three and a half tubs of popcorn out of five. Both Wilde and Wilson give stunning performances of parents who are drowning. Each stumbling through their emotions, it is a tragedy in itself that they can’t bring themselves together.

Every time the police call them in to look at photos etc. it is just gut wrenching wondering will this be the time the couple can either celebrate or move on with grieving. With each visit it pushes the couple both a little further into a dark place – especially for Sarah.

Director Morano brings the films final scene together between Wilde and Wilson without a word needing to be said. The echo of Adam’s voice is a reminder that it only takes a moment to never hear the voice of your child again. Every emotion is jumbled up and thrown out on the table in this film.

In the end – what if you had nothing left to lose but your mind?