Safe Passage *** (1994, Susan Sarandon, Sam Shepard, Nick Stahl, Sean Astin, Robert Sean Leonard, Marcia Gay Harden, Jason London) – Classic Movie Review 2881

Director Robert Allan Ackerman’s very typically American 1994 rites-of-passage movie is sentimental, often satisfying and ultimately warm and cosy, like a log fire in winter.

After playing the matriarch Mrs March in the 1994 Little Women, Susan Sarandon again commands the screen as a mother [Mag Singer], this time of seven lads, one of whom is in the marines and may have been killed in an explosion. The entire brood gathers to examine their lives while they’re waiting for the news.

Sam Shepard also stars as Sarandon’s grumpy estranged husband of 25 years, who is having (possibly metaphorical) blind spells, though veterinarian son Izzy (Sean Astin) thinks they may be allergies. The apparently fireless son Alfred (Robert Sean Leonard) turns up with older woman Cynthia (Marcia Gay Harden), whom he wants to marry. The anguished Gideon (Jason London) arrives from college, full of pain that he’s beaten his brother in a college running race and set him off into the marines.

Appealingly written by Geena Goldstone from a novel by Ellyn Bache, the film emerges as a series of moments and (often two-handed) conversations that works smoothly, and is often very affecting. The male cast, also including Nick Stahl as son Simon, Matt Keeslar as son Percival, Jeffrey DeMunn and Philip Bosco, is outstanding and Harden is good. But it’s Sarandon’s film and she gives it her unfailing all, showing warm rapport with all her co-stars.

This is a good-hearted, well meaning, literate film, especially welcome when these are in short supply.

Astin replaced the late River Phoenix as Izzy. Leonard replaced Stephen Dorff as Alfred Singer.

The release was held up by a court injunction by Dan Lupowitz, who sought an executive producer credit, having brought the director and star to the project.

© Derek Winnert 2015 Classic Movie Review 2881

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