Domestic Disturbance (2001) is a thriller movie, directed by Harold Becker and starring John Travolta, Vince Vaughn, Teri Polo, Matt O'Leary and Steve Buscemi.
Tagline: He will do anything to protect his family.
Plot
Susan Morrison (Teri Polo) is getting married to wealthy industrialist Rick Barnes (Vince Vaughn). Danny (Matt O'Leary), her teenage son with husband Frank Morrison (John Travolta), isn't happy about this; he stows away in Rick's Chevy Suburban one evening, planning to go to his Dad's House. But while there, he witnesses Rick murdering mysterious stranger Ray Coleman (Steve Buscemi). Rick, however, has managed to dispose of most of the evidence, and is considered a pillar of the community, while Danny has a history of lying. Frank believes him, though (Danny's never lied to him), and does some investigating of his own, as Rick's shady past slowly catches up to him and his new family. Ultimately Frank learns the truth: Rick's real name is Jack Parnell and he's a criminal who was acquitted while his partners, which included Ray were found guilty. Rick tries to kill Frank by setting his boathouse on fire but Frank manages to escape into the water. Susan realizes the truth when she sees Rick's burned arm (he burned it lighting the fire) after finding out about the fire at Frank's. She tries to escape with Danny but Rick knocks her out and takes Danny as a hostage. Frank arrives and fights Rick as he tries to escape. Admist the fight, Rick is killed when a tied-up Danny pushes Rick (who is fighting Frank with a crowbar) into an open fuse box, electrocuting him. Susan ends up being okay but it is indicated that she lost her baby (she ended up getting pregnant by Rick).
Reception
The film was received poorly by critics, and was only moderately more successful at the box office. Roger Ebert awarded it a meager one-and-a-half stars (out of a possible four) [2], reciting an ancedote about how the Chicago film critics had been shown the wrong last reel. He saw the correct one the following Monday, and scathingly said of it in his review: "The earlier reel was lacking the final music. Music is the last thing wrong with that reel."
The film was not a financial success. It was able to gross only $54m from its $75m budget.
Awards
Matt O'Leary was nominated for a Young Artist Award, for Best Performance in a Feature Film - Supporting Young Actor. However, star John Travolta was nominated for a Razzie for Worst Actor. Vaughn and Travolta have also worked in Be Cool together.
Production notes
In April 2001, while shooting the film in Wilmington, North Carolina, actor Steve Buscemi was slashed and badly scarred on his face while intervening in a bar fight between his friend Vince Vaughn, screenwriter Scott Rosenberg and a local man, Timothy Fogerty, who allegedly instigated the brawl.[3][4]
References
External links
