User reviews

The humor is way too forced, superficial and well-trodden to add the well-intentioned black comedy elements this otherwise bittersweet soap opera needs, but this 2007 film offers a vanity-free Sally Field giving a powerhouse performance as Anita Bergman, the dying mother of four grown children. The movie's title refers to the amount of time her character is expected to live before succumbing to ovarian cancer. With the clock ticking, the four children gather at her North Carolina home from different parts of the country and respond differently to the imminent tragedy. Directed and written by Steve Stockman as a series of vignettes, the characterizations represent different archetypes, and the actors are left to flesh them out to some human dimension. The results of their efforts are variable.

Affecting an unrecognizable American accent, Ben Chaplin fares the poorest as eldest brother Keith, an LA-based filmmaker whose sarcastic jokes are meant to shield him from feelings of insecurity and guilt. His character has the most screen time, yet his constantly jokey facade gets in the way of any sympathy we have for him. At first, Tom Cavanaugh plays Ben, the son Anita has dubbed the responsible one, as an obnoxious yuppie workaholic who gradually reveals his fears of loss but fades in the background. As only daughter Beth, Julianne Nicholson is terrific in unconditionally embracing her role as chief caretaker given that her mother is really her best friend, for better or worse. Youngest brother Matthew is drawn in the broadest strokes as the picked-upon baby of the family, and his resentment has manifested itself with a shrewish wife whom everybody else hates.

On the sidelines is Anita's second husband of 13 years, Jim, played by James Murtagh, who glowers in resentment as her children take over their house with nary a thought in his direction. Anita's first husband and the father of her children exists as a shadowy figure in the story, and Anita - in one of many revealing videotaped excerpts - has obviously not fully come to terms with her divorce. These clips - showing Anita recorded by Keith in an earlier stage of her cancer - are used as a dramatically effective framing device for the story, and Field shows herself to be at the height of her artistry in these scenes even when the material gets mawkish. Stockman based the story on the death of his own mother in 1997, and this experience informs a lot of the moments in the film, especially the brutalizing scenes of Anita's rapid decline under hospice care.

The 2007 DVD is two-sided split between full and widescreen versions and with the extras divvied up. Stockman provides an informative commentary track accompanied periodically by Dr. Ira Byock, a physician specializing in treating those knowingly facing death. There's also a solid 23-minute making-of featurette, "Learning to Live Through Dying", and four scenes labeled deleted though truthfully only one is deleted while the other three are extended. There is a group discussion guide included in each version that provides text questions to help the viewer face the death of a loved one.

If you have ever had to become a caretaker for a loved one, you will appreciate the realism of the complex characters portrayed here.

TWO WEEKS is a quietly exquisite, deeply moving, and surprisingly hopeful drama centered on some very unpleasant subject matter. Writer and director Steve Stockman struck gold with this story of four adult siblings (Ben Chaplin, Julianne Nicholson, Tom Cavanaugh, Glenn Howerton)who return to their hometown in North Carolina to be at the bedside of their mother (beautifully played by Sally Field), who is dying of ovarian cancer. This drama of the family's final time together is juxtaposed with a videotaped interview with Mom done by the eldest son (Chaplin) as sort of a final tribute to his mom before she gets too sick to remember things she wants to pass on.This film offers surprises at every turn because it is more than the "sturm und drang" one would expect from such a story. Stockman puts a very human face on the subject of death and dying and because it is human, there is humor involved. There are laughs to be found here and they aren't the kind of laughs where you wonder whether or not being amused is appropriate. These are odd little moments throughout the film that we can all relate to...like one brother finding the cowboy sheets that were on his childhood bed and stashing them to take with him, or dealing with the problem of all the casseroles that well-intentioned friends and neighbors stuff the refrigerator with, or arguing with your siblings over the things Mom wants you to have and nobody wants. The direction is a little static, but the screenplay has a deft quality to it and the performances are uniformly first-rate, with standout work from Field and Chaplin. A very special film experience...treat yourself.

Saw this film at an exclusive NYC advance screening presented by Gen Art, with the writer/director present, and I gotta say: if you've ever lost a loved one, this film will have you nodding in remembrance. If you've yet to lose a loved one...it's a good primer on how to handle it.

Great performances all around, and I liked the way the film expertly balances comedy with drama. It's a fact of life that we all have to deal with this subject sometime...and a film like this deserves attention because it's one of the few to tackle a delicate subject with grace and humor.

Come on... Does anyone really think this movie is, in the slightest way, funny..?

I thought something was going to happen the end and she didn't really die... It's just too spread out with obvious, hurtful things happening. Wow. If this is reality then when the time comes let me die alone. I'll leave everything I have to someone that will enjoy them.. I understand the bickering. I understand how some things are important to one person and not at all to another. But, to me, this is beyond that.

This movie should have had the ending where the mother really doesn't die so her family can learn about what is important and what is not..

I saw "Two Weeks" at the Hampton Film Festival in a packed theater. While "Two Weeks" is a serious film about a family going through a tragic experience, it is also very funny and true. Stockman, who wrote and directed the film, manages to capture the humor and emotion of a family as they cope with of the impending loss of their mother. It is a brave and honest film. Sally Field is wonderful as the strong and funny matriarch who stares death down. Her performance is powerful and complex. Ben Chaplin, Tom Cavanaugh and Julianne Nicholson deliver honest and subtle performances. They truly seem like a family sharing all of the affection, sorrow and conflict you would expect of siblings going through such a difficult experience. The film is funny and moving. I will be going to see it again when it opens in NYC on March 2nd.

Keith Bergman (Ben Chaplin) comes home from L.A. to North Carolina for his dying mother (Sally Field)'s last days. His sister Emily (Julianne Nicholson) is reading everything to prepare for her death. His brother Barry (Tom Cavanagh) is a businessman missing his trip. The youngest brother Matthew (Glenn Howerton) shows up with his uncaring wife Katrina (Clea DuVall). They end up staying for two weeks as the family tries to get along.

Written and directed by newcomer Steve Stockman, the lack of visual style and cinematic touches are very evident. I don't know how he got such a great cast but they give him a fight chance. The script has some fun scenes and touching insights into dying. However the directing is very flat and it holds the movie back. The cast makes a good attempt but it's not quite there.

I read some bad reviews, but saw this film at a sneak preview with an audience that laughed out loud, some cried, and many stood in the lobby talking about it afterward. Sally Field puts it all on screen, and I've actually lived and felt many of the awkward experiences the humor is based on. I remember how difficult it was to suddenly be right back with my Brothers and Sisters dealing with the finality of what was about to happen. This movie captures that perfectly. At the same time, once you face it, you have to live, laugh, talk, and take care of details. A lot of the experiences in Two Weeks are so common to everyone, but NEVER really talked about.

Carried to the extreme, credible acting, difficult subject approached with nerve.

TWO WEEKS may put a lot of viewers off as it deals confrontationally with the issues of death and dying and yet finds the very human humor that always serves as a relief sidebar in stories (and life incidents) such as this. Steve Stockman wrote, directed and produced this little film and his inspiration and efforts are well served by a fine ensemble cast. It is a story about dying and the effects the finality of that event have on a family that has dispersed in different directions life.

Anita Bergman (a phenomenally effective Sally Field) is under hospice care as she faces her last days of dying from gastrointestinal cancer. Knowing that she has little time left she calls upon her four children to return home to North Carolina for goodbyes. Her children are a mixed lot: Keith (Ben Chaplin) is a Zen-influenced California man who has decided to video his mother for posterity; Barry (Thomas Cavanagh) is a workaholic who attempts to piece together time for this inconvenient disruption in his work routine; Matthew (Glenn Howerton) is the baby of the family dominated by a tactless wife whom the rest of the family detest; Emily (a luminous Julianne Nicholson) is the sole sister who has collected all the books on the dying process for her brothers' education and is the stalwart one who holds the family together. Anita divorced the children's father and remarried a quiet man Jim (James Murtaugh) who is essentially ignored or tolerated by the children. Anita shares memories, both tender and hilarious, about her life with her family, and as the hospice nurse Carol (Michael Hyatt) tenderly leads the children through the instructions regarding final care, the four bond again, become more accepting of their disparate directions, share some very funny conversations to relieve the gloom of the event, and interact more than they have since childhood. By the time of the inevitable event come each of the children and their current father have found vulnerabilities and expanded the tokens of love left to them by Anita, now able to carry out Anita's wishes with a modicum of grace and a lot of warmth.

Using the last two weeks of life as a platform for coming together provides the film ample opportunity to address many issues - marriage, children, family, religion, and individuality. The film is balanced by the superb performance of Sally Field on the one end and the wholly realized characterization by Julianne Nicholson on the other end. In many ways it is the continuity between the lives of these two women that make the story memorable. There are some fine lessons to be heard in this film, and the telling of the story is very satisfying to watch. Grady Harp

I had the opportunity to preview this movie in New York City and I was very touched by the performances. It made me laugh, cry and sometimes both at the same time. I was very impressed by the actors and I thought they accurately portrayed what a family would go thru if they were losing a loved one. I think if anyone has ever had to live thru losing a loved one they will appreciate the honesty of this film. I hope it gets to theaters so others can experience this film. I especially thought Sally Field was at her best with a flawless performance. I also really enjoyed seeing Tom Cavanagh on the big screen since I was a huge fan of the TV show Ed. Ben Chaplin and Julianne Nicholson were both great and give heart to this film.

This is truly representative of what losing a loved one feels like--of course, sad. But, there is an element of humor, reaching for relief while recognizing in utter submission, our own mortality. And, of course, there is anger.

This film is worth seeing. It was sweet and a wonderful tribute to a family going through a phase of life that we all will see.

Sallie Fields and all the actors did a fantastic job. Thank you for making a film that means something. No car chases, but meaningful words and great acting.

The R rating seems to be very harsh compared to the language.

I loved this movie. The characters blended humor with the grief and sadness of losing their mother. Sally Field was excellent. She put aside any vanity and let herself be seen as a person dying would look. Her emotions and her portrayal of the loss was very good. I thought the writing brought out the rivalry and the bond between the "kids" very realistically. They all grew through the process of helping their mother die and helping each other through it. While there were some thin areas - specifically the role of the step-father and why he seemed so distant, most of the characters were well rounded. I don't remember this movie being in the theaters in 2006. Too often Hollywood goes for the big shoot-em-ups and CG movies instead of portraying real people going through real life situations. I would like to see more like this movie.

This movie was done so well. I have lived it 3 times over now in my own life with family members, it was like watching us. The Director did a great job putting it all together, Sally Fields did a fantastic job, everyone played it well. I would recommend families to watch this movie when they've gone thru what it's about, because then you realize just how Real and natural your situation and how you all acted in real life just like others have. It's hard to prepare for this situation in life, but once you've been thru it, it's a little easier to help others thru it the next time around. I really liked the Special Features that's real important to see. As I said in the beginning, I feel like I have 'lived' this movie. It's hard to write anymore comments about the movie without giving it away, all I want to say is that it's a 'Must See' movie.

Very good movie, great cast, well acted and deeply felt, but not at all a comedy.

Two weeks is a personal movie. One gets a hint of Indie cinema being accepted fully and without any reluctance for whatever weaknesses it may have. I do not know if this came as a need for the hour or something that was novel, but financing a major project like this must have had some real consensus.

Clearly meant for a much more mature audience than the usual theaters, Two weeks keeps you engaged, unique for such ventures. Modern American family dramas seem to be dragging but Two weeks finds a way to connect and does it directly. The intros are kept short and the narrative is demanding. Good Direction! Though I do not know if it is meant to teach people how to provide care better.

The actors inter-play with each other and have a good mutual understanding of each other's dynamics, as this is slightly ironical to the main concept of making a united effort at supporting each other toward their common cause and purpose - to look after an ailing mother.

As with all Indie films, Two weeks does not do as much bonding, not that the script demands it. A routine film that sticks by some strong rules and never takes any risks to prove anything special.

I still rate it at an 8 and recommend it.

I have seen several movies and TV shows with Julianne Nicholson playing various roles, such as Tully, Law and Order, Ally McBeal, The Love Letter, Little Black Book etc. She has been excellent in all of those roles. She is a great young actress who brings an exceptionally down to earth and believable presence to the characters she has played. She is pretty, but not "beautiful", which is refreshing, seeing that most of the "beautiful" actresses do not look like real people. Mostly, she is natural; sort of like a female version of the younger Robert DiNiro. Why has she not been offered any of the major/lead roles that some of her less talented female colleagues, too often, have received?

As usual I loved this movie-I have always been a fan of Sally Field-I think she does an excellent job of convincing the audience of the sincerity of her character. I want that pink couch (love seat) that was in the movie. Pink is my favorite color (I have dusty rose carpet throughout my house) and that pink couch would finish the look. Please let me know where I can get that couch! Thank you. Sally is wonderful in this movie and of course made me cry-I can't imagine how hard it would be to be dying and hoping that the children don't argue about anything. Sally made me also laugh with her comments about her "favorite" child.

A realistic movie representing a normal family and its own relationship issues. A wake-up call for many who might take a lesson home and work on their own healing. Humor was carefully and so unexpectedly introduced into the movie, it was funny to see a different perspective than the obvious environment was requesting. Sad but well delivered by all actors, especially the children. My favorite scene was at the airport when the little daughter shouted in public a bad parental lesson that should not have been told, let alone taught the wrong way; however, this is a great reminder of how kids learn absorbing everything we tell them or they hear just like sponges. Well balanced to keep the viewer interested until the end of the movie and the transitions were not abrupt as expected.