The Secret Lives of Dentists (2003)
75%RT Audience Score: 58%
Awards & Nominations: NA
The Secret Lives of Dentists is a film that delves into the complexities of marriage and family life with a deft hand, exploring the sublimated feelings and contradictory impulses that can arise in even the most seemingly idyllic relationships. Director Alan Rudolph’s angular, oblique characterization is perfectly suited to the film’s themes, and the performances from Campbell Scott, Hope Davis, and Denis Leary are all top-notch. The domestic scenes with the children are drawn with letter-perfect naturalism, and the film’s stress on familial sovereignty is both moving and profound. All in all, this is a quietly brilliant indie that rewards close attention and offers a satisfyingly deep dive into its characters.
The Secret Lives of Dentists” is a movie that will make you feel grateful for your own family drama. With great performances from the cast, especially Scott, Davis, and Leary, this film is a profound study of lack of communication in a marriage. It’s funny, honest, and relatable enough to make you squirm in your seat. Plus, the domestic scenes with the kids are so naturalistic that you’ll feel like you’re watching a home video. Just be prepared to feel a little bit of the pain on the other side of that shrieking drill.
Production Company(ies)
Gruskoff, Venture Films, Crossbow Productions, Jouer Limited
Distributor
Manhattan Pictures International
Release Type
Filming Location(s)
MPAA / Certificate
TV-PG
Year of Release
2003
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:Stereo
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Aspect ratio:16:9 HD
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Runtime:1h 41m
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Language(s):
-
Country of origin:United States
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Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Aug 1, 2003 Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Dec 2, 2014
Genre(s)
Comedy/Drama
Keyword(s)
starring Campbell Scott, Hope Davis, Denis Leary, Robin Tunney, Gianna Beleno, Cassidy Hinkle, directed by Alan Rudolph, written by Craig Lucas, Comedy, Drama, $3.7M box office, reviewed by Geoff Pevere, Rick Groen, Kimberley Jones, John Monaghan, Roger Moore, Stanley Kauffmann, Felix Vasquez Jr., Mark Halverson, Joe Lozito, Paul Sherman, Pablo Villaça, R MPAA rating, produced by Campbell Scott, George VanBuskirk, marriage, infidelity, dentist, patient, family, communication, decay, naturalism, sublimated feelings, contradictory impulses, young children, pain, lack of communication, sensitivity, crisis, indie, characters, honesty
Worldwide gross: NA
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): NA
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): NA
US/Canada gross: NA
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada opening weekend:
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): NA
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): NA
Production budget ranking: NA
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
ROI to date (est.): NA
ROI ranking: NA
Hope Davis – Dana Hurst
Denis Leary – Slater
Robin Tunney – Laura
Gianna Beleno – Lizzie Hurst
Cassidy Hinkle – Leah Hurst
Alan Rudolph – Director
Craig Lucas – Writer
Campbell Scott, George VanBuskirk – Producers
Director(s)
Alan Rudolph
Writer(s)
Craig Lucas
Producer(s)
Campbell Scott, George VanBuskirk
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
NA
Academy Awards
All Critics (94) | Top Critics (37) | Fresh (80) | Rotten (14)
Rudolph’s fondness for angular, oblique characterization is ideally suited to the movie’s incidental story of sublimated feelings and contradictory impulses.
November 14, 2003 | Rating: 4/5
Geoff Pevere
Toronto Star
TOP CRITIC
Domestic scenes with the kids are drawn with letter-perfect naturalism.
November 14, 2003 | Rating: 3/4
Rick Groen
Globe and Mail
TOP CRITIC
October 1, 2003 | Rating: 3/5
Kimberley Jones
Austin Chronicle
TOP CRITIC
There are movies that have a way of hitting you at a certain time in your life, and this study of being married with young children speaks in satisfying ways.
September 11, 2003 | Rating: 3/4
John Monaghan
Detroit Free Press
TOP CRITIC
It’s funny, honest enough to make you squirm and a film that may make you feel a little bit of the pain on the other side of that shrieking drill.
September 5, 2003
Roger Moore
Orlando Sentinel
TOP CRITIC
Rudolph’s past work has been spotty, but his stress here on familial sovereignty is moving, as is his direction of the three children.
September 3, 2003
Stanley Kauffmann
The New Republic
TOP CRITIC
A profound study of lack of communication in a marriage with some great performances from Scott, Davis, and Leary.
April 29, 2009
Felix Vasquez Jr.
Cinema Crazed
August 7, 2008 | Rating: 3/5
Mark Halverson
Sacramento News & Review
July 14, 2007 | Rating: 2.5/4
Joe Lozito
Big Picture Big Sound
February 2, 2004 | Rating: 2/4
Paul Sherman
Boston Herald
Retrata com sensibilidade o cotidiano de uma família em crise e representa mais uma prova dos talentos de Scott e Davis.
January 30, 2004 | Rating: 4/5
Pablo Villaça
Cinema em Cena
One of those quietly brilliant indies, so small in scope that it takes a little extra attention to appreciate how deeply it plunges into its characters.
January 15, 2004 | Rating: 4/5
Kim Linekin
eye WEEKLY…
Plot
David, a dentist, suspects his wife Dana of cheating on him and turns to a surly patient named Slater for advice, leading to a witty and honest look at marriage in decay in “The Secret Lives of Dentists.”
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
There is no goofy or funny or odd comment about the film on Fresh Kernels.
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