“A heartbreaking beautiful film.”

“Lives of quiet desperation and lack of communication.  It was hard to watch, as it is so realistic.  Two depressed adults and damaged children.  If there is a message - lust is bad and family values are good.  Breda wants to repair her marriage.  Excellent ending.  After listening to the discussion we decided it was complex and psychologically very interesting.  I wish I had seen the play too.”

 “The disintegration of a marriage.  ‘EDEN’ is over and can’t save him.  His feelings are dead.  He is finished!”

“Could have had more interaction with inner fantasies in the wife and in the husband.  I would have made it more visually interesting.”

“The film uses a cliché theme and subject matter.  Eden with Adam being tempted by the apple, but Eve taking it.  The film was too predictable.”

“A quietly affecting film about the loneliness that occurs even when you’re part of a marriage, part of a family and part of a community.  Reminded me of a 21st century version of Bergman’s ‘SCENES OF A MARRIAGE.’”

“Nice little film delicately transposed from the play. Filled with great performances, intelligent observations on contemporary relationships and the lack of communication. And then there’s all those biblical symbols of water (drowning and bathtub and boats) and fertility (the painting, the tree). The “happy” ending is questionable, but will make for great after-date discussions.”

“Pretentious film.  I felt for her, he should have jumped.”

“No better way to start a Saturday than being put through an emotional wringer.  I’ll take three pints of Guinness and a bottle of Tullamore Dew to get over this.  The real victim is the son.”

I enjoyed the discussion after this film.  The ambiguous ending provoked a lively set of reactions.  For the record, I think the thing he couldn’t tell his wife was that he couldn’t live that life of marriage, kids, the predictability of domesticity, etc. any more.  By the way the film speaks very poorly of small towns and marriage.  On a cinematic note this film was beautifully shot and the soundtrack was terrific.”

“I like them slow, but this was too slow even for me.  I liked the use of close-ups and the change of focus.”

“It ran a lot of religious symbols.  Blood on his face reminded me of the Christ figure.”

“Compelling story of a man suffering from midlife crisis and a woman who feels unloved.”

“So moving and touching, dealing with the topic of lack of marital intimacy in such a sensitive way.  I was particularly moved by the intimacy they each shared with their friends, but not each other.   So many relationships fall apart from lack of communication.  When he finally admits to himself…and to Breda his feelings, it was a beginning not an ending.  Being a hero was the highlight of his life…his 15 minutes of fame; he has a realization that he will never be that strong and respected again.”

“The subject was disturbing, but realistic.”

“Would he have needed to focus on the girl if he had tried Viagra at home?  Could you get them to send us some Tullamore Dew?”

“This should have been made for cable.  It was too predictable and unemotional for me.  I fell asleep which is not a good sign.”

“’EDEN’ is a hell of a bore!  Ireland keep your movies!”

“Hardly Eden, more like Hell.  She should dump him and go with the friend. “

“Dump him!”

“Glad to see a non Hollywood film.  No big stars and no big issues.”

“Very good movie.  It was very realistic.  The author focused very well on how men think today!  And how youth is like the tree of Eden.”

“This film was pretentious and tedious.  He was a lousy father, a lousy husband.  He was a piece of shit. “

“Too slow moving as a film.  It should have remained a play.”

“Good acting.  Lots of drinking.  Sad film about relationships and midlife crisis.  Was he unconscious? His wife was lonely and rejected, his son depressed and daughter disillusioned.  Well, it all resolved itself at the end of the film.  Unfortunately this was a bit too true to life, the long suffering wife and the selfish husband.”

“Overall, the movie dragged.  The movie circled around the problem of communication between a young married couple.  I found the climax fell flat.”