From IMDB:

This well-acted tragedy pulls us through an exploration of the complexities of love in both the darkest and brightest corridors. Adapted from John Irving's best-selling novel, `A Widow For One Year', the film carefully weaves its way through the painful and tragic aftermath of a deadly accident, alternating between comedy and disaster.

The setting is in the privileged beach community of East Hampton on Long Island, New York where our hero, a children's book author, Ted Cole (Jeff Bridges) resides with his beautiful wife Marion (Kim Bassinger). Once upon a time, they had a happy marriage until the bliss was shattered by the accidental death of their two sons. The aftermath resulted in a general despondency and bizarre infidelities that did little to assuage the pain and dysfunction of their deteriorating relationship. The remnants of a once great love are hinted at in almost every scene, although alas are clouded over by their inability to regroup to face the future and put away the past.

Eddie O'Hare, (Jon Foster) the college junior Ted hired to work as his summer assistant and protégé, becomes the couple's unwitting, yet willing pawn, who ultimately evolves into the catalyst in the transformation of their bitter lives. Ted's recent children's book, `The Door In The Floor' in due course becomes the surviving metaphor for transforming their lives.

The evolving story seems to beg for something really horrific to happen, yet offers a kind of relief when this fear is unrealized. One senses that if this couple had only handled their loss differently, a far better result would have followed. It is also a poignant tale of a young boy's rite of passage becoming a man and another man sinking into an emotional immaturity and then hopefully climbing back out.

Directed and written by Tod Williams, this tale is quite apart from the usual Hollywood drivel that may leave you mired in an introspective quandary for quite some time.

Author: http://www.imdb.com/user/ur0916806/comments

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This comment sort of sums up my thoughts on this movie. I like it. It's bizzare, funny yet poignant all at the same time. And it's beautiful and intense. I haven't read this book, though I can imagine how good it must have been from this movie. I've only got the chance to read 2 of John Irving's works (The Cider House Rules and The World According to Garp), and I enjoyed them both. He has this ability to weave in different genres to a story, and twist your perspective to seeing a different - sometimes lighter, sometimes heavier - sides to his stories. The beauty of John Irving's books lies in the simple fact that they never fall into a certain genre, because life itself doesn't too. His stories and characters are often controversial, yet you can't find the heart to judge them, simply because he presents them in so many different angles that you realise that this is not just a character, but a unique individual learning to cope with what life has thrown onto him/her, may it be an adaptive or maladaptive way (at least that's the impression the 2 books which I've read gave me). And I think this is precisely what's good about this movie.

Some warning though. There's mild nudity, graphic images (and I really mean graphic) and loads of sexual references in here but it's all tastefully done. I think the leads have all done a wonderful job here... Kim Basinger as the grieving mother who cannot face her own daughter, Jeff Bridges as the artist who does some really controversial stuff yet still remains incredibly charming, and Jon Foster, who's apparently a newbie but still manages to bring out that innocence and strength nicely into the role. Elle Fanning scores as the daughter (Ruth) who is in the midst of all these dysfunctional roles and happenings. As of all children you know that she understands that something is going on, yet as a child she expresses it in a way which is poignant to watch. Apparently, Ruth is the star of the book, and this part that is being told in the movie marks the beginning of her own journey in the true story. Just makes me wanna grab that book and see how a girl in that kind of environment, seeing all that she has seen, would grow up to be.

One thing though, I dun really understand the last scene...

However, keep an open mind and I think u'll like this gem.


Trivia

Based on the first third of John Irving's novel "A Widow for One Year".

The title "The Door in the Floor" is the title of one of main characters Ted Cole's (Bridges) renowned children's book. The paintings in the book as featured in this movie were done by Jeff Bridges himself. You can view them and the story on his official website: http://www.jeffbridges.com/doorbook.html.

Official website: http://www.thedoorinthefloor.com/home.php