Quartile rating: 6.5/10 · 1 rating
Two fathers' lives intersect when one of them is involved in a terrible and sudden hit-and-run car accident that leaves the other's son dead. In response, the two men react in unexpected ways as a reckoning looms in the near future.
Reservation Road is a competent but somewhat formulaic grief-and-guilt drama elevated significantly by strong performances from Joaquin Phoenix and Mark Ruffalo, who bring genuine emotional weight to their parallel narratives. The plot follows a well-worn path of tragedy, guilt, and revenge without surprising the audience much, and the screenplay struggles to fully transcend its thriller-by-numbers structure. Cinematography is functional but unremarkable, failing to distinguish the film visually. The ending provides closure but feels a touch contrived. The film's strength lies squarely in its acting.