Taglines: A murder. A suspect. A shadow of a doubt.
Before and After movie storyline. In a small western Massachusetts town, Dr. Carolyn Ryan and her sculptor husband Ben live with their two children Jacob and Judith. Their world is shattered when Sheriff Fran Conklin tells them that Martha Taverner has been killed and witnesses saw Jacob with her just before she died. When he asks to speak with Jacob, the family realizes that he’s not in his room as they thought. Conklin asks to look at Jacob’s car, but Ben refuses. When Conklin asks Judith where Jacob is, Ben demands the sheriff get a warrant.
When Conklin leaves, Ben inspects Jacob’s car, finding clothes and a car jack with blood on them. He burns the clothes and cleans the jack before the police return. When he tells Carolyn what he has done, she is afraid that Ben may have destroyed evidence that could help them find Jacob, as she is fearful that a maniac may have killed both Martha and her son. The Ryans plaster the town with signs trying to find Jacob, but the town ostracizes them, assuming Jacob is a murderer.
Postcards start to arrive from Jacob. Over the course of five weeks, he sends postcards from all over the country. Carolyn is convinced that he’s been kidnapped and wants to alert the police. Ben remains wary of disclosing anything, insisting they must keep the postcards a secret. Eventually Jacob is caught and brought back home to stand trial. For the first several days, he is catatonic, only speaking aloud to enter his plea at the arraignment.
Before and After is a 1996 American crime drama-mystery film based on the 1992 novel of the same title by American writer Rosellen Brown. The movie was directed by Barbet Schroeder and starred Meryl Streep as Dr. Carolyn Ryan, Liam Neeson as Ben Ryan, Edward Furlong as Jacob Ryan, and Julia Weldon as Judith Ryan (who also narrated the movie).
Film Review for Before and After
“Before and After” is a long, slow slog through a story about a family crisis that is largely the fault of the family itself – especially the hot-tempered but loving father, who makes a series of crucial mistakes. It’s one of those movies where you want to call out helpful advice to the screen, which would save the characters a lot of trouble.
As the movie opens, Carolyn and Ben Ryan (Meryl Streep and Liam Neeson) preside over an idyllic household. Mom is a doctor in their picturesque New England village, Dad is a sculptor, and Jacob and Judith are their happy kids. Then tragedy strikes. A teenage girl is found dead in a field. She was dating Jacob, who becomes a prime suspect.
The news is broken to the Ryans during a visit from the local police chief. Ben Ryan handles this visit about as badly as it can possibly be played, exploding with anger at the chief. He is offended that anyone could consider his son a murderer. Actually, as we will all know by the time the movie is over, if Ben had behaved more sensibly, everyone would have been saved a lot of suffering. But he doesn’t.
Read no further if you plan to see the movie. It cannot be discussed at all without revealing a few plot points, although I will try to proceed cautiously.
Ben refuses to cooperate with the police, even though the chief is a family friend, and sends them back for a search warrant. Then he searches the car used by his son that day. He finds bloody evidence indicating the possibility of foul play, and destroys it.
His son is missing, having run away from home in terror, but when Jacob (Edward Furlong) returns, he gives his parents the silent treatment. After a few days, he breaks down and tearfully confesses what really happened. The truth isn’t good enough for Ben, who suggests they make up a cover story.
Carolyn Ryan is a firm believer in telling the truth. But for several days she doesn’t realize quite what the truth is. Meanwhile, the Ryans hire a defense attorney (Alfred Molina), who eats a submarine sandwich while hearing their story (always a bad sign), and then plots a defense that is high on cynicism and low on curiosity about what really happened.
Alfred Molina can be a wonderful actor (see “Prick Up Your Ears”), but he is not well used here. He comes across as a caricature, spouting lines like “Doubt, kiddo, is our very best friend” and “Honey, by the time I’m done with you, you’ll look like Medea.” Meanwhile, the father confuses love for his son with sensible decision-making, and backs both himself and the boy into a legal corner. His wife tries to tell him why he’s all wrong: “Now he has to defend you as well as himself.”
The story elements here are dramatic, but it’s impossible to determine what the point of the film is. The characters behave stupidly and pay a price for it. There are no bad characters, and no lessons to be learned. The justice system works as well as can be expected. The ending is so confused that we have little idea what the filmmakers think the Ryans should have done.
Surely the last moments of the movie are not an argument for lying. Or are they? Compounding the film’s problems are the actors themselves, all splendid in many other films, all totally adrift here. Liam Neeson shows much energy but little insight as the father who follows his fierce temper into reckless behavior.
Meryl Streep seems somehow too detached; her mind seems elsewhere, even during some of the most emotional moments. Edward Furlong, as the son, is whiny and unfocused. Only Julia Weldon, as the kid sister Judith, seems to be playing her role intelligently, as written and intended. As a result, she ends up as the only member of the family we really care much about.
Before and After (1996)
Directed by: Barbet Schroeder
Starring: Meryl Streep, Liam Neeson, Edward Furlong, Julia Weldon, Alfred Molina, Daniel von Bargen, John Heard, Ann Magnuson, Alison Folland, Bernadette Quigley
Screenplay by: Ted Tally
Production Design by: Stuart Wurtzel
Cinematography by: Luciano Tovoli
Film Editing by: Lee Percy
Costume Design by: Ann Roth
Set Decoration by: Gretchen Rau
Art Direction by: Steve Saklad
Music by: Howard Shore
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for some disturbing images of violence, brief strong language and some sensuality.
Distributed by: Buena Vista Pictures
Release Date: February 23, 1996
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