Bodies, Rest & Motion is a contemplative and character-driven drama that captures the malaise and existential drift of youth in the early nineties. The narrative centers on a fractured group of young people in a sun-baked, isolated part of Arizona, grappling with undefined futures and shifting romantic entanglements.
The film opens with Nick (Tim Roth) announcing he is leaving town to pursue a vague, opportunistic future, abandoning his girlfriend, Beth (Bridget Fonda), who is immediately adrift. Beth, in turn, finds solace in the company of their mutual friend, Carol (Phoebe Cates), an artist dealing with her own inertia.
This precarious emotional triangle is soon complicated by the arrival of a house painter, Sid (Eric Stoltz), a cynical observer who becomes intimately involved in their emotional landscape.
The small ensemble cast also includes appearances by Alicia Witt and Peter Fonda.
At its core, the movie is a study of how people struggle with the tension between stasis (rest) and the need for movement (motion).
The plot is less about grand events and more about the small, intense conversations and emotional betrayals that define the late 20s.
Cates, in her final film role before a hiatus, brings a quiet depth to the artistic and restless Carol.
Fonda is exceptional as Beth, embodying the panic and frustration of someone whose entire world suddenly collapses.
Phoebe Cates in Bodies, Rest & Motion (Photo/Fine Line Features)
Reception for Bodies, Rest & Motion
Bodies, Rest & Motion grossed $75,957 on its opening weekend, in limited release on six screens. The top grossing film of the week was Indecent Proposal, which earned $18.4 million on its debut weekend.
The film would gross $764,724 in its theatrical run.
Roger Ebert gave the film two out of four stars in his review.
Legacy
Bodies, Rest & Motion’s legacy lies in its authentic snapshot of Gen X uncertainty and its showcase of an emerging generation of compelling actors.
It’s a stylish, atmospheric piece that, without giving away any plot resolutions, leaves the audience contemplating the difficulty of growing up and the messy, uncertain path toward finding direction and a film about the moments right before you decide where to go next.
