The Impossible

Director: Juan Antonio Bayona

Overview

Director Juan Antonio Bayona follows up his critically acclaimed feature debut The Orphanage with this drama set during the 2004 Thailand tsunami, detailing one family's incredible fight for survival. Inspired by actual events, The Impossible finds Henry (Ewan McGregor), his wife Maria (Naomi Watts), and their three sons lounging poolside at a scenic Thailand resort following an eventful Christmas. But just as the family begins to forget their troubles and settle in for a relaxing tropical getaway, one of the worst natural disasters in modern history changes their lives in the blink of an eye. Meanwhile, as shock gives way to abject horror, the devoted parents fight to protect their children, encountering scenes of heart-wrenching tragedy and experiencing acts of incredible compassion as the entire country is engulfed in chaos. Tom Hollander and Geraldine Chaplin co-star.

Product Details

Release Date:	04/23/2013
UPC:	0025192181528
Original Release:	2012
Rating:	PG-13
Source:	Summit Inc/Lionsgate
Region Code:	1
Presentation:	[Wide Screen]
Sound:	[DTS 5.1-Channel Surround Sound, Dolby AC-3 Surround Sound]
Time:	1:54:00
Sales rank:	6,774

Special Features

Closed Caption; Audio Commentary with Director J.A. Bayona, Writer Sergio G. Sánchez, Producer Belén Atienza, and María Belón; ; "Casting The Impossible" featurette; "Realizing The Impossible" featurette; Deleted Scenes

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Naomi Watts	Maria
Ewan McGregor	Henry
Tom Holland	Lucas
Samuel Joslin	Thomas
Oaklee Pendergast	Simon
Marta Etura	Simone
Sönke Möhring	Karl
Geraldine Chaplin	Elderly Woman
Ploy Jindachote	Caregiver
Jomjai Sae-limh "Maew"	Red Cross Nurse
Johan Sundberg	Daniel
Jan Sundberg	Daniel's Father
La-Orng Thongruang	Old Thai Man
Tor Klathaley	Young Thai Man
Douglas Johansson	Mr. Benstrom
Emilio Riccardi	Morten Benstrom
Vorarat Jutakeo	Doctor in Stockroom
Karun Konsaman	Young Nurse in Stockroom
Nicola Harrison	Woman in Charge of Simon and Thomas
John Albasiny	Oliver Tudpole
Gitte Witt	Norwegian Patient
Bruce Blain	American Tourist
Cecilia Arnold	American Tourist's Wife
Peter Tuinstra	American Tourist on Orchid Roof
Esther Davis	Volunteer in Children's Tent
Dominic Power	Tourist Near the Orchid
Sarinrat Thomas "Jia"	Operating Nurse
Keerati Sivakuae "Oak"	Orchid Male Employee
Vipavee Charoenpura	Woman in Childen's Minibus
Laura Power	Young Nurse in Airplane
Kovit Wattanakul	Henry's Pick-up Driver
Zoe Popham	Tourist in Henry's Pick-up
Danny Toeng Danny	Tourist in Henry's Pick-up
Ronnie Eide	Tourist in Henry's Pick-up
Bonnie Jo Hutchinson	Tourist at Bus Station
Jean-Loup Pilblad	Tourist at Bus Station
Franky Gun	Tourist at Bus Station
Giovani Agresti	Tourist Looking for Francesca
Georgina Baert	Woman Looking for Relative
David Bruce	Man Looking for Relatives
Natalia Lorence	Woman Looking for Relatives
Sverre Golten	Man Looking for Relatives
Clare Louise Plunkett	Woman Looking for Relatives
Raphael Dewaerseghers	Naked Man
Pisamai Pakdeevijit	Member of Thai Family in Stockroom
Aratchaporn Satead	Member of Thai Family in Stockroom
Jakapong Srichaem	Member of Thai Family in Stockroom
Simon Blyberg	Ferdinand
Christopher Byrd	Dieter
Namfon Pakdee	Orchid Female Employee
Georgina Winters	Patient in Takua Pa Hospital
Dina Kiseleva	Patient in Takua Pa Hospital
Tan Daniel Demir	Patient in Takua Pa Hospital
Krittanai Yongtrakull "Beer"	Emergency Nurse
Takashi Hasegawa	Japanese Tourist
Kristen Mandel	Redheaded Woman
Sam Holland	Kid in the Tent
Harry Holland	Kid in the Tent
Mara Garcia Garcia	Kid in the Car
Fernando Velázquez	Conductor

Technical Credits

Juan Antonio Bayona	Director
Jaime Anduiza	Art Director
Belen Atienza	Producer
Alvaro Augustin	Producer
Shaheen Baig	Casting
Simone Bar	Casting
Ghislain Barrois	Producer
Mark Bech	Sound Editor
Maria Belon	Original Story
Alessandro Bertolazzi	Makeup
Anna Bingemann	Costumes/Costume Designer
Didac Bono	Art Director
Eugenio Caballero	Production Designer
Albert Carreras	Camera Operator
Chaiyan (Lek) Chunsuttiwat	Art Director
Pau Costa	Special Effects Supervisor
Efe-X-Efectos Especiales	Special Effects
Oscar Faura	Cinematographer
Daniela Forn	Asst. Director
Peter Glossop	Sound Mixer
Sparka Lee Hall	Costumes/Costume Designer
Sandra Hermida	Executive Producer
Jeanette Klintberg	Casting
Enrique Lopez Lavigne	Producer
Eva Leira	Casting
Gabriel Liste	Set Decoration/Design
Maria Reyes	Costumes/Costume Designer
David Marti	Makeup Special Effects
Howard Meltzer	Casting
Montse Ribe	Makeup Special Effects
Elena Ruiz	Editor
Sergio G. Sánchez	Screenwriter
Yolanda Serrano	Casting
Oriol Tarrago	Sound/Sound Designer
Javier Ugarte	Executive Producer
Chiara Ugolini	Makeup
Fernando Velázquez	Score Composer
Bernat Vilapana	Editor

Scene Index

Disc #1 -- Impossible
1. Scene 1 [4:03]
2. Scene 2 [3:52]
3. Scene 3 [2:45]
4. Scene 4 [3:35]
5. Scene 5 [5:42]
6. Scene 6 [6:32]
7. Scene 7 [3:13]
8. Scene 8 [3:41]
9. Scene 9 [4:06]
10. Scene 10 [4:05]
11. Scene 11 [4:27]
12. Scene 12 [3:53]
13. Scene 13 [4:17]
14. Scene 14 [5:49]
15. Scene 15 [3:18]
16. Scene 16 [4:29]
17. Scene 17 [5:46]
18. Scene 18 [4:37]
19. Scene 19 [4:15]
20. Scene 20 [4:04]
21. Scene 21 [5:25]
22. Scene 22 [5:04]
23. Scene 23 [5:23]
24. Scene 24 [11:02]

Menu

Disc #1 -- Impossible
   Play Movie
   Set Up
      Audio
         English 5.1 Dolby Digital
         Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital
         Audio Commentary with Director J.A. Bayona, Writer Sergio G. Sánchez, Producer Belén Atienza, and María Belón: On/Off
            Audio Commentary with Director J.A. Bayona, Writer Sergio G. Sánchez, Producer Belén Atienza, and María Belón: On
            Audio Commentary with Director J.A. Bayona, Writer Sergio G. Sánchez, Producer Belén Atienza, and María Belón: Off
      Subtitles
         English
         Spanish
         Subtitles: Off
   Scene Selection
   Special Features
      Audio Commentary with Director J.A. Bayona, Writer Sergio G. Sánchez, Producer Belén Atienza, and María Belón: On/Off
         Audio Commentary with Director J.A. Bayona, Writer Sergio G. Sánchez, Producer Belén Atienza, and María Belón: On
         Audio Commentary with Director J.A. Bayona, Writer Sergio G. Sánchez, Producer Belén Atienza, and María Belón: Off
      "Casting The Impossible" Featurette
      "Realizing The Impossible" Featurette
      Deleted Scenes
         Hanging On
         Granddad's Number
         Easing The Pain
         "Where's Everyone Going?"
         At The Airport
      Theatrical Trailer
      Also From Lionsgate

Editorial Reviews

Almost every time we walk into a movie theater, we run the risk of having our emotions manipulated. Whether we're watching a drama, a romance, a comedy, or a horror flick, one of the primary indicators as to whether or not that story will resonate lies in the filmmaker's ability to pull our strings through a delicately balanced blend of effective writing, skillful acting, powerful imagery, and music that reflects (or, in certain instances, contradicts) the mood of the action taking place onscreen. The best directors do this with a subtlety that renders this blatant appeal to our emotions invisible -- leaving us, the audience, alone with the characters up on the screen as they strive to accomplish a certain goal or navigate through a difficult situation. In his second feature The Impossible, Spanish director Juan Antonio Bayona takes us directly into the path of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami, revealing the true story of how one vacationing family not only managed to persevere through the devastating natural disaster, but, incredibly, reunited amidst the chaos and confusion that immediately followed. It's a truly visceral piece of filmmaking, but alas, it's hindered more than helped by a certain composer's shameless attempts to get our tears swelling right along with his overwrought strings. Henry (Ewan McGregor), his wife Maria (Naomi Watts), and their three sons Lucas (Tom Holland), Thomas (Samuel Joslin), and Simon (Oaklee Pendergast) are lounging poolside at a scenic Thailand resort following an eventful Christmas when one of the worst natural disasters in modern history changes their lives in the blink of an eye. As shock gives way to abject horror, the devoted parents fight to protect their children, along the way encountering scenes of heart-wrenching tragedy and experiencing acts of incredible compassion as the entire country is engulfed in chaos. In 2007, Bayona burst onto the international film scene with The Orphanage. Executive produced by Guillermo del Toro, The Orphanage succeeded not simply due to its ability to frighten, but because it managed to stir our emotions by painting its specters in a tragic light. It was an effective and richly textured psychological drama served up in horror trappings. Five years later, Bayona returns with The Impossible, a film that exchanges the gothic atmosphere of The Orphanage for a sunny beach in Thailand while focusing on the all-too-real horror of a family torn apart by forces far beyond their control. On the surface The Impossible is every parent's worst nightmare brought to life, yet once the surge hits, Bayona and screenwriter Sergio G. Sánchez focus as much on the family's efforts to find each other as they do the inherent selflessness we exhibit in times of great crisis. In The Impossible, Bayona's directorial strengths are immeasurably enhanced by a cast who do an exceptional job of emphasizing the humanity of Sánchez's compact yet emotionally complex screenplay, which alternates between the story of a critically wounded mother who strives to teach her son the healing power of altruism, and a father who refuses to give up hope even when all seems lost. In his very first onscreen film role, gifted young actor Tom Holland nearly steals the show from previous Oscar nominee Watts for a couple of reasons. Holland's remarkable ability to capture the mannerisms and nuances of his movie father serves to constantly remind us of McGregor's presence even when he's offscreen, but it's the talented young actor's ability to portray an effective mix of shock and perseverance that really drives his part of the story. When Lucas first recognizes the extent of his mother's injuries, his shaken reaction perfectly encapsulates that dreaded moment when we realize our parents aren't immortal. As a result, we understand how the tragedy has forced his character to mature in ways that he may not have been ready for. Even though she's muted by an oxygen mask for a good portion of the film, Watts shines as a mother who refuses to let her son's survival instincts overshadow his duties to the less fortunate early on. As the father who's faced with the agonizing decision to leave his two younger sons behind to search for Maria and Lucas, however, it's McGregor who personifies the unwavering sense of hope at the heart of The Impossible. A scene in which Henry uses a stranger's cell phone to place an emotionally charged call home captures that awful feeling when the horrible reality of a traumatic situation begins to set in as our consciousness struggles to catch up with our physical surroundings, and it highlights how the fleeting friendships that emerge in desperate times can have lasting and profound effects. For all of the talent in front of and behind the camera, however, there's one component of The Impossible that threatens to push the entire endeavor over the emotional cliff, and that's Fernando Velázquez's irredeemably unctuous score. With a story this emotional, one can see why Velázquez would be tempted to flex his orchestral muscles, but we hardly need to be told how to feel while watching a movie about a family being ripped apart by a violent force of nature, and in his efforts to enhance the drama, he instead ends up undercutting it. His score for The Impossible is so over-the-top melodramatic that at times it borders on parody, and given the highly effective use of sound design throughout the film, the picture would have been much better served without it. That pronounced shortcoming aside, The Impossible offers a refreshing air of hope in an era obsessed with fatalism, and serves as a stunning reminder that sometimes it's the worst situations that bring out the best in people.

All Movie Guide - Jason Buchanan