Levity

"How you gonna make it right?"

2003 1h 40m EN

😐

6.1

MID

★6.1TMDB · 125

CrimeDrama

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

Manuel Jordan is a man who is free after serving 23 years for killing a teenager during an attempted robbery. After nearly two decades of staring at his victim's face on a newspaper clipping in his cell, the newly paroled man seeks redemption. Instead, redemption—in the form of a mysterious minister and two needy women— finds him.

“How you gonna make it right?”

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Cast

Billy Bob Thornton
Manuel Jordan
Morgan Freeman
Miles Evans
Holly Hunter
Adele Easley
Kirsten Dunst
Sofia Mellinger
Manuel Aranguiz
Senor Aguilar
Geoffrey Wigdor
Abner Easley
Luke Robertson
Young Abner Easley
Dorian Harewood
Mackie Whittaker

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Ed Solomon
Writers: Ed Solomon
Languages: English
Countries: United States of America, France

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

MONEY

Did you know

Earned back only 10% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Released 23 years ago.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

WORLD

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International production across 2 countries: United States of America, France.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Ed Solomon, shot by Roger Deakins. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Mark Oliver Everett. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Pietro Scalia shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Billy Bob Thornton and Morgan Freeman and Holly Hunter carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "How you gonna make it right?".

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Ed Solomon directs. Roger Deakins behind the camera. Mark Oliver Everett scores. Pietro Scalia cuts. A commercial under-performer on release. Produced in United States of America, France. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Earned back only 10% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.
2Released 23 years ago.
3International production across 2 countries: United States of America, France.
4Directed by Ed Solomon, shot by Roger Deakins. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
5Original score by Mark Oliver Everett. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
6Editor Pietro Scalia shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
7Billy Bob Thornton and Morgan Freeman and Holly Hunter carry the top of the cast.
8Marketing tagline: "How you gonna make it right?".
9IMDB entry: tt0304328 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
10Classified under 11 themes, including "prison", "robbery", "police", "redemption".

The technical file

Cinematography: Roger Deakins
Original score: Mark Oliver Everett
Editing: Pietro Scalia
Production design: François Séguin
Costume design: Marie-Sylvie Deveau
Runtime: 100 min · 1h 40m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Budget: $7,500,000
Box office: $723,000
Return: 10% of budget
Original language: EN
Certification (US): R
IMDB: Levity (2003)

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Wuchak2018-10-16
★ 6/10
Meditation on the nature of guilt and redemption with Billy Bob Thornton and Morgan Freeman Released in 2003 and written/directed by Ed Solomon, “Levity” concerns a man in the Great Lakes region (Billy Bob Thornton) who’s released from prison after 23 years of confinement. He returns to the big city where he murdered a 17 year-old cashier and finds lodging & work at a community house run by a priest with edge (Morgan Freeman). Seeking forgiveness, he pursues a relationship with the sister of the boy he killed (Holly Hunter) while helping a wild young woman who lacks adult guidance and is wasting her life (Kirsten Dunst). The meaning of the title, "Levity" can be traced to this conversation: “What are you thinking about?” “Gravity.” “It doesn't last long.” So ‘Levity’ is meant as the opposite of gravity and graveness. It stems from the Latin root ‘levis,’ which means "light in weight” or even "changeableness." It means "lightness” in every respect. Life is tragic and painful. We do senseless, unkind things to one another in various states of spiritual growth and immaturity. We spend our whole lives being dragged down to our inescapable end ("Gravity kills"). But we sooner or later must let go of this gravity and realize that there is joy to be had. Redemption is the return of that joy, that Levity. Critics argued that the flick could really use some levity in light of it being burdened by dour self-importance and a heavy-handed moral. The tone is similar to other spiritual movies, like “Grand Canyon” (1991) and “The Woodsman” (2004), but not as effective in overall quality. One problem is there’s a little too much ambiguity and another is the weakly executed subplot about the woman’s juvenile delinquent son and his violent gang proclivities, which comes off wholly contrived. Still, there’s enough good here to recommend to those who appreciate the kinds of films noted above, films that try to balance the reverence and beauty of life with the profane, foolish and ugly. I loved the way Dunst’ character rolled with the inner city youth. Actually, all four main cast members shine in their roles. The movie runs 1 hour, 40 minutes and was shot in Montreal. GRADE: B-/C+

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