Stillwater (2021)

Stillwater

Focus Features

Release date: 07/30/2021

My IMDb Rating: 7/10

#whatonwhatsgood Fan Club Rating: 71%

Directed by

Tom McCarthy

Written by

Tom McCarthy, Marcus Hinchey, Thomas Bidegain, Noé Debré

Produced by

Steve Golin, Tom McCarthy, Jonathan King, Liza Chasin

Starring

Matt Damon as Bill Baker

Abigail Breslin as Allison Baker

Camille Cottin as Virginie

Lilou Siauvaud as Maya

Deanna Dunagan as Sharon

Idir Azougli as Akim

Anne Le Ny as Leparq

Moussa Maaskri as Dirosa

William Nadylam as Patrick

Cinematography

Masanobu Takayanagi

Edited by

Tom McArdle

Music by

Mychael Danna

Director Tom McCarthy discusses "Stillwater"

"Stillwater is a film about human nature, what dictates the decisions we make, and how morality can be corrupted by one’s past, society, and love of family. It speaks to what we perceive to be our moral imperative. It’s a story of liberation that addresses the shackles of shame and guilt that keep us rooted to one place. It’s a film that addresses our longing to be loved and needed. And it’s a film that I was not ready to make until right now."

Matt Damon discusses his character Bill Baker in Stillwater

"Bill Baker has clearly got a past, and he’s made a lot of mistakes as a father. He’s at a place where he’s trying to get his life together and get this relationship back on track with his daughter. He carries a lot of guilt and shame around how he’s behaved.”

Abigail Breslin who plays Allison Baker discusses the strained relationship with her father Bill Baker

“While she was growing up, he wasn’t really there for her and had an alcohol problem. He is also a very religious guy, and she’s more of a free spirit and progressive. He just wasn’t a great dad. I think he’s trying to reconcile that in some ways with her, but she gets frustrated. She can’t trust him. This causes an awkwardness to their relationship, even when he comes to visit her in prison.  There’s a weird tension there and a lot of built-up history.”

Camille Cottin who plays Virginie discusses meeting Bill and her daughter Maya in Stillwater

“Bill first sees Virginie smoking a joint on the balcony with her friend and laughing. He asks her to turn down their music, and she’s not really nice to him. She’s baked obviously, but it’s no excuse. The next day, Bill meets Maya alone in the hotel when she’s locked out of the room, and he helps her. So, Virginie knocks at his door and apologizes. You can feel that she’s trying a little bit to justify what happened—I’m not a bad mother. I mean, you found my daughter hanging around alone in the corridor of the hotel, but I was late because I had problem in our apartment and I was actually taking care of us.”

“In a way, Virginie doesn’t choose Bill. It’s Maya who chooses him.”

Producer Liza Chasin discusses Stillwater

“I love the story of this man learning how to be a dad through this new relationship he has with a young French girl. He gets to give it another shot and really properly learn how to love—and get out of his own way to do it.”