Virginia Film Festival

In Robin Swicord’s adaptation of E.L. Doctorow’s short story, successful New York litigator and suburban man Howard Wakefield (Cranston), takes a perverse detour from family life. He arrives home from work one night and does not enter his house. On impulse, Howard hides in the attic of his detached garage and keeps vigil there, secretly observing the effect of his disappearance on his wife and family. As Howard continues to delay his return, the drama evolves into a fraught meditation on marriage and identity. Exploring his own estrangement, Howard slowly realizes that he has not in fact left his family; he has left himself. Months later, when Howard is finally ready to reappear, he must regain his courage and risk everything to return home. Discussion with writer-director Robin Swicord and producers Bonnie Curtis and Julie Lynn

Supported by The Paramount Theater