Browse Movies : Magnolia Pictures : 2010 : T

Michael Farr (Ciarán Hinds) is a widower living in a misty Irish seaside town who is struggling to adjust to his new role as the sole caretaker of his two children. Still reeling from the death of his wife, he has been plagued by terrifying apparitions. When he volunteers at a local literary festival, he finds he finds himself drawn to Lena Morelle (Iben Hjejle), an empathetic author of supernatural fiction. While Lena tries to help Michael with the mystery of his nightmarish visions, she must contend with problems of her own—she’s being jealously pursued by a self-obsessed novelist (Aidan Quinn), her one-time lover. As the three adults’ lives converge, the turbulence of the phantom world will soon have nothing on that of the living.

Paul Dano stars as Louis Ives, a daydreaming writer who fashions himself a modern day F. Scott Fitzgerald, who sets out for New York to make a name for himself. He rents a room from the eccentric Henry Harrison (Kevin Kline), a failed but brilliant playwright who lately finds work as an “extra man”—an escort for wealthy society widows. The two form an unexpected bond, and Henry introduces Louis to a fantastic cast of eccentric characters that could only be found in New York.

Brian Cox stars as Jacques, the curmudgeonly owner of a gritty New York dive bar that serves as home to a motley assortment of professional drinkers. Jacques is determinedly drinking and smoking himself to death when he meets Lucas (Paul Dano), a homeless young man who has already given up on life. In the hopes of keeping his legacy alive, Jacques deems Lucas is a fitting heir and takes him under his wing, schooling him in the male-centric laws of his alcoholic clubhouse: no new customers, no fraternizing with customers and, absolutely no women. Lucas is a quick study, but their friendship is put to the test when the distraught and beautiful April (Isild Le Besco) shows up at the bar seeking shelter, and Lucas insists they help her out.

A professor and a grad student work together to stop a potential series of murders seemingly linked by mathematical symbols.