Savage Grace (2007) is a biographical drama directed by Tom Kalin that chronicles the true, tragic story of the wealthy Baekeland family, heirs to the Bakelite plastics fortune. The film is based on the book by Natalie Robins and Steven M. L. Aronson, exploring a high-society scandal that culminated in matricide. Plot Overview The narrative follows the turbulent lives of Barbara Daly Baekeland (Julianne Moore) and her husband Brooks Baekeland (Stephen Dillane).
: Julianne Moore stars as the mentally unstable Barbara, with Eddie Redmayne portraying Antony and Stephen Dillane as the remote father, Brooks Baekeland. Streaming Context: Lk21 and Availability Film Savage Grace 2007 Lk21
The narrative builds toward the infamous 1972 murder of Barbara by her son, Antony, at their squalid London flat. The title "Savage Grace" is bitterly ironic, referencing the brutal "grace" of a family that ultimately destroyed itself. Savage Grace (2007) is a biographical drama directed
Reviews for Savage Grace are polarized. While some critics praise its visual style and the "carnal savagery" of the performances, others found the film: Aronson, exploring a high-society scandal that culminated in
The film has earned a reputation for being "difficult" but "coldly brilliant," as noted by reviewers at The Guardian.
Their only son, (Redmayne), becomes the central figure of the tragedy. Disdained by his remote father and smothered by his unstable mother, Tony descends into a mental breakdown. The film depicts Barbara’s desperate and perverse attempt to "cure" Tony’s homosexuality through incestuous seduction, a controversial portrayal based on real-life claims from the family's history. The narrative culminates in the real-life 1972 murder of Barbara by Tony in their London apartment. Themes and Critical Reception