*CUT TO THE CHASE* She was thrown in prison, and for the past five years, Bills been visiting her in Marseilles, France, bringing her clean clothes and keeping her company while working in between construction and oil rig jobs. And, oh boy, father and daughter had better hope beyond hope that Akim doesn't turn in Allison's still-missing Stillwater necklace while serving up with his own version of events. He befriends a single mother, Virginie (Camille Cottin), and her eight-year-old daughter, Maya (Lilou Siauvaud), who help Bill through thick and thin in a land of foreign languages. Allison is gay, and people quote the media stories from her trial that focused on her sexuality more than the facts of the case. Dirosa, former law enforcement, explains to Bill how difficult this will be to find the young man if he hasnt already fled, and get a DNA sample and then match it to the unknown DNA left at the crime scene he has contacts at the police that can test it. The capper of Akim's tale comes when he claims Allison paid him for the deed with a gold necklace fit with a charm that said Stillwater. Home in Stillwater, Bill asks Allison about the necklace and she admits that she did give it to Akim but only wanted him to get Lina out of her apartment. Happy enough he was able to get his daughter out of the slammer, Bill chooses not to let the matter of the necklace lay as it was a gift he'd given Allison years earlier. did bill kill akim in stillwater - sfgreatsociety.org Bill and Virginie meet with the girl, who names the killer as Akim. Was Allison a monster? They go to the apartment where Virginie makes dinner for them at the table, Allison asks them if theyre sleeping together, embarrassing Bill. Running out of time, Bill goes to the prison and meets with Allison, who is confused and angry, and hurt about what is really going on. What Does The Post-Credits Scene Indicate? Bill returns to the rhythms of life, spending a lot of time with Maya and even going to one of Virginies plays (even though it is in French). In the heavy-handed "Stillwater," Matt Damon is an Oklahoman in - Salon But to be honest, none of us understands it completely. Knoxs father, Curt Knox, who worked in finance, spoke to the media about his daughters case, but he was not a cloak-and-dagger figure and her lone lifeline, so the Bill Baker character is basically a whole-cloth invention. But Lina was not ready to leave the apartment, and thus, in anger, Allison took drastic measures. [18], On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 75% based on 194 reviews, with an average rating of 6.6/10. brisbane bodybuilding competition 2021; Phone: cris collinsworth lawyer Email: craig@aichiaus.com We also hear a few uses each of a, bch, dk, dn and h. And Gods name is also misused three times. She tells Bill to take them to Allison to have her pick him out, but he refuses (since he doesnt want to reveal to Allison that LeParq isnt working on the case). He takes her to buy flowers and then to Linas grave, where Allison lays them. He waits and is finally allowed a visit with his daughter, Allison (Abigail Breslin), who has been convicted of murder. Bill tells Virginie that Allisons mother committed suicide and that she lived with her grandmother growing up because Bill was off working on oil rigs. This page was last edited on 24 April 2023, at 08:03. Because sometimes, the surprise spoiler ending is the only reason youd pay $11 to see what is otherwise a turkey of a film. 'Stillwater' ripples with realism in its story of a flawed father seeking redemption Bill Baker (Matt Damon) heads from Oklahoma to France to see his estranged daughter, in prison for a. Bill Baker (Academy Award-winner Matt Damon) is an unemployed oil rig roughneck from Oklahoma who has lived a hard life marred by drug and alcohol abuse. Theres additional tension in Allisons nationality: Despite her not actually coming from a family of much means, shes considered privileged because shes a white American university student. When he takes Maya to a football match, he spots Akim in the crowd. Akim tells Bill that Allison paid him to get rid of Lina with a "Stillwater" necklace. At first, she fights this, wanting to be better than her dad. "But it's a man who's wandered and lost, and really it's the women around him who help him open his mind and find the light." Handi Lina - Killed by Akim off-screen. To fully understand the ending of "Stillwater," it helps to revisit the fateful moment that set the action in motion. Matt Damon in Tom McCarthy's 'Stillwater': Film Review | Cannes 2021 The star plays an Oklahoma oil worker who travels to Marseille to help Abigail Breslin as his imprisoned daughter in this. Said moment comes early in the film, when Allison passes Bill a note written in French which portends she's heard a local man has been taking credit for the murder she was ultimately convicted of. In contrast, much of the plot of Stillwater is devoted to Bill Baker meeting and falling in love with a local hot lady while staying in Marseille for his daughter and her case. Stillwater switches out Perugia for Marseille, France, where American student Allison was charged with murdering Lina, a young woman of Arab descent with whom Allison both lived and was romantically involved at the time of her death. Meanwhile, Allison tells Bill that during a meeting with the judge about her potential parole one day a month, she saw someone from LeParqs office who wasnt sure about what she was referring to. Four months later, Bill is still in France, working construction. Most likely the dude (Akim) just hightailed it after he was released because he knew he was going to be a murder suspect. Stillwater Review: Matt Damon Brings Nuance to Tom McCarthy's Fish Out All contents She says Bill seems happy, but then she later warns Virginie to be careful, telling her a story of when Bill let all her mothers belongings get thrown away because he didnt pay the bill at the storage unit. Lilou Siauvaud as Maya, Virginie's daughter. Back at the hotel, the neighbor from the balcony, Virginie (Camille Cottin), comes over to thank Bill for helping her daughter Maya. She asks him if he agrees, and he says no it all looks completely different to him now. Combing through social media, Virginie and her girlfriend, Nedjma, print photos of people in the social circles of Allison and Lina. Once she falls asleep, Bill kidnaps Akim, duct tapes him to a chair, and locks him in the basement. Allison is released and gets a tattoo on her wrist of Linas name. Bill scoffs and leaves. Stillwater is a 2021 American crime drama film directed by Tom McCarthy. One night, Bill took Maya to the Olympique de Marseille game and spotted Akim there. Your guide to the latest plot twists and surprise endings, now playing at a theater near you! Well, nobody ever found the man or evidence proving that Allison was innocent. Bill asks the professor to translate for him, but he says he cannot be involved, even though he believes Allison could be innocent, simply because of the optics, and wishes him good luck. And whatever you make of his actions in France, it's made clear from the get-go Bill firmly believed everything he did was done on the side of virtue. Matt Damon in Stillwater (Jessica Forde/Focus Features). The letter asks LeParq to please investigate this lead since Bill surely cant be trusted to handle anything. That's because, in the course of Bill holding Akim hostage, the killer offered his captor an alternate account of how Allison's lover died, claiming he'd actually been contracted to kill the woman by Allison herself. Language is foul, Bill is nearly beaten to death by some thugs, Allison tries to kill herself and when Bill finally finds happiness in Virginie and Maya, he blows it by putting them in danger for his own vendetta. Realizing what happened, Virginie tells Bill to leave and he bids Maya a tearful goodbye. He recognizes that he had a good thing with Virginie and Maya. After all, the film isn't exactly about him falling in love, and this idea is what intrigued Cottin in the first place. But when he and Allison return home, Allison is resolved to live out her life as a screw-up. That task proves easy enough with a little social media sleuthing, though Bill's first encounter with the nefarious Akim (Idir Azougli) leaves him battered, bruised, and no closer to finding the truth. It went on to debut with $5.2 million, finishing fifth. Bill Baker (Matt Damon) is an oil rig worker in Stillwater, Oklahoma who has been laid off. Sweet Tooth Aimee Eden, Explained: Is Aimee Dead Or Alive? Allison stops speaking to him, but he stays in France and begins living with Virginie and her daughter Maya, who he takes care of and has bonded. He asks Virginie if its alright if Allison comes and visits, and she assures him it is. Stillwater is a 2021 American crime drama film directed by Tom McCarthy, based on a script he co-wrote with Marcus Hinchey, Thomas Bidegain and No Debr. However, convinced of his daughter's innocence, who has already served five long years of a nine-year prison sentence for the murder of her girlfriend, widowed Bill travels to the port city of Marseilles, France, to visit estranged Allison. When he returns home, Virginie comforts him, and the next day Maya sees they had fallen asleep in the same bed (still clothed in the clothes they were wearing last night). The film had its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival on July 8, 2021, and was released theatrically in the United States on July 30, 2021, by Focus Features. What Happens To Adam In The End? [11] It was filmed on location in Oklahoma and Marseille.[5][6]. Allison said Lina had been with another person that night, Akim. From Black Ending, Explained: Was Noah Dead Or Alive? To be honest a lot of it didn't really make any sense to me. Finally, he says Stillwater that the necklace said Stillwater. And, lets be frank, because sometimes that guy in Marketing whos such a jerk to everyone needs to be put in his placeand how better than to ruin the ending of the movie hes been looking forward to seeing for the past three weeks. In Knox and Sollecitos first trial in 2009, they were convicted of murder and sexual violence, among other charges, and sentenced to 26 and 25 years in prison, respectively. Kercher had been on exchange from a university in her native England to study there that fall and living with another exchange student, Amanda Knox, an American. [7][8][9] Camille Cottin was added to the cast in September. Parents, get practical information from a biblical worldview to help guide media decisions for your kids! Bill returns to LeParqs office to ask for help and is told by another person working there that LeParq was clear that they were done with the case. After a four-year ordeal in Italy, upon her release from prison, Amanda Knox got a heros welcome back to the United States in 2011. No, but she never accepted the truth, not until Bill brought up the Stillwater necklace, making her as flawed as any of us. He updates Virginie on the situation, and she agrees to contact the girl for him. Amanda Knox and Stillwater: What's real and invented in the Matt Damon Both people lie to each other and to the authorities. When he leaves, she stares at the basement door. 'Stillwater' Review: Matt Damon Gets to the Heart of How - Yahoo Bill has traveled to Marseille, in France, to try and free his daughter, Allison (Abigail Breslin), from prison. Four months later, Bill has remained in Marseille, renting a room in Virginie's apartment and working on a construction crew. Bill pays a private investigator to have a lock of Akim's hair tested against the crime scene's DNA evidence. He is taken to a hospital, where we see several bruises and cuts on his face. Review: 'Stillwater' (2021), starring Matt Damon - CULTURE MIX Where did it all go wrong for the Wild this time around? They hug each other goodbye and cry. He follows and kidnaps him, turning over a lock of hair to a private eye to confirm a DNA match with crime scene DNA. Allison is in Marseilles, which is the hometown of Edmond Dants in The Count of Monte Cristo. Brought to you by. They sleep together, and the next day Maya notices them being romantic together. Like the Knoxes, Bill Baker visits his daughter in prison in Marseille frequently, so much so that the staff at the hotel where he stays know him well. While Stillwater is a work of fiction, it might sound eerily similar to one of the most famous criminal cases of the past 20 years, the Amanda Knox story. Over the course of the film, viewers come to realize how strong her character really is, too. Through art, stories, and spirituality, we try to discover it. "[22] Simran Hans of The Observer gave the film a score of 3/5 stars, describing it as "a thoughtful, knotty character study, albeit one nestled inside a polished, and less interesting, action thriller. All Images property of their respective owners. He says that Allison paid him with a gold necklace, and Bill doesnt believe a word hes saying. But despite Allisons disdain and mistrust of her dad, she also recognizes that she isnt much different from him. Guede, whose fingerprints and DNA were found at the crime scene, opted for a fast-tracked trial and was convicted in 2008. While attending university in Marseille, Allison was convicted of killing her roommate and unfaithful lover, Lina.[5][6]. Bill and Virginie also establish a closer relationship and Bill finally thinks his life is back on track. The Knox family initially used airline miles, vacation time, and sick time to find a way for at least one family member to be in Italy to be with Amanda and attend her trial at every possible moment, and there were times when they lived there for stretches. Allison went abroad during school and when her girlfriend Lina was found murdered, Allison was charged in a case that became a big story. [10] Mychael Danna composed the film's score. With the help of Virginie, Bill digs out some concrete clues related to the case. She cries and asks if he hates her he tells her he could never, shes his daughter. After the police leave, Virginie demands that Bill move out for having put Maya at risk during Akim's abduction. A girl shouts at her mother. Bill picks Maya up from school and she asks him if hes going to kill the bad man. They go to a quiet place by the water, and Allison tells Bill about how she loved Lina but once she let her move in with her Lina started seeing other people and she felt so used, but she just wishes she could see her again right now. We learn that Bill used to have a drug and drinking problem, though he claims to be clean now. He says Americans have the same issue with the Mexican invasion. A friend of Virginies worries that Bill might be racist as well. He . The majority of the media attention focused on Knox and Sollecito in the Italy case, but there were a few other notable people who were investigated. In the end, Bill (in a marvelously internalized moment from Matt Damon) seems to conclude Allison's teary-eyed confession (and the inescapable guilt behind it) are enough of a punishment for the girl. It can be inferred that Bill has a bad image of his own mother since when told that when his mother calls his mother-in-law, he wonders if his mom just wanted money. Akim tells Bill that Allison paid him to get rid of Lina with a "Stillwater" necklace. Bill knocks a man out and kidnaps him, duct-taping him to a chair in a windowless basement. He tells her he loves her, and they sit on the porch and Allison says she cant believe how everything looks exactly the same. 'Stillwater' star Abigail Breslin: 'We never know how we're going to She's a student who is serving a 9-year sentence for murder. In the movie, it is mentioned that Bill once punched a journalist over frustration with the case and how his daughter was being treated. But as they both say, Life is brutal. And so is this film. [3][4], In the United States and Canada, Stillwater was released alongside Jungle Cruise and The Green Knight, and was projected to gross around $5 million from 2,531 theaters in its opening weekend. Virginie had already released Akim when Dirosa visited the building and inquired about the basement. The differences between Knoxs case and Stillwater run deepheres an inventory of the most major points where real life and fiction diverge, including some spoilers if you havent seen the movie. Is Ella Dead Or Alive. Stillwater Release Date: July 30, 2021 From Academy Award-winning filmmaker Tom McCarthy ( Spotlight) comes a drama about family, forgiveness and unconditional love. Akim approached Patricks outreach student, Souad, at a party. Yet, over the course of her life, she's also learned her limits. AMC THEATERS - LOEWS CINEPLEX - REGAL CINEMAS - CENTURY THEATERS. Stillwater (2021) - Plot - IMDb But as time goes on (the girl is in prison, after all), she seems to sadly accept that she and her dad are both very messed-up people, made even sadder by the fact that neither of them actually want to change. Lina had been cheating on Allison. Because sometimes, you fall asleep watching a mediocre rental, and would rather return it on time than pay two more bucks just to see the end. Bill knocks a man out and kidnaps him, duct-taping him to a chair in a windowless basement. Before Bill could search for the missing piece of the puzzle, Dirosa informed his seniors about Bill and his wild schemes. But even with such massive efforts, will Bill be able to prove his daughters innocence? Because sometimes, your trip ends before the in-flight movie does, and you really dont want to ask the pilot to circle the airport just so you can catch the finale. Furthermore, Bill endangers Virginie and Maya by kidnapping a man (while Maya sleeps in nearby car) and keeping him in their basement. Bill says he will handle it. Bill gets Virginie and Mayas address from the hotel staff and buys a toy that he brings to give to Maya. I am an Onstage Dramatist and a Screenwriter. Its unclear if she worked on improving her French while in prison or came into it with a good command of the language, but she can read and write in the language, and by the time she gets a parole day to spend away from prison, her French is good enough to impress the woman Bill is living with and her daughter. so just to confirm - Discuss Stillwater The Movie Database (TMDB) Horrified by his racism, Virginie leaves, refusing to talk to him anymore. When Allison discovers his deceit, she is heartbroken. 2023 Stillwater - MoviePooper Until now, Sharon has been paying regular visits to Allison, but this time, she pleads with Bill to see his daughter after four years. But thats about where the similarities end. Allison went abroad during school and when her girlfriend Lina was found murdered, Allison was charged in a case that became a big story. Camille Cottin Explains The Ending Of Stillwater - Exclusive. Allison breaks down and admits she hired Akim to evict Lina from their house after they had broken up, but claims that she did not intend for Lina to be killed, as Akim misunderstood her intentions to "put her out" of the apartment. Knox, too, was studying abroad when she. At 140 minutes, "Stillwater" spends a lot more time on Bill's new domestic situation with Virginie and Maya than viewers probably expect. When he takes Maya to a football match, he spots Akim in the crowd. Watch: Abigail Breslin feared she might kill Matt Damon in car scene. He follows him from the game to a restaurant, Maya with him the whole time. He ignores this and tells Allison that her lawyer is looking into it. Akim tells Bill that Allison had hired him to kill Lina and that she paid him with a gold necklace bearing the word "Stillwater". It becomes clear when Virginie asks about him hitting a reporter (Virginie read up on Allisons case) that Bill also had a serious substance abuse problem. He offers to help out with some of the plumbing and electric in her new apartment, and she accepts. Can the sad-eyed father forge new bonds with his long-lost child, and in the process, let the truth shine? Even as streaming platforms become more and more vital to movies being released at all, Hollywood studios continue to roll out major motion pictures boasting the "Only inTheaters" tag. 3 min read. Bill remembers the owner of the bar had seen him, and so Virginie and Bill go to meet with him. He visits his weary mother-in-law, Sharon, to inquire about his daughter, Allison (Abigail Breslin). Though Bill Baker is successfully able to prove his daughter's innocence and have her freed from her prison cell, he had to sacrifice a few things of his own to do so. He just tells her she needs to look at the photos to see if she can find Akim eventually, she does identify him. When Bill first moves in with Virginie, their relationship is platonic, and we even see Virginie kissing another man (and later hear that she spent the night with him). Bill meets with Allison who is eager to know what LeParq had to say. Virginie who let Akim go sends Maya to her room and demands the truth from Bill. Because sometimes, you vaguely remember an old movie that had some sort of plot twist at the end of it, but cant remember what it was. Men and women kiss each other on both cheeks in the traditional French greeting. When shown the pictures of the kids, mostly middle eastern immigrants, the bar owner compares them to Mexicans in America and says he will lie and say its any one of them because they are all guilty of something. When Bill goes down to check on him again, Akim pleads with him to let him go and that he was only doing what Allison wanted him to do. In Stillwater, Allison says that the night Lina was murdered, she had drinks with a man named Akim, who then stole Allisons purse and killed Lina. When Knox initially questioned by police about the case, she implicated Patrick Lumumba, her boss at a bar where she worked part time. Bill also prays earnestly for Allison both when shes in prison and later when she lands in the hospital for a short time. Bill sneaks a letter out of prison for Allison. 'Stillwater' ripples with realism in its story of a flawed father Allison has been in jail for years now and years more to go. did bill kill akim in stillwater - Kazuyasu The site's critics consensus reads, "Stillwater isn't perfect, but its thoughtful approach to intelligent themes and strong performances from its leads give this timely drama a steadily building power. (Future scenes show them waking up in bed together, implying that they are having sex.). "There are values that she strongly and firmly defends over her personal interest, and that's who she is," Cottin explained. Leparq meets with Bill to tell him that new proof will allow the case to be reopened, with a DNA test exonerating Allison, but is confused by Bill's numb reaction. They painted her as the devilish American lesbian who killed her girlfriend in a fit of rage. He finally meets with a private detective, Dirosa (Moussa Maaskri), who reads the letter. I have been working in the Indian Film Industry for the past 8 years, majorly writing dialogues for various films and television shows. Afterward, they have dinner, and they both admit they might like to take their relationship to a new level. Allison is also eventually released after some questionable heroics from Bill and receives a town fair upon her return to Oklahoma. He goes to see Allison and confesses the truth, that LeParq wouldnt help so he was doing it himself, and it worked, he found Akim. The goal of /r/Movies is to provide an inclusive place for discussions and news about films with major releases. He was initially given a sentence of 30 years, but it was reduced over time, and he was eventually released in 2020 and told he could finish his sentence through community service. There is no public record of Curt Knox falling in love with a local hot lady while spending time in Italy to visit his daughter and support her during her trial. This article contains spoilers about the film "Stillwater.". They both confirm for her that they arent. Victims. In a brutal life, I guess having a grayish persona in a rapidly dying world is quite acceptable. He brings Dirosa, who he pays, some of Akims hair to do the DNA test. Those two facts might initially seem in conflict with each other: I dont think Damon would make any casting directors wish list for the role of a female college student whos been charged with killing her roommate, being that he is both male and 50 years old. With no one else to put her in the care of, Bill signs the paperwork vouching to supervise her. Camille Cottin Explains The Ending Of Stillwater - Exclusive He warns her not to lie and threatens to take Bill to jail, but Maya again says yesterday, and the police leave. Unsettled by that information, Bill still manages to shrug off the tale, a fact made all the easier when the DNA evidence he obtained proves Akim indeed did the killing. Of course, that secret being kept is hardly a certainty as the film ends with Akim still on the loose. She says hes a fuck-up, just like she (Allison) is. Akim misunderstood Allison because of her poor knowledge of French Language and killed Lina. After Virginie finds out what (or, in this case, who) Bill Baker has been keeping hostage in the basement, she immediately ends her relationship with him. A few people are rude to Bill and pretend they dont speak English to avoid him. Still, she didnt intend on killing her. [12] It was scheduled to be released in the U.S. on November 6, 2020,[10][13] but was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic[14] until July 30, 2021. Though all of this seems to scream Trump supporter, the movie avoids stating the characters political views: When another character asks him who he voted for in the U.S. presidential election, he says he didnt vote at all, on account of being a felon. Stillwater (film) - Wikipedia At the hotel, Bill gets help from a staff member to look up the professors information. He claimed to have stabbed a girl years ago and got away with it. A couple pulls a family Bible from the wreckage of a tornado. So goes the morally murky human drama that is "Stillwater.". When the movie begins, Akim has never been found, but Allison believes tracking him down and testing his DNA could exonerate her. Home in Stillwater, Bill asks Allison about the necklace and she admits that she did give it to Akim but only wanted him to get Lina out of her apartment. When her lawyer wont take the case, Bill begins investigating on his own with the help of a local woman, Virginie (Camille Cottin), eventually locating Akim but losing him. A father travels from Oklahoma to France to help his estranged daughter, who is in prison for a murder she claims she didn't commit. An ex-police officer, Dirosa, offered to help Bill find Akim, but he demanded 12 thousand euros in exchange for his service. Virginie and her friend, Nedjma, stalked Souads Instagram profile. Meanwhile, Sharon calls Bill wondering how much LeParq is going to cost now she says she talked to Allison and Allison said they hired her again. Bill was on a hunt to track down Akim and get his DNA so it could be compared to the unknown DNA found on the crime scene. Allison is hopeful that Leparq will accept her request and help her investigate Akim. The accused woman in "Stillwater" is Allison, who's introduced in her mid-20s after spending five years imprisoned for the murder of her French-Arab girlfriend, Lina, years earlier. Virginie explains that she and Maya are staying in the hotel for a few days because they are moving apartments and the new one isnt ready. Total - 2 All Women; Kill Counts. He helps her out around the house, and she gives him some items to bring to his daughter who he is set to visit. Theres something to be said for wanting to get Allison out of prison, but the truth is, her hands arent entirely clean. Fear not, we're here to help you understand the ending of "Stillwater.". But his methods are somewhat lacking. Bills answers make no sense, so she says shes going to call LeParq as Bill pleads with her not to. In 'Stillwater,' Matt Damon Finds the Humanity in a Trumper - Variety