Bill (Michael Sheen) and Kate (Maria Bello) have waited until their 18-year-old son Sam (Kyle Gallner) has gone off to college to try a separation. Bill is looking for an apartment. They talk to their son on the phone and all seems to be well with him. The next day they are stunned by the news that a Columbine-style shooting has taken place at his college. They are unable to reach Sam. When the police arrive at their home, Kate and Bill learn that their son is dead. But it turns out that he was the shooter and that he turned his gun on himself after killing many of his classmates.
This middle-aged couple do not have much time to grieve since the media arrive in large numbers and camp outside their home. They find a refuge at the home of Kate's brother (Alan Tudyk), his wife (Moon Bloodgood), and their eight-year-old son. But as their mourning mingles with anger, they both get edgier. Bill yearns to get back to work. She is a proofreader for a publishing company and has a brief meeting with a young author as a break from her routine at her brother's place.
Shawn Ku directs this intense and well-acted drama with a keen sense of the unusual mix of guilt, loss, bafflement, and rage that Kate and Bill feel. When the most volatile emotions surface, the couple scream at each other letting out all their anger. How did they fail Sam? Bill blames Kate for being too controlling and critical. She blames him for being the archetypal absent father, more dedicated to his work than to their son. After moving into a hotel room, they binge on liquor, junk food, and sex. But afterwards Kate and Bill must deal with selling their house, his return to work, and the trial separation.
Several films, including Bowling for Columbine and Elephant, have offered enlightening insights into school shootings but this is the first one to focus on the plight of the shooter's parents. The strong and focused performances of Maria Bello and Michael Sheen carry this poignant drama into our hearts and minds with a fierce integrity and authenticity.
Special features on the DVD include an audio commentary featuring director Shawn Ku, director of photography Michael Fimognari, and editor Chad Galston; and deleted scenes.