The Chronicles of the Bakers

Author(s): Ali Ahmed
Location: Kingdom of Bahrain

“The Chronicles Of The Bakers”

Directed by: Sam Mendes
Written by: Charlie Kauffman
Produced by: Steven Spielberg, Kathleen Kennedy, Brian Grazer
Cinematography: Janusz Kaminski
Original Score: Rachel Portman
Original Song:" Count on Me" Beyonce & Josh Groban

Principal Cast:

John Baker: Haley Joel Osment
Martha Baker: Meryl Streep
Neil Baker: Harrison Ford
Julie Baker: Emma Watson
Thomas Brady: Jake Gyllenhaal
Angela Williams: Evan Rachel Wood
Coach Mills: Chris Cooper
Mrs. Porter: Gillian Anderson
Nicole Cox: Eva Longoria

Tagline: “Nothing is ever what it seems to be …"

Synopsis: Neil Baker was a successful broker with his own firm and a big mansion .His wife was the perfect housewife who sought perfection in everything. His son John Baker was the star of the basketball team. His daughter was a lovely 'A' student. Everything seemed to be 'PERFECT' … or was it really??!

The Baker household was the ultimate example of a family with issues. Mr. Neil Baker is having an affair with his hot secretary, Nicole Cox .When Martha eventually finds out, she is severely devastated and starts suffering from a severe case of depression as her perfect universe have just been shattered. Demands for separation by Neil follow as he gets 'tired' of the soap that Martha has been running for the past 20 years. Martha becomes vindictive and decides to play tit for tat as she starts having another affair with a very much younger male, Thomas Brady, an employee of her husband. All of this just puts John and Julie in a situation that they didn’t ask for. As if they didn’t have enough on their plate already now they have to contend with the bitter tension at home. John has to work on maintaining his relationship with his high maintenance girlfriend, Angela Phillips, and work with his Basketball team and his loathing coach; Mr. Mills. The strong-willed Julie on the other hand, has to take care of her mother, manage to show up to the school's production of Hamlet, find a time slot to fit in her school work and keep on showing that she is in control even though she is on the verge of cracking.

What the press would say:

If anything is certain this season, it is surely the fact that "The Chronicles of the Bakers" is this season's award magnet. Nothing is more welcomed in Tinseltown than a feature comeback by a child star. Haley Joel Osment turns a new page for himself and his talents in Hollywood. Fresh from her turn as the devil incarnate in the Devil wears Prada, Meryl Streep takes the role of a vindictive depressed mother and plays it with utmost ease. The real surprise is that Emma Watson (Hermione from the Harry Potter series) takes a probably similar role and yet completely transforms it into a completely different character than what the audiences are accustomed to see. Harrison Ford delivers as the cheating dad and Evan Rachel Wood stars as the mean girlfriend. Eva Longoria plays the hot secretary with vigor and Jake Gyllenhaal romances his boss's wife as if it was a piece of cake. Gillian Anderson and Chris Cooper round off a wonderful cast in brilliant turns as the caring school teacher and the coach you love to hate respectively.

Sam Mendes successfully blows a spirit in the latest work of Charlie Kauffman and delivers his greatest work up to date since American Beauty.

"Two thumbs up ..."Ebert and Roeper
"Kudos to Sam Mendes who puts on the silver screen a heartfelt dramedy" New York Times
"Meryl Streep manages to break another record; her own. One of the years best performances." Los Angeles Times

For your consideration:

Best Picture
Best Director: Sam Mendes
Best Screenplay: Charlie Kauffman
Best Actor: Haley Joel Osment
Best Actress: Meryl Streep,
Best Supporting Actor: Harrison Ford, Chris Cooper, Jake Gyllenhaal
Best Supporting Actress: Emma Watson, Gillian Anderson, Eva Longoria
Best Original Score: Rachel Portman
Best Original Song: Beyonce & Josh Groban
Best Cinematography: Janusz Kaminski
Best Costume Design: Sandy Powell
Best Ensemble (SAG Awards)