Martin Bonner has just moved to Nevada from the East Coast, leaving behind his two adult children and a life he spent more than two decades building.Martin Bonner has just moved to Nevada from the East Coast, leaving behind his two adult children and a life he spent more than two decades building.Martin Bonner has just moved to Nevada from the East Coast, leaving behind his two adult children and a life he spent more than two decades building.
- Awards
- 8 wins & 5 nominations
Tom Baughman
- Presbyterian Pastor
- (as Rev. Tom Baughman)
Jan Cortez-Soule
- Angela Helms
- (as Jan Haley)
Felix Danger
- Speed Dater
- (as Felix Polanski)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaDuring the speed-dating scene, Martin mentions that he was once in a rock band called Kopyrite ("with a K"). Actor Paul Eenhoorn was in fact in a band called Kopyrite; their song "Genevieve," which Eeehoorn wrote, is featured on the soundtrack.
- GoofsEarly in the film, when Bonner is leaving the auction with the lamp he bought, as he approaches his car, the edge of the front license plate holder is visible, but doesn't have a Nevada plate. Nevada law requires a front license plate if there is a holder for it on the vehicle.
- ConnectionsFeatured in The 2014 Film Independent Spirit Awards (2014)
- SoundtracksThoughts for a Newly Old Lover
Written and Performed by Roman Candle
Courtesy of Bill and Mary Music
Featured review
No, "This Is Martin Bonner" doesn't have any space ships, murdering computers, murdering apes or 20-minute acid trips, but something about it reminds me of the epic 2001: A Space Odyssey. I think it's the way it approaches the concept of "god", like 2001, presenting the audience with a vision that each person may interpret in a different way.
"This Is Martin Bonner" is a seemingly uneventful 3 days in the lives of Martin Bonner, a Christian social worker who helps ex-convicts adjust to civilian life, and Travis, an ex-con who has just been released. There is a recurring religious angle that pops up occasionally (Martin Bonner was an ex priest who lost his faith), but it's presented in an objective way which allows us to see it the way we want to see it. It neither preaches nor bashes the Christian religion but instead takes us straight up the middle. Like 2001, it presents a powerful message that may be interpreted as spiritual or mundane, godly or existentialistically. But whichever way you take it, there *is* a message.
It's hard to say anything more without injecting my own subjective spin, so I won't. I'll just say this is a slow-moving film with many pauses for reflection, many questions, many answers, and characters whom you generally like. There are no villains, no traditional conflicts other than those each character individually faces within his heart. There are certainly no car chases or shootouts, so if you're looking for that, this ain't the place. But if you're looking for a deep slice of life, then here it is.
I would compare this to other quiet yet powerful films like "About Schmidt" with Jack Nicholson, Wim Wenders' "Paris Texas" and maybe the French "I've Loved You So Long". If you like films that touch on religious themes without coming on too strong in either direction, this fits right alongside the excellent "Sympathy for Delicious" (about a young priest and his faithless rockstar buddy) and "Into Temptation" (about a naïve priest trying to stop a prostitute's suicide).
"This Is Martin Bonner" is a seemingly uneventful 3 days in the lives of Martin Bonner, a Christian social worker who helps ex-convicts adjust to civilian life, and Travis, an ex-con who has just been released. There is a recurring religious angle that pops up occasionally (Martin Bonner was an ex priest who lost his faith), but it's presented in an objective way which allows us to see it the way we want to see it. It neither preaches nor bashes the Christian religion but instead takes us straight up the middle. Like 2001, it presents a powerful message that may be interpreted as spiritual or mundane, godly or existentialistically. But whichever way you take it, there *is* a message.
It's hard to say anything more without injecting my own subjective spin, so I won't. I'll just say this is a slow-moving film with many pauses for reflection, many questions, many answers, and characters whom you generally like. There are no villains, no traditional conflicts other than those each character individually faces within his heart. There are certainly no car chases or shootouts, so if you're looking for that, this ain't the place. But if you're looking for a deep slice of life, then here it is.
I would compare this to other quiet yet powerful films like "About Schmidt" with Jack Nicholson, Wim Wenders' "Paris Texas" and maybe the French "I've Loved You So Long". If you like films that touch on religious themes without coming on too strong in either direction, this fits right alongside the excellent "Sympathy for Delicious" (about a young priest and his faithless rockstar buddy) and "Into Temptation" (about a naïve priest trying to stop a prostitute's suicide).
Details
Box office
- Budget
- $42,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $13,888
- Gross worldwide
- $13,888
- Runtime1 hour 23 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 16:9 HD
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Top Gap
By what name was This Is Martin Bonner (2013) officially released in Canada in English?
Answer