Enduring Love (film)

Enduring Love
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Roger Michell
Produced by	Kevin Loader
Screenplay by	Joe Penhall
Based on	Enduring Love by Ian McEwan
Starring	Daniel Craig Rhys Ifans Samantha Morton Bill Nighy
Music by	Jeremy Sams
Cinematography	Haris Zambarloukos
Distributed by	Pathe Pictures Paramount Vantage
Release date	2004
Running time	100 minutes
Language	English

Enduring Love is a 2004 British film directed by Roger Michell with screenwriter Joe Penhall, based on the novel of the same name by Ian McEwan. The story concerns two strangers who become dangerously close after witnessing a deadly accident. It stars Daniel Craig, Rhys Ifans and Samantha Morton with Bill Nighy, Susan Lynch and Corin Redgrave.

On a beautiful cloudless day, a couple are celebrating their love with a picnic. Joe (Daniel Craig) has planned a picture-perfect afternoon in the English countryside with his partner, Claire (Samantha Morton); but, as Joe and Claire prepare to open a bottle of champagne, their idyll comes to an abrupt end. A hot air balloon drifts into the field, obviously in trouble. The pilot catches his leg in the anchor rope, while the only passenger, a boy, is too scared to jump down. Joe and three other men rush to secure the basket. Just as they grab on, wind rushes into the field, and at once the rescuers are airborne. Joe manages to drop to the ground, as do the others, except for one (Lee Sheward) who is lifted skywards. As all watch this strangely beautiful sight, they see the man fall to his death. Recalling the day's events at dinner with his friends Robin (Bill Nighy) and Rachel (Susan Lynch), and Claire, Joe reveals the impact the incident has had on his battered psyche. The balloon eventually landed safely, the boy unscathed. Joe later goes to retrieve the body of the fallen man with fellow rescuer Jed Parry (Rhys Ifans). Jed feels an instant connection with Joe—one that, as the weeks go by, becomes ever more intense.

Days after the incident, Joe, feeling guilt, spends a lot of time trying to map out ways that could have saved the man who fell to his death. One day, while drawing diagrams of how the day could have ended differently, he receives an odd phone call from Jed, telling him to come outside so that they can talk about what happened on the field. Joe looks out the window and sees Jed standing across the road from his house staring up at Joe's window. Joe is reluctant but Jed promises that he will leave Joe alone if he just comes outside and talks to him about what happened that day. After Jed makes some comments that make Joe uneasy, he decides to leave, telling Jed to leave him alone. Not too long after this, Joe visits a local bookshop and out of nowhere Jed makes an appearance, appearing to have followed Joe to the bookshop. Joe is confused and angered by this and tells Jed that he doesn't want to see him at all. Jed is hurt by this and continues to tell Joe to 'be brave' and admit what passed between them at the field. Then Jed leaves Joe and says, "don't let me down, not like you let him [the man who fell from the balloon] down".