Serena (2014 film)
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Theatrical release poster
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| Directed by | Susanne Bier |
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| Written by | Christopher Kyle |
| Based on |
Serena by Ron Rash |
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| Music by | Johan Söderqvist |
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109 minutes |
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| Language | English French |
| Budget | $25–30 million |
| Box office | $3.9 million |
Serena is a 2014 American–French drama film based on the 2008 novel of the same name by American author Ron Rash. Directed by Susanne Bier, the film stars Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper as newlyweds running a timber business in 1930s North Carolina.
In Depression-era North Carolina, George Pemberton is an ambitious timber baron who meets Serena Shaw, a young woman with a sad past. He falls in love with her, they marry, and Serena comes with George to his land. There, she starts taking control of things, dominating George, but still being affectionate towards him.
George's business partner Buchanan feels threatened by her, as she begins to exceed his authority. Things grow worse between George and Buchanan, and Buchanan strikes a deal with the local sheriff, who wants to buy George's land to make a park. George is hurt by Buchanan's betrayal, and Serena convinces George that Buchanan was never his friend.
The next day, they both go shooting alone in the forest, and after some snide remarks from Buchanan, George gives in, and shoots him in the chest. Campbell, George's worker, witnesses the murder, but denies it when Sheriff McDowell inquires. The death is ruled an accident. Serena consoles George and justifies his actions.
They make love frequently, and soon Serena discovers she is pregnant. George is excited and enthusiastic for a child.
He sees his illegitimate son, Jacob, one day, posing with his mother, Rachel, for a picture. He feels responsible for the boy, and since Rachel never asked for anything, he begins giving sums of money in envelopes to her for Jacob. Serena remains unaware of this, though she does consider Rachel and the baby a threat.
One day, an accident occurs in the forest, and Galloway, a mysterious worker who has a complicated friendship with Serena, loses his hand. Serena rushes to help him, and rides a horse. She suffers a miscarriage that night because of excessive exertion, and learns that she can never again bear children. Things continue to grow worse, and Rachel's baby becomes more obvious to Serena.
While Serena and George are away in the city, Campbell finds ledgers in the safe when he goes to collect the money for payday, and presents them to the Sheriff, preparing to testify that George has been giving bribes to the senator and that he saw George shoot Buchanan deliberately. Arriving back from a party in the city, where Serena attempts to make George jealous by dancing with another man after getting drunk, the couple discover that Campbell has taken the ledgers, and realise that he could potentially ruin them.
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