Stillwater

Bill Baker is an Oklahoma oil field worker who travels to Marseille to visit his estranged daughter, Allison, who sits in a French prison for a murder she says she did not commit. The film follows Bill as he tries to bridge two worlds marked by language gaps and different legal systems, all while protecting his daughter from a distant and indifferent process. He makes a home for himself in a city that is unfamiliar in smell, sound, and pace, forging unlikely bonds and learning that exoneration may depend as much on intuition and persistence as on official rulings. Without revealing key twists, the story observes a man driven by love and stubborn resolve. Along the way he forms connections with a Marseille community of workers, lawyers, and neighbors who shape his understanding of the city. The film leans into observational scenes that emphasize mood, place, and the slow pressure of unresolved questions. Bill also struggles with homesickness and the weight of his choices, under Marseille skies.

Directed by Tom McCarthy, Stillwater is built from an original screenplay by Marcus Hinchey, Noé Debré and Thomas Bidegain rather than a book adaptation.

Worldwide gross was $19,754,272 against a $20,000,000 budget, placing it in the modest range for a drama of its scale in limited release.

Critics generally praised the film for its restrained mood and Matt Damon's committed performance while noting its slow burn keeps the focus on character over spectacle. The central themes revolve around parental devotion, cross border empathy, and the ethics of intervention in a foreign justice system.

While not a mainstream cultural phenomenon, Stillwater has sparked discussion about immigration and the moral ambiguities of helping someone accused in a different legal landscape. Its quiet realism and intimate focus give audiences room to reflect on family, loyalty, and responsibility.