The Impossible

Year:

2013

Duration:

114 min

Genres:

Drama | Thriller

IMDB rate:

7.6

Director:

J.A. Bayona

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 27 wins & 61 nominations

Details

Country: Spain

Release Date: 2013-01-04

Filming Locations: Khao Lak Orchid Beach Resort, Phang Nga, Thailand

Earnings

Opening Weekend: HUF 10,333,220 (Hungary) (6 January 2013)

Gross: $18,996,755 (USA) (14 April 2013)

Cast

Actor

Character

Ploy Jindachote

The Impossible

Naomi Watts

Maria

Ewan McGregor

Henry

Tom Holland

Lucas

Samuel Joslin

Thomas

Oaklee Pendergast

Simon

Marta Etura

Simone

Sönke Möhring

Karl

Geraldine Chaplin

Old Woman

Jomjaoi Sae-Limh

Red Cross Nurse

Johan Sundberg

Daniel

Jan Roland Sundberg

Daniel's Father

La-Orng Thongruang

Old Thai Man

Tor Klathaley

Young Thai Man

Douglas Johansson

Mr. Benstrom

Emilio Riccardi

Morten Benstrom

Vorarat Jutakeo

Doctor in Stockroom

Karun Konsaman

Young Nurse in Stockroom

Nicola Harrison

Woman in charge of Simon and Thomas

John Albasiny

Oliver Tudpole

Gitte Witt

Norwegian Patient

Bruce Blain

American Tourist

Celicia Arnold

American Tourist's Wife

Peter Tuinstra

American Tourist on Orchid Roof

Esther Davis

Volunteer in Children's Tent

Dominic Power

Tourist Near the Orchid

Sarinrat Thomas

Operating Nurse

Oak Keerati

Orchid Male Employee

Wipawee Charoenpura

Woman in Children's Minibus

Laura Power

Young Nurse in Airplane

Kowit Wattanakul

Henry's Pick-up Driver

Zoe Popham

Tourist in Henry's Pick-up

Danai Thiengdham

Tourist in Henry's Pick-up

Ronnie Eide

Tourist in Henry's Pick-up

Bonnie Zellerbach

Tourist at Bus Station (as Bonnie Jo Hutchinson)

Jean-Loup Pilblad

Tourist at Bus Station

Frank Gun

Tourist at Bus Station

Giovani Agresti

Tourist Looking for Francesca

Georgina L. Baert

Person Looking for Relatives

David Bruce

Person Looking for Relatives

Natalie Lorence

Person Looking for Relatives

Sverre Golten

Person Looking for Relatives

Clare Louise Plunkett

Person Looking for Relatives

Raphaël Dewaerseghers

Naked Man

Pisamai Pakdeevijit

Thai Family in Stockroom

Aratchporn Satead

Thai Family in Stockroom

Jakapong Srichaem

Thai Family in Stockroom

Simon Blyberg

Ferdinand

Christopher Alan Byrd

Dieter

Namfon Pakdee

Orchid Female Employee

Georgina Winters

Patient in Takua Pa Hospital

Dina Kiseleva

Patient in Takua Pa Hospital

Tan Demir

Patient in Takua Pa Hospital

Krittanai Youngtrakull

Emergency Nurse

Takashi Hasegawa

Japanese Tourist

Kristen Mandel

Redheaded Woman

Sam Holland

Kid in the Tent

Harry Holland

Kid in the Tent

Mara García García

Kid in the Car

Russell Geoffrey Banks

Newly wed (uncredited)

Vanesa de la Haza

(uncredited)

Philippe Durand

Shanque (uncredited)

David Firestar

Hospital Volunteer (uncredited)

Byron Gibson

Staring man at airport (uncredited)

Olivia Jackson

Woman by the pool (uncredited)

Marco Naddei

Young Bus Stop Survivor (uncredited)

Desmond O'Neill

Lost Man at Hospital (uncredited)

Anteo Quintavalle

Rescue Volunteer (uncredited)

Did you know?

Trivia

According to Naomi Watts, the producers of the film heard an interview on Spanish radio where the family told their story of surviving the Tsunami and decided to make a film based on it.

Share this

For the underwater scenes, Naomi Watts was strapped in a rotating chair. While filming, Watts couldn't hold her breath any longer and she gave the 'stop' sign. Instead of stopping, the chair started spinning the other way around. Later it was revealed that it was a technical error and Watts stated the she felt very scared and hated the chair for that reason.

Share this

This movie has been one of the latest produced at the so called "Ciudad de la Luz" studios (City of Light studios), in Spain. At October 2012 this complex announced its immediate closure due to the small number of productions that have taken place in the studios.

Share this

Goofs

When Henry is first shown after the tsunami hits, his hair is dry and mostly neat. He immediately starts calling for Lucas and Maria, and his hair all of a sudden is very wet.

Share this

In the hospital, where Thomas and Henry talking, the ceiling fan at the top left is off. In the next shot, the ceiling fan is on.

Share this

When we first see Henry after the tsunami, his hair is dry and neat. A few seconds later his hair is wet.

Share this

Quotes

Old Woman: Some of those stars have been burnt out for a long, long time. They're dead, but once they were so bright that their light is still travelling through space. We can still see them.

Share this

Maria: You're so bossy.

Share this

Bellhop: And you, you don't work? Maria: I'm a doctor. I'm not practicing right now. Just taking care of the kids.

Share this

Faq

Q

Why were Maria and Lucas hit by a second wave coming from the opposite direction to the first wave?

A

It didn't come from the opposite direction. After they got hit by the first wave, the water changes direction and flows back into the ocean, meaning that the second wave was also coming from the ocean. This is unclear in the film, yes, but with a little common sense, this can be deduced. Think about how waves break normally on a beach: the wave comes in and washes on the shore and is pulled back out, what's called "undertow". The same principle applied in this scene only on a much larger scale.

Q

What's the long, stringy thing Maria pulls out of her mouth when she's vomiting?

A

Most likely it's a piece of seaweed. Though we don't see what happens, a piece of seaweed had somehow forced its way down her throat while she was struggling underwater. The force of the water rushing inland had probably filled Maria's throat faster than she could realize and a lot of water was forced into her stomach with the seaweed.

Share this