OK, I clicked the spoiler box just to be safe. I don't think this review spoils, but just to be on the safe side, OK?
First, this is not a movie you can have on the player while you are doing other stuff. This requires concentration. You have to really sit and watch this movie to pick up all the nuances. This is a good thing, because when you walk away from it you will have looked inside. You may even feel uplifted. Or depressed. Or perhaps just grateful that you are intellectual enough to grasp all of what's there. :-)
At first, I was a little let down at the end, but after reflecting on it for a little and getting in touch with my feelings I find it to be actually a brilliant portrayal of the ties (and sometimes shame) that can bind people to family and home and the unfortunate reality of how sometimes even people who love each other have a hard time finding a common ground on which to come together. I actually went and bought the DVD and have watched this film a few times. Every time I see it, I see the brilliance of not only Tag Purvis' portrayal of rural, southern life, but also the brilliant direction and acting by all involved. As far as the art of film-making goes, this has got to be one of the most under-appreciated and under-rated films of all time, as far as I am concerned.
Karen Black was fantastic, as usual. Everyone else did a great job as well. These characters are people you feel comfortable with, like you know them yourself. Excellent screenplay, but as you watch it, try not to read too much between the lines. Instead, try to see the author's meanings for what is readily apparent, not abstract. In many ways this has a very Tennessee Williams feeling to it, sometimes a bit dreamy and surreal and very intellectually deep and thought provoking. It puts you in touch with who you are. This film does an excellent job of creating the mood, again, thanks to the excellent screenplay, direction and acting. I really felt like I was there in the swamp country in the middle of a long, hot, lazy summer. Not many films can transport you into their setting so well and I must say that is one of the strong points of this film. The ending was different than what I expected, which was very refreshing.
This is a film to watch twice for the full effect. When I first saw this, it seemed a little chopped in places to me, but I think that is because there is so much to absorb, not due to bad cutting. The second time you watch it, everything is just THERE, and you just want to say, "Oh My God! Why didn't this have an Oscar nomination?" (I think it's because this film is a few years ahead of its time as an indie film, but that's another discussion.)
If you're the kind of person who likes to talk about movies afterward, make sure to watch it with someone else because it is thought provoking.
On a side note: I won't spoil the ending but I would like to say I'm glad that Griffith found unconditional love and acceptance by his family in dealing with his sexuality issues. Many gay people aren't that fortunate. The characters, Griffith and Lee are very respectful persons and it's always encouraging to see a film that portrays gay people in a positive light instead of negative (such as Circuit, which is another great film that touches on the really dark side of the gay lifestyle). Agreeable that just as with any group there are some gay people who are lewd, irresponsible, narcissistic, immature jerks and they tend to give all gays a bad name and a bad stereotype because they are not seen for the jerks they are, but rather an association is made because they are gay. However, there are, in fact, many gay people of character and high values, and who strive to live by high moral standards and a code of ethics and decency toward others. The characters of Griffith and Lee exemplify this. I like to hope that they are the rule and not the exception.
First, this is not a movie you can have on the player while you are doing other stuff. This requires concentration. You have to really sit and watch this movie to pick up all the nuances. This is a good thing, because when you walk away from it you will have looked inside. You may even feel uplifted. Or depressed. Or perhaps just grateful that you are intellectual enough to grasp all of what's there. :-)
At first, I was a little let down at the end, but after reflecting on it for a little and getting in touch with my feelings I find it to be actually a brilliant portrayal of the ties (and sometimes shame) that can bind people to family and home and the unfortunate reality of how sometimes even people who love each other have a hard time finding a common ground on which to come together. I actually went and bought the DVD and have watched this film a few times. Every time I see it, I see the brilliance of not only Tag Purvis' portrayal of rural, southern life, but also the brilliant direction and acting by all involved. As far as the art of film-making goes, this has got to be one of the most under-appreciated and under-rated films of all time, as far as I am concerned.
Karen Black was fantastic, as usual. Everyone else did a great job as well. These characters are people you feel comfortable with, like you know them yourself. Excellent screenplay, but as you watch it, try not to read too much between the lines. Instead, try to see the author's meanings for what is readily apparent, not abstract. In many ways this has a very Tennessee Williams feeling to it, sometimes a bit dreamy and surreal and very intellectually deep and thought provoking. It puts you in touch with who you are. This film does an excellent job of creating the mood, again, thanks to the excellent screenplay, direction and acting. I really felt like I was there in the swamp country in the middle of a long, hot, lazy summer. Not many films can transport you into their setting so well and I must say that is one of the strong points of this film. The ending was different than what I expected, which was very refreshing.
This is a film to watch twice for the full effect. When I first saw this, it seemed a little chopped in places to me, but I think that is because there is so much to absorb, not due to bad cutting. The second time you watch it, everything is just THERE, and you just want to say, "Oh My God! Why didn't this have an Oscar nomination?" (I think it's because this film is a few years ahead of its time as an indie film, but that's another discussion.)
If you're the kind of person who likes to talk about movies afterward, make sure to watch it with someone else because it is thought provoking.
On a side note: I won't spoil the ending but I would like to say I'm glad that Griffith found unconditional love and acceptance by his family in dealing with his sexuality issues. Many gay people aren't that fortunate. The characters, Griffith and Lee are very respectful persons and it's always encouraging to see a film that portrays gay people in a positive light instead of negative (such as Circuit, which is another great film that touches on the really dark side of the gay lifestyle). Agreeable that just as with any group there are some gay people who are lewd, irresponsible, narcissistic, immature jerks and they tend to give all gays a bad name and a bad stereotype because they are not seen for the jerks they are, but rather an association is made because they are gay. However, there are, in fact, many gay people of character and high values, and who strive to live by high moral standards and a code of ethics and decency toward others. The characters of Griffith and Lee exemplify this. I like to hope that they are the rule and not the exception.