I feel a bit of a fraud, did a hit and run with my first review in ages, came back a month later and...
I feel a bit of a fraud, did a hit and run with my first review in ages, came back a month later and you've given me a diamond. I should get back into this, I've been so lazy recently your generous accolade could be just the encouragement I needed. Zx
Member since:04.07.2000
Reviews:89
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Far From Heaven is a beautifully made piece of cinema. Todd Haynes delivers a perfectly crafted homage to 1950's melodramas with a twist of 2000's disfunction.
Julianne Moore stars as Cathy Whitaker the model housewife living in suburban late fifties Hartford Connecticut. To the world around her Cathy and her husband Frank (Dennis Quaid) have the perfect marriage, family, home and life.
Cracks begin to appear when Cathy gets a late night call from the police and has to bail her husband out after he is 'mistaken' for a 'loiterer'. The true extent of Frank's 'loitering' is quickly revealed and Cathy's perfect world starts to fall apart.
Cathy finds comfort in the most unlikely of places when her black gardener Raymond Deagon (Dennis Haysbert) catches her crying. The two start to form a friendship under the prying eyes of Cathy's dissaproving friends and neighbours. What starts out as harmless jibes soon turns to hateful gossip, whilst what started out as friendship blossoms into something more.
This is a real joy of a film to watch. What initially strikes you is the care and attention with which Haynes makes this feel like a genuine piece of fifties cinema. Everything from the opening titles to Moore's outfits has been faithfully recreated. It makes for a real visual treat and I quickly found myself longing to have such a stylish home to be as immaculately dressed as Cathy.
But as Frank so eloquentely puts it "it's all smoke and mirrors, fellas". My feelings quickly shifted from admiration and wonder to a genuine feeling of claustrophobia. Cathy's forced restraint is almost painful to watch as she battles to maintain her 'perfect' life.
Frank's struggle with homosexuality is well portrayed but I didn't really believe in Quaid's performance. Moore is magnificent as Cathy, and the love which grows between her and Raymond is heartbreakingly real. I haven't seen such a well played out love story since 'The Remains of the Day'.
This film made me angry (the ridiculous hypocrisies of 1950's America are shown in all their infuriating glory). It made me happy (there are some real moments of tenderness between Moore and Haysbert) and it made me cry like a baby.
Haynes direction is spot on and though the script can sometimes feel a little laboured and 'too fifties' it is saved by the leads' delivery.
I'd recommend it to anyone with a heart and/or a brain
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Production Year: 2004 - Drama - Director: Nick Cassavetes - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over, 12 years and over - Starring: Rachel McAdams, Ryan Gosling, Gena Rowlands
A superb review!! Everything about this movie I thought was great, one of the best and underrated film of the whole year. I hope this isn't going to be a trend for Hollywood, though, because they made with DOWN WITH LOVE with the same nostalgia factor. Chris xxx
ElizaF 06.11.2003 21:37
oooh sounds bueatiful, great descriptive op! I really want to see this film :) xx E.
digitalburn 06.11.2003 19:37
I also thought it was a very powerful film, although not without its flaws, as you say. Moore was amazing.
Far from Heavenis a uniquely beautiful film from one of the smartest and most ... more
idiosyncratic of contemporary directors, Todd Haynes (SafeandVelvet Goldmine). It takes the lush 1950s visual style of so-called women's pictures (particularly those of Dougl...
Postage & Packaging: £1.21 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
Far from Heavenis a uniquely beautiful film from one of the smartest and most ... more
idiosyncratic of contemporary directors, Todd Haynes (SafeandVelvet Goldmine). It takes the lush 1950s visual style of so-called women's pictures (particularly those of Dougl...
Postage & Packaging: Free! Availability: Usually dispatched within 24 hours...
In the fall of 1957 in Connecticut Cathy Whitaker (Julianne Moore) is returning home from ... more
a day of errands. Her husband Frank (Dennis Quaid) is expected home for a dinner engagement. There's only one problem no one has heard from Frank all afternoo...
Postage & Packaging: £0.00 Availability: 3-5 working days
It is the fall of 1957 in Connecticut, Cathy Whitaker is returning home from a day of ... more
errands. Her husband, Frank is expected home for a dinner engagement. There's only one problem, no one has heard from Frank all afternoon.What begins as a curious sna...
Advantages: Moore, cinematography, moving, melodrama (if that's a good thing) Disadvantages: wooden acting, stylized, melodrama (if you're not into that)
OKkaraoke 13.06.2003 (13.06.2003)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Far From Heaven (DVD)
Advantages: 1950's Slice-of-life, realistic, thought provoking, the acting, the location, the script, etc. Disadvantages: Time seems to move a bit strangely at points in this movie, some may say that its a bit of a satire of itself
TheChocolateLady 11.01.2003 (24.03.2003)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Far From Heaven (DVD)
Advantages: 1950's Slice-of-life, realistic, thought provoking, the acting, the location, the script, etc. Disadvantages: Time seems to move a bit strangely at points in this movie, some may say that its a bit of a satire of itself
TheChocolateLady 11.01.2003 (24.03.2003)
·
Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Far From Heaven (DVD)
Advantages: Moore, cinematography, moving, melodrama (if that's a good thing) Disadvantages: wooden acting, stylized, melodrama (if you're not into that)
OKkaraoke 13.06.2003 (13.06.2003)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Far From Heaven (DVD)
![Far From Heaven [DVD] [2003]](http://picnicb.ciao.com/uk/78502395.jpg "Far From Heaven [DVD] [2003]")
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