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| Far
From Heaven
Directed By: Todd
Haynes Plot
Summary - Review 1 - Review
2 - CURRENT REVIEWS
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| Cathy (Julianne Moore) is the perfect 50s housewife, living the perfect 50s life: healthy kids, successful husband, social prominence. Then one night she surprises her husband Frank (Dennis Quaid) having sex with another man, and her tidy world starts spinning out of control. In her confusion and grief, she finds consolation in the friendship of their African-American gardener, Raymond (Dennis Haysbert) - a socially taboo relationship that leads to the further disintegration of life as she knew it. Despite Cathy and Frank's struggle to keep their marriage afloat, the reality of his homosexuality and her feelings for Raymond open a painful, if more honest, chapter in their lives.[TRAILER] “Far From Heaven” is a 2002 film made to look like a genuine 1950’s drama, with one discernable difference: It confronts the issues that ‘50’s films never could. “Heaven” is about the “perfect” nuclear family. Frank Whitaker (Dennis Quaid) is the city’s most successful sales executive, Cathy (Julianne Moore) is the elite socialite who cherishes her husband’s celebrity, and they have, of course, two perfect children. But much like other films that have peaked beneath suburbia’s surface, such as “Blue Velvet” and “American Beauty,” not everything in Frank and Cathy’s world is as it seems. Frank is a closet homosexual, pursuing his passions on the side until his wife discovers him one night with his lover. Cathy is, much to this community’s surprise, friendly with her “Negro” gardener, and gossip spreads after she is seen speaking with him at an art gallery opening and getting out of his truck near a black restaurant And both, due to the expectations of this conservative society, can never be the people they truly are. These are not new issues to discuss. Rather, what sets “Far From Heaven” apart from other films about society and prejudice is its technical skill in matching the style of ‘50’s films, and writer/director Todd Haynes’ (“Velvet Goldmine”) adherence to a ‘50’s perspective. In the film, Frank sincerely believes that his homosexuality is a problem, and goes to a counselor to cure his “disease.” What may offset some viewers is that Haynes presents the issue from the perspective of a 1950’s director. Then, it was not socially acceptable to be gay, and Haynes is unflinching in his sincere depiction of Cathy’s disgust and Frank’s personal shame. Similarly, Cathy’s relationship with the gardener is shown as unacceptable; a social risk that threatens her social popularity, Frank’s stable job, and their family’s very happiness. “Far From Heaven” is unquestionably a film with a social agenda, but it creates its message with faith in the intelligence of the viewer. There is not a character that explains that homosexuality is (gasp) okay, and that people of different races can, in fact, have a conversation. There is no moralizing or winking back at the viewer from the wiser eyes of the 21st century. The film is more powerful as a result. By refusing to pacify the audience, and wrap the story up with a pretty pink bow, the inequalities and injustices of this society become that much more profound. There is no hope for Frank, Cathy, the gardener or this society. Life is the way it is, and there is no one character or scene of hope for the audience to rally behind. Those incapable of appreciating the approach will be disgusted, believing incorrectly that “Far From Heaven” means what it says. Technically, “Far From Heaven” may be the best film of the year. Haynes creates a wonderfully stylized world, reminiscent of dramas from the ‘50’s, with rich back lighting, swelling melodramatic music and frequent fades that give the story a dreamy feel. Homosexuality is clearly separated as a threat to the family structure and Haynes finds numerous, surprising ways of separating Cathy spatially from her black gardener. Using poles, cold versus warm lighting, and even different shades of autumn leaves, it is obvious that both exist in very different worlds. If “Far From Heaven” has a weakness, it may be that it occasionally oversells its ‘50’s approach. Every discussion between a white and black person, every notion of homosexual love, and every attempt to break free of this society’s norms is shown as a monumental event. While that would surely be true of a film made from the ‘50’s, and remains true to Haynes’ approach, it causes the film to occasionally drag for a modern audience. In a sense, the notion that the world of the Whitakers was far from heaven is not all that surprising.  Check out Reviews, Commentary, and More at Zertinet.com |
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