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| Julianne Moore in neat 1950s attire makes up the majority of this simple poster for Todd Haynes' Far from Heaven |
The Whitakers are viewed as societal pillars in their plush suburban community of Hartford, Connecticut in the 1950s, - but that image of them is about to crack: There are troubles in paradise.
Far from Heaven is written and directed by Californian master filmmaker Todd Haynes (Carol (2015)) as his 4th feature. Featuring both homosexual and racial themes of suppression, racism and bigotry, Far from Heaven is also a celebration of - and an entry in - the melodrama genre, which rides ahead here in sumptuously beautiful images, (cinematography by Edward Lachman (Life during Wartime (2009)).)
The costumes and sets are also top notch, adding to the intense satisfaction of watching the film. It has superb performances from Dennis Quaid (The Alamo (2004)), Dennis Haysbert (Mr. Baseball (1992)) and particularly Julianne Moore (Bel Canto (2018)), who is also divinely beautiful as the really good housewife protagonist.
Elmer Bernstein's (Frankie Starlight (1995)) score is a truly great one, a booming and piercing work of brilliance. SPOILER Far from Heaven doesn't go the last mile with a kiss at the railway station between the miserable, wronged wife and her secret love the colored gardener (Haysbert), which is a shame. Nevertheless this film is a precious treasure that can be seen again and again.
Related posts:
Todd Haynes: 2015 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED III]
2015 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED II]
Top 10: Best 'box office success' movies reviewed by Film Excess to date
2015 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED I]
Carol (2015) - Haynes' romance adaptation is a triumph
Mildred Pierce (2011, miniseries) - Haynes' spin on the Cain classic is a luxury
I'm Not There (2007) - Haynes' experimental Bob Dylan biopic is half-good, half-bad
Watch a trailer for the film here
Cost: 13.5 mil. $
Box office: 29 mil. $
= Flop (returned 2.14 times its cost)
[Far from Heaven premiered 2 September (Venice Film Festival, Italy) and runs 107 minutes. Haynes was inspired by the 1950s melodramas of Douglas Sirk as well as Rainer Werner Fassbinder's melodrama masterpiece Ali: Fear Eats the Soul (1974) in determining the film's style and narrative. Shooting took place in New Jersey in and around October 2001. The film opened #30 to a 211k $ first weekend in 6 theaters in North America, where it peaked at #11 and in 286 theaters, grossing 15.9 mil. $ (54.8 % of the total gross). The 2nd and 3rd biggest markets were Italy with 2.6 mil. $ (9 %) and the UK with 2 mil. $ (6.9 %). The film was nominated for 4 Oscars, winning none: It lost Best Actress to Nicole Kidman in The Hours, Original Screenplay to Pedro Almodóvar for Talk to Her, Cinematography to Conrad L. Hall for Road to Perdition and Score to Elliot Goldenthal for Frida. It was also nominated for 4 Golden Globes, a European Film award, won 5/5 nominations for Independent Spirit awards, 2 National Board of Review awards, 4 awards in Venice and several other honors. Roger Ebert gave it a 4/4 star review, translating to a notch higher than this one. Haynes returned with music video Sonic Youth: Disappearer (2004) and theatrically with I'm Not There (2007). Moore returned in masterpiece The Hours (2002), Haysbert in 8 short, video, video game, TV and animated projects before he returned physically in a feature in Jarhead (2005), Quaid in Cold Creek Manor (2003). Far from Heaven is certified fresh at 88 % with an 8.11/1o critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]
What do you think of Far from Heaven?
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