Customer Reviews

Far From Heaven [VHS]

5 star:		(108)
4 star:		(42)
3 star:		(31)
2 star:		(22)
1 star:		(27)

 

 

With FAR FROM HEAVEN, writer-director Todd Haynes meticulously recreates the look and conventions of 1950s "domestic drama"--and then subverts it. Like all domestic drama heroines, Cathy Whittaker (Julianne Moore) is a glamorous woman, and the film finds her married to Frank (Dennis Quaid), a rising executive in television sales. They are the perfect 1950s family: they are upwardly mobile, have two children (a boy and a girl, of course), live in an expensive home in an expensive residential district. One evening, Cathy unexpectedly opens a door--and discovers that Frank is unfaithful to her.

If this were a Douglas Sirk film starring Lana Turner, Cathy would have found Frank in the arms of another woman and done battle with her to save her marriage. But Frank is in the arms of another man, something that falls completely outside Cathy's frame of reference. Desperate to save her marriage, she encourages Frank to see a psychiatrist; unable to confide in her friends lest she provoke a scandal, she finds solace in the company of her gardener. But he is black--and when their largely innocent friendship is discovered it provokes the very scandal she feared.

The themes of homosexuality and racism are merely the most obvious way in which Haynes subverts the genre. More interestingly, Haynes essentially presents us with characters trapped between the stereotypes of 1950s domestic drama and hard reality, and the result is often quite surreal. Time and again the characters respond to harsh reality by resorting to the high-flown dialogue and awkward dollops of social consciousness typical of the genre--and time and again the nature of the film works to highlight how ridiculously unnatural this response is. As the film progresses, it becomes increasingly claustrophobic in feel, and while none can deny that it is homage in form, it becomes metaphor in fact, satirizing and condemning both the artificial social codes of the past and present. Moreover, it works to undercut our selective memory of the 1950s, which we prefer to recall as "Happy Days" but which saw the House Un-American Committee, The Cold War, and the beginnings of everything from racial integration, the gay rights movement, and feminism--and in the face of such issues role models like Lana Turner in her evening gown and Donna Reed with her pearls crack and shatter.

The cast is superlative here. Julianne Moore, whose career has been building for the past several years, clearly demonstrates that she is now in the same league with the greatest screen actresses of her generation, playing the role of Cathy Whittaker on so many levels that it has the effect of an emotional Rubik's Cube. Dennis Quaid, best known for playing mischievously macho "bad boy" characters, gives an extremely unexpected and highly charged performance as husband Frank, and both are excellently supported. The script captures every grotesque nuance of the 1950s domestic drama while neatly undermining it at every turn, and the production staff has done a remarkable job of recreating the visual style involved. The cinematography and score are incredibly beautiful, and the director's approach to the project is less homage than it is critical evaluation of those who enjoy such artificial constructs both then and now, both on the screen and off. It is an extraordinary feat, and quite possibly one of the best movies of the past ten years. The DVD package is quite interesting, with three solid documentaries and a good director's commentary.

FAR FROM HEAVEN will not be to every one's taste, not by a long shot. Many who liked the 1950s "domestic drama" genre--and many who don't--will not be able to make the leap of perception that Haynes requires, won't be able to shift gears to look at the work with the objectivity necessary. But it is powerful stuff, and I recommend it all the same.

--GFT (Amazon Reviewer)--

The tremendously talented director Todd Haynes, has created an amazing new film called Far From Heaven. It is the 1950s in Hartford, Connecticut. Cathy Whitaker (Julianne Moore) lives in a perfectly lovely house with a perfectly lovely family. She is a respected and envied member of her community, admired for her liberal mind and successful husband. However, as the film progresses we see trouble brewing between husband and wife. Frank Whitaker ( Dennis Quaid) is coming home later in the evenings and his drinking is slipping out of control. Then Cathy, ever the dutiful wife, walks into Frank's office late one night while delivering his dinner and discovers her husband's horrible secret. The occurrence is such a shocking rupture to their peaceful world that they aren't able to summon the language to articulate it. Instead, they try to carry on as if nothing has changed using the most modern psychological methods to deal with it. But it becomes increasingly obvious that this isn't possible despite running away to a peaceful vacation in Miami where Cathy proclaims "Everything is pink!" Not least of all because Cathy has befriended her new black gardener (Dennis Haysbert) and the town sure is talking. These characters all struggle to voice their independent needs in a society whose code of conduct is so strict that anything which deviates from it must be swept quickly under the carpet or violently vilified, where "jiminy cricket" is considered strong language not to be used in the house.

From the moment the camera pans down on this perfect community life, we realise we are looking through the prismatic lens of America's most prominent ideals: happy family, affluent lifestyle, happy home. This film was strongly influenced by the melodramatic 50s films of Douglas Sirk, particularly All That Heaven Allows. Haynes uses colors in a way similar to Sirk that creates sharp contrasts of emotional moods that aren't possible to articulate in the restrained dialogue. Each scene is carefully balanced with soft and hard colors setting the mood. Similarly, the script reflects those melodramas inspired by stories from Ladies Home Journals. The characters are only allowed to speak of things on the surface because of the constraints of their community and are only occasionally given moments to speak in grandiose terms of life's great mystery. Sweeping over this emotional tale is a triumphant score composed by Elmer Bernstein that will remain humming in your mind after the film ends.

The actors of this film really contribute to its tremendous success. Dennis Quaid's performance is powerful in conveying his inability to express hidden aspects of his identity as well his complete disregard for Cathy's needs. He is often cloaked in shadow as if striving to disappear from his hated environment. Dennis Haysbert's character is dignified, quietly hopeful that you may do what feels right if you don't pay attention to the sneering gossips. Haysbert conveys this wonderfully and makes our hearts break when his dignity is eclipsed by fear once serious danger arrives on his doorstep. Equally strong are smaller roles performed movingly by actors like Bette Henritze and young Jordan Puryear. Most prominently, the film is carried along beautifully by its center, Julianne Moore. She gives tremendous dignity to this female character who in her own way is trying to understand and define her desires amidst a maelstrom of public scrutiny. She trembles in the face of prejudice, anger and hate, but never crumbles. Unlike her husband, who wildly abandons the needs of everyone but himself, Cathy must keep up the house and uphold appearances. It would be easy for Moore to deliver this in a knowing self-conscious manner like parody, but we never see more than the utmost sincerity. Her performance is worthy of many awards.

One might ask why Haynes felt it necessary to dredge up this outmoded film style now. The answer he has given to this is that it conveys aspects of our society that aren't possible in modern, straightforward films. He says that the "issues" raised in this film are still evident in our 2002 society in different forms, but remain unresolved nonetheless. The primary accomplishment of this film is the way it raises issues from different marginal groups of American society, revealing that most commonly women's needs are almost always placed last. No one meaning breaks to the forefront of your understanding of the film though. It is most definitely not playful pastiche. Perhaps the style of it is intended to just hold up our ideals to the light, like a piece of fine crystal to illuminate all the cracks and magnificent colors.

"Far from Heaven" is Todd Haynes' homage and attempt to recreate what was called, in the 50's and 60's, a "weepie," a domestic melodrama with all the attendant production values: lush musical score, sumptuous costumes and a heroine with big concerns/problems mostly having to do with Love, Family and usually both. Think "Written on the Wind," "Magnificent Obsession" or "All that Heaven Allows." The problem with this kind of a venture is that in order for it to work it must be handled in a non-ironic, straightforward manner. Haynes's and his actors succeed most but not 100% of the time. The very nature of an enterprise like this calls for a somewhat arch and precise acting technique as we are dealing with a dead genre probably farther removed from our 2002 reality than are Shakespeare's plays.
Like the best of these films, "Far from Heaven" can be unbelievably moving; when we are not only marveling at the gorgeous mise en scene but when the superior acting abilities of the amazing Julianne Moore as Cathy shine through.
Cathy and her husband Frank (Dennis Quaid) lead a tranquil life in Connecticut where beautiful and well-put together Cathy is slowly withering away, being eaten alive by the fact that her perfect life is irrevocably punctured when she catches her husband in the arms of another man. But this is not all. Cathy's natural openness towards everyone she comes across as well as her empathy for other races specifically her African American gardener Raymond (Dennis Haysbert) is also causing gossip among her friends and her neighbors. The outwardly disapproving and disgusted looks on the townspeople's faces when Cathy is with Raymond are laughable in one way but in another really goes to the heart of race relations then as well as now. Has much changed in this regard in the last 44 years?
There is a very poignant scene in which Frank slaps Cathy across the face and Cathy, always the understanding one, reassures him that all is "fine" but then pathetically asks him to bring her some ice to quell the swelling. She tells her friend, Eleonor (Patricia Clarkson): "Frank didn't mean to hit me." Frank, in a kind of homosexual panic, lashes out at Cathy, the one person who loves and accepts him; as well as the one who reminds him on a daily basis that his love for her is a lie. The scene in which Frank asks Cathy for a divorce is a stunner: watch Moore's eyes and body language. Even when her heart seems about to explode, her eyes remain dry, calm and understanding even in this harrowing and unspeakable situation.
So as not to portray her as the ultimate victim, Haynes has smartly imbued Cathy with a strong desire to change from the all accepting, never questioning woman she's been to the strong, independent woman she aches to become. Her heartbreaking attempts to contact the N.A.A.C.P to volunteer are both incredibly naïve yet strongly sympathetic.
Heaven to Cathy Whitaker is a place in which she is always loved, always valued, forever cherished. Nothing could be more basic yet more unattainable whether it be 1958 or 2002.

The director Todd Haynes does a wonderful job of recreating the mood and film style of the '50's in FAR FROM HEAVEN. The Buick station wagon, georgeous New England autumn, welldressed and polite suburbanites are all true to the period and the locale of Hartford , CT., as I remember so vividly having spent my chldhood growing up in a Hartford suburb in that decade. And as the title implies, our memories are different from the complex reality of a time when race and homosexuality seldom openly intruded into life for the majority of the white middle class and yet for many it was indeed far from the heaven of their memories.

The movie is technically superb, and tells it story at the leisurely pace of the films of that period while tackling topics directors such as Douglas Sirk (whose ALL THAT HEAVEN ALLOWS is the model for this film) could not touch at that time. Dennis Quaid is excellent as the corporate man of the period struggling with his sexual orientation; Julianne Moore is wonderful as the proper suburban wife and mother; and Dennis Haysbert plays the role of the "Negro" gardener who befriends her during her difficulties and cause them to both discover that the cost of breaking the unwritten code of that period was much higher than they had understood.

While I was glad that I saw the film, in the end it did not move me and I left admiring its artistry but disappointed. I can understand how other reviewers found it powerful in its examination of the hidden bigotry of the period, but I found it slow, it's message a little too obvious, and the ending very depressing with only despair offered the moviegoer. Even at the time portrayed by this film, most suburban whites, even if prejudiced, were aware that life was from far perfect even while believing in the American dream. And just a final historical note, as the credits reveal, the movie was not actually made in Hartford, the train station looks like an idyllic suburb at the time Hartford was a vibant city (which did have a meaningful black population).

Far From Heaven is a beautiful, passionate film. It unfolds with the perfect family life for the Whitakers, just like we always saw on TV shows of the era. It seems as though director Todd Haynes was shooting for that look - that perfect look of the 50's that only really existed in black and white TV. The staging of the utterly perfect home and backdrops is in stark contrast to what is really going on in this family. Nothing prepares wife Cathy (Julianne Moore) for the shocking revelation of her husband's (Dennis Quaid's) dark secret.

In exploring that secret, and the feelings that Cathy develops for black gardener Raymond
(Dennis Haysbert from "24"), Haynes shows us that the nostalgic feel we have for the idyllic life of the 50's was very much a sham. Racial divisiveness, bigotry, homophobia and secret dual lives....they all existed, and were covered by a thin veneer of pretense in our society. Because journalists and movie makers were not allowed to portray the seamier side of life, we all think of life in the era as picture perfect, based on the films that WERE made. Haynes doesn't let us keep this illusion, but despite his beautiful imagery, the picture perfect costuming, the score, his pace and his skill with the details in a film, it would all be for naught if he were not working with the caliber of the actors that he drew. Haynes prior efforts are notable but little known, "Safe", "Poison" and "Velvet Goldmine" being the most widely distributed, and he's worked with topics like homophobia and flaunting social mores, as well as with Julianne Moore before. This time he brings out the best in her - and she was my favorite for the Best Actress Oscar.

If you can get beyond Moore's ethereal beauty, you'll doubtless recognize the depth she brings to a character. It's true that no one of Cathy Whitaker's background would have probably taken the bull by the horns as openly as she does in her relationship with Raymond,
but Moore plays it believably. We ache for her. Both Quaid and Haysbert give masterful and understated performances - Quaid as a man driven by his needs which he's bottled up successfully inside him, his whole life, and Haysbert, as a man of uncommon dignity, who is forced by society to live in the shadow of his own needs and feelings.

The performances and the uncommon beauty of the film will linger with you long after the tale is finished; but don't miss the extra features of the DVD - so much of what makes this an exceptional picture is mapped out for you that the film takes on even more meaning.

Far From Heaven - a definite must see!

I was quite surprised after seeing "Far From Heaven", and then reading some of the tepid-to-terrible audience reviews on this web page.

I only went to see this film based on my experience with another Todd Haynes film, the powerful "Safe". My trip to see "Heaven" was strictly a time-out diversion from the holiday season, and I only expected it to be reasonably enjoyable. I ended up being totally blown away, have seen it twice since, and everyone I've sent to see it (mostly acting and theatre devotees) has had a similar reaction.

It IS a peculiar film, in that the genre is so much like stepping through a time warp back into the 1950's. The look, the style of acting, the photography, EVERYTHING seems meticulously like a movie actually made in the mid-fiftes. However, underneath all the Technicolor glitz are tortured dilemmas that past film-makers could only hint at. In fact, that seems to be a fascinating theme throughout Haynes' films, beginning with a college film about singer Karen Carpenter told through (of all things!) Barbie dolls. The writer-director bores through a seemingly perfect surface appearence to reveal the pain and emotion never glimpsed by the outside world.

Haynes, as he did in "Safe", once again makes masterful use of quite possibly the best actress of our generation. As protagonist Cathy, Julianne Moore does more with a tiny bit of energy and concentration than anyone chewing up and spitting out the scenery. No one elicits more empathy from an audience. In "Heaven" she's challenged to walk a tightrope between placidity and melodrama. One teeter in either direction could have sent the movie into a dangerous imbalance, but Moore walks straight down the middle. If "Heaven" doesn't get her an Oscar nomination, something is very, very wrong.

Equally strong (and startling) is Dennis Quaid as Cathy's husband, Frank. His depiction of a bisexual husband is eye-opening, tragic, and tortured. In fact, the whole picture painted of how homosexuality was viewed in that time period is chilling and scary, and that's coming to you from a gay man. Although I consider him a good actor, this is a performance I would never have expected out of Quaid. Certainly assured a lot of recognition for best supporting actor in 2002.

See it, buy it, rent it, whatever . . . but see it!

With 201 reviews online, I am not about to summarize this film. But for those who say they "hated it," it is clear that they have no clue what Todd Haynes was trying to do. It is a very stylized film meant to evoke certain films from the 1950s, and if you watch all the extra features on the DVD, you will understand that is what the goal is. The difference, which makes this film absolutely stone cold brilliant, is that Haynes does what filmmakers in the 1950s could not do: address homosexuality. Anyone who is gay or sensitive to gay people will quickly grasp that many films in the 1950s had "veiled" themes, and that some of them could have been gay love stories or had gay themes, had the times allowed. Haynes shows what may have really been going on in the "Donna Reed" world of Cathy Whitaker, behind closed doors, so to speak.

The acting of the leads and the supporting cast is stellar, and Julianne Moore, in particular, conveys emotions in such an incredible way that it is impossible not to feel connected to her. When she admits to her best friend Eleanor that she feels the only person she can talk to is the black gardener, and that she feels somehow "alive" -- you can almost see a woman who has felt true, honest human affection for the first time in her adult life.

Other reviews commented on the bad camera shots/angles/what not -- I don't know what they're talking about. It is clear that everything in this film was thought out in minute detail and there was a deep love for the period, for the specific films being emulated, and that even the composer, the brilliant Elmer Bernstein, felt connected to the film, from his mesmerizing score, to his insightful comments that he offers on the DVD.

One of the tragedies of being young is not having lived through certain things, and yet making the assumptions that something is dumb, cliche, stupid, or any other sort of bizarre commentary that I have read about this film. I lived in this era, I saw these movies, those colors were in my house, and people said those things -- because movies influence us in ways that we cannot even begin to imagine.

This movie is not perfect; there are a couple of scenes, which, if watched too many times, border on the hysterically funny -- but even those have to be considered in light of the whole undertaking, which is absolutely brilliantly conceived.

I think that Dennis Quaid, who seemed uncomfortable discussing his part in the DVD extras (maybe he didn't want to give away the "secret"), was superb. Knowing men from that era, I can recognize the look in his face, and his posture, his clothes, everything about him said "closet case." He was fantastic. I find it odd that everyone is making a hysterical big deal out of the male-male kiss in "Alexander" -- and yet, look at Dennis -- he went for it. He is totally believable, and when their relationship really starts to fall apart, it's tragic -- two people living a lie, keeping up appearances, for what? This is one of the messages, if there were any, that I got. And the other is where Dennis Haysbert, as the gardener, has a moment with Julianne Moore in front of the theater -- an incredibly honest moment which he says a few things that make so much sense -- and yet, all around them was a world of fear, a white world with white people, all living in some fantasyland that they were the only people in it, and that black people were somehow "extras" or "atmosphere people" that showed up and did the dirty work, and were then bussed out of town at night.

Todd Haynes wanted to express these and other things within the very specific and stylized framework of certain 50s' films, and I think he did so with absolute, total brilliance.

Stylish, surprisingly modern, this 50's style film unites many big themes as they roll through the landscape of Hartford suburbia in the film, "Far From Heaven".

Todd Haynes recreates the somewhat dullish, over dramatic style of 50's melodramas with a well thought out, dynamic script that manages to tackle issues so relevant to today. Things are never what they seem from the outside, as his characters play pretend okay while their inner lives are being shattered at every turn. It's daring to allow them the full course of their emotions, all the while repressing them every chance they get. It's the dichotomy that drives this film, ever so successfully.

Rest assured, Julianne Moore gives the perfomance of a lifetime in the role of Cathy Whittaker. Every bit the proper, refined housewife, Julianne manages to take a role that could very easily be overacted, and gives her dignity and control and a sense of vulnerability all at the same time. Her range and skill as a performer leads me to see films that she is in simply because she is in them, and I cannot say that about many other actors. Dennis Quaid and Patricia Clarkson also wallop their roles wonderfully.

Todd Haynes' "Far From Heaven" should have been more heavily lauded from critics and audiences, and Oscars alike. This is one film that will remain as a hallmark of invention for years to come.

I'm not sure why Amazon's intrepid editors choose two negative reviews as Spotlight Reviews for "Far From Heaven" but I'm hoping that fans of this technically brilliant and thought provoking film from Todd Haynes will speak their piece. My wife and I saw this movie last week and thought it was as good as any movie we've seen this year. To dismiss the movie as postmodern sophism on the part of Haynes, is to miss the point of the movie entirely. We have seen quite a few movies (David Lynch and John Waters come to mind) that portray the Eisenhower years with a great deal of irony and that it is an easy task. Haynes resists camping it up and instead presents a heartfelt meditation on the nature of love, breaking social taboos and ultimately the price one pays for following their heart. Not since Bodonovich's "Last Picture Show", have we gotten such a photo-realistic examination of life in the fifties. "Far From Heaven" may possess the same social values as Water's "Hairspray" but Haynes resistance to using campy stereotypes is what makes this movie so powerful.

The three principal actors Julianne Moore, Dennis Quaid and Dennis Haysbert all turn in compelling performances. Julianne Moore's nuanced performance as a housewife on the verge of a nervous breakdown should earn her an well deserved Oscar nomination. Dennis Quaid's fallen "golden boy" who discovers his own homosexuality and responds to it with self hatred and binge drinking is riveting. Dennis Haysbert's understated and sensitive performance as the black gardener shows us that all black movie roles don't have to be portrayed with overstated histronics. Haysbert, like Denzel Washington, refuses to resort to a stereotypical "black" performance.

Seeing "Far From Heaven" made me remember that we are still grappling with many of these social issues nearly 50 years later. Many will see Hayne's treatment of racism, homosexuality and domestic violence as oversimplified, however if these issues are so "simple" why do they still persist as significant social problems in 2002? That's food for thought and "Far From Heaven" will definitely provoke a discussion.

Far From Heaven aims to display and confront contemporary issues in an era where they were anything but. Set in 1950's Connecticut, this film follows a rather streamlined, cookie cutter plotline. However what makes this movie worth watching are its strong performances by Julianne Moore and Dennis Haysbert along with deliciously crafted cinematography. It takes a conventional story and brings it vividly to life with a precise display of colors, genuine wardrobe, and authentic environments. There is a familiar scent of Hollywood detectable throughout the film, though all other aspects of the movie strengthen its appeal. The story follows the plight of a well-to-do housewife (Moore) in conservative era Connecticut. Her seemingly story book existence is challenged when she learns of her husband's (Dennis Quaid) homosexual indiscretions and she takes solace in the confidence of her new acquaintance and gardener (Haysbert) who happens to be black. In this time frame her interracial fraternization, as innocent as it may have been, tarnishes her reputation as the idyllic housewife. The major issues addressed are amplified by the time frame in which they're set. One aspect in particular the movie excels at is recreating the acting element of 50's cinema. The performances are both compelling and genuine and the movie, while slow moving at times, in its entirety is certainly worth watching and wholly enjoyable.