Customer Reviews

A River Made to Drown In

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(8)

 

 

RIVER MADE TO DROWN IN has so much going for it that it is a shame it did not enjoy a wider audience when it was released. Perhaps with Richard Chamberlain's new book about his 'coming out' on the bookstore shelves more interest will be created for this well made, well acted, albeit dark film. This is a slice of life in LA that manages to capture an atmosphere that propels the story of a once wealthy lawyer who, dying of AIDS, returns to an ex-lover to 'replay' his former life before dying. Richard Chamberlain is Thaddeus and the 'hustler' to whom he turns is Allen, played to perfection by Michael Imperioli. Allen is still 'hustling' but at this point his target is a female gallery owner (another excellent performance by Ute Lemper). Thaddeus moves in with Allen with the proviso that Allen find Thaddeus' last hustler lover, one Jaime (again played with conviction and subtlely by James Duval)for final goodbyes. In the end all are faced with the emptiness of the 'live life for the moment ethic' of the Hustler and the John and the vacuum created by Thaddeus' death seems to open the door of possible change for those remaining.

Though obviously a low budget film, the director makes excellent use of lighting and locations to create the seedy stench of Santa Monica Bovd and the attendant degrading scenes. The music score uses Mozart's "Ave Verum Corpus" and the 'Lacrymosa' from his Requiem to fine effect. In the end it is the quality of performances by Chamberlain, Imperioli (his most sensitive role to date and not at all like his role in The Sopranos), Lemper, and Duval (along with some fine cameo roles from the supporting cast) that makes this a film well worth seeing. Though not for the staunchly homophobic viewer, the general public will gain a better understanding about a segment of life that is usually hidden from view.

"River Made To Drown In" looks at Allen Hayden (played by Michael Imperioli), an ex-hustler trying to make good as a modern painter. Allen is wooing an encouraging, well-to-do art gallery owner, Eva Kline (played by Ute Lemper). Then along comes Thaddeus MacKenzie (played by Richard Chamberlain), a wealthy lawyer client of Allen's from years back. Thaddeus, closing out his life before he dies from AIDS, asks to stay with Allen and asks Allen to perform one last favor, to find another, current hustler named Jaime (played by James Duval). Thaddeus loved just Allen and Jaime and wants to do well by both of them. Allen resists but takes on the task. What does Eva think of all this? Why does Jaime lead so dangerous life and not cooperate? As events move along, Allen has to figure out who he really is and how he can make a difference. He ends up an ok guy.

It is surprising such a movie would have so strong a cast in the key roles. Chamberlain gives Thaddeus a hearty gay-CEO bonhommie, deliberately (and appropriately) trying to bluster and charm his way past others. Michael Imperioli's Allen is a defensive guy in a shell who lashes out when others get too close. James Duval's Jaime is a believably wary hustler and a believably seeking Buddhist. The supporting cast is fair.

The concept of Allen's character development was interesting. The script was moderately good.

Allen and Jaime have some dreary to mildly kinky discreet sex scenes with clients. Skin shots are primarily and frequently of Allen. Jaime and Thaddeus display considerably less. In this arena, the back cover of the DVD case, the DVD itself, and the menu all contain a hot-looking picture of Jaime and his co-worker Luis (played by Michael Saucedo) in a bathtub. In the movie, there are only a couple of five-second glorified head-shots from this scene. This advertising still/deleted material could have gone into a photo gallery.

The end credits announce a "making of" team, but the DVD has no "making of", deleted scenes, interviews, photo gallery, or commentary. The film deserves more.

The director of this film (James Merendino) wished to remain anonymous -hence the use of the name Allen Smithee in the publicity. It is clear to see why the Meredino decided not to have his name attached to this tedious work. The script never really gets beyond the mundane; it is stilted and gives the impression of being written by a group of drama students extemporising on the nature of relationships. The line "I prefer warm hearted conversation to frigid sex anytime ..." may have been said with a slight irony (the line ends "...actually I'm lying"); but once you realize that this is the best line in the movie you KNOW that you are in for a tedious viewing.

The story is, ostensibly, about a dying lawyer (Thaddeus MacKenzie, played by Richard Chamberlain) trying to spend his final days with the only people that have meant anything to him (two young hustlers). Unfortunately, the major flaw in this film is that none of the main characters have any redeeming features. As a result, the audience can never meaningfully engage with the central characters' situation. This is not good for retaining the viewer's attention (well not this viewer's attention anyway).

Chamberlain's performance is painful and makes you long for a power-cut so that the misery can end. At one point, infuriated with the ex young hustler, he attacks him with the piercing phrase "You're as transparent as cheap crystal". His portrayal, of a man dying from an HIV related illness, is wooden and pedestrian. To borrow a phrase from Gore Vidal, or was it Noel Coward? "You'd have to have a heart of stone not to have laughed out loud at MacKenzie's eventual demise"

This film was banned in Singapore, probably on the grounds that no one should be subjected to gay-themed cinema that is this bad! You have been warned.

A dreadful waste of talent and celluloid. If you get to the end, ask yourself "What was the point." There was none. Thaddeus (Chamberlain), an aging gay man in the final stages of AIDS, sets out to find the two "loves" of his life--2 street hustlers--under the guise of "helping" them by leaving them his non-existent inheritance and imparting his "wisdom" (also non-existent, as far as I could tell). One of the hustlers had apparently gotten his life in order UNTIL the arrival of his former "lover" (Chamberlain); the other hustler, who looked like he would have been about 10 when he was involved with Chamberlain alternates between street hustling and aspiring to be a Buddhist monk. (Huh?) At the end of the film, Chamberlain is dead and BOTH former lovers are back on the street. (Huh?) Dreadful dialogue. "Since we're both [expletive deleted]-up, we might as well be [expletive-deleted]-up together." Seeing a wonderful actor like Richard Chamberlain as an over-the-top effeminate old man was embarrassing and made me cringe.

Powerful performance by Mr Richard Chamberlain and a completely different one which goes out to show that no subject is difficult for great actors. The story itself is very dark and edgy and everyone else in the cast has done quite a decent job.

I recently came across this film (DVD) never having had any clue of its existence. I was profoundly affected by it in no small measure due to the wonderful performances of the major players (as well as those of the supporting cast of very competent Hollywood regulars).
Richard Chamberlain (Thaddeus), Michael Imperioli (Allen) and James Duval (Jaime) in particular give heartfelt performances that, in my opinion, either confirmed reasons for (as in the case of Chamberlain) or predicted (as in the case of Imperioli and Duval) the great success of these actors . Chamberlain has intonations and expressions that come from nothing short of great insight into the pains of a character who is facing a death with romantic frustrations. Imperioli, on the other hand, displays a mix of decency and occasional rage which so typifies a person who has internal good within but still has been screwed up by the world around him.
James Duval displays uncanny understanding of the nuances of psychological complexity associated with many street hustlers who, very often, need a little love even when they may not let themselves admit it. He will forever be remembered and seen in this movie as the good looking, clean cut, tough, street smart kid who holds it all in until the end when he comes to realize the feelings he holds that he has previously been afraid to embrace. It's all masterfully summed up with his tearful expressions of affection towards the end of the film. The renderings of Clare De Lune in the background of the Santa Monica street scene at the beginning of the film and Mozart's Requiem at the end express the fleeting nature of youth, beauty and life while emoting deep feelings of sorrow and tragedy. The appropriate playing of Ave Verum Corpus towards the end of the film during the art show coincides with an action that Jamie has initiated which, as the ending of the movie seems to indicate, could result in a step towards his salvation (as well as Allen's).
A director's cut DVD should be made including a "making of "documentary. Independent films such as this are not to be forgotten. Period.

Very well done. Loved every minute of it. However it is a matter of taste as to whether on not you will like it. More than one of the characters really hit home with me. Certainly much better than many of the movies out there which are full of the same old boring young straight predicable characters.

This movie is a must see if you are a fan of good acting and Richard Chambelan.
Was not big in theatres but you will enjoy it if you are not a homophobe.
Has a great lesson of life and how to live it!

As "plot" summaries are mentioned earlier on these pages, let me get straight to the point: This is a godawful waste of time. The best thing that can be said about this film is that the camera angles were interesting. Other than that, this boring chatfest features a must-be-seen performance by Dick Chamberlain where he channels Bette Davis, Truman Capote, and Winston Churchill -- simultaneously.

So, a dying gay lawyer wants to leave his fortune to two hustlers he spent time with. Okay -- an intriguing premise. But unfortunately, there is not one single believable relationship or character in the entire film.

I kept watching this film in amazement. The "lead" hustler kept saying either to others or to himself, "What do you mean? Why did you say that? Why the f**k am I here? What the f**k does that mean?" and questions of that nature. And as he asked them, so did I: What was the meaning of this whole insane waste of time?

Then there were fun scenes with the "big stars" -- Talia Shire "plays" the "part" of "mother" of the second hustler. She has two pointless, irritating scenes, one where the only thing taking up the frame is her head and her hustler son's head as she rambles and goes on about something that had no meaning. Then later we get to see her sleeping in a chair. Good job, Talia! Another Oscar nomination for you!

But the worst offender of all is Dick Chamberlain. Dick says certain lines as if he has imbued them with some magical wit or humor or sarcasm, as if he has elevated them to some Shakespearean level. As if what he is forced to say has some meaning. Hate to break it to you Dick: it doesn't -- none of it does, did or will.

This movie almost defies description. If you want to study what not to do when making a movie, this would be an excellent reference.

This movie satisfied my curiousity about the lives of hustlers: sad, tragic, dangerous, filled with unhappiness and loneliness.

The pits! Cast as dying attorney in the final throes of AIDS, a way-over-the-top Richard Chamberlain decides to use his last days to make peace (so to speak) with two young male hustlers whom he'd hired ten years earlier. (Never mind that the younger of the two would have been a child at the time!) Needless to say, neither of the hustlers is particularly eager to see this former client agent--and who can blame them? As portrayed by Chamberlain, this annoying old queen (supposedly a top lawyer!) would give Truman Capote a run for his money in the flamboyance department.

Talky, with little action, this truly awful movie seems like a feature-length death watch that seems to go on forever. And when Chamberlain finally does expire, the movie takes a turn for the weird, treating audiences to a softcore post-death epilogue--a fast montage of the two hustlers (one of whom has been retired for years) plying their trade in group sex interludes with variety of skanky old geezers. HUH??? (If this sounds interesting, it isn't).

No wonder director James Merendino (hiding here under the name "Alan Smithee," a pseudonym synonymous for screen stinkeroos) demanded to have his name removed from the film. If the cast was smart, they'd have demanded the same privilege--and insisted upon having their images digitally erased, to boot.