Customer Reviews

Unconditional Love

5 star:		(51)
4 star:		(15)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I was trapped!!! I was over at my Mother's house and at the last moment, in a state of absolute resignation, I agreed to watch this movie. Before I came over I heard her relay the brief synopsis of the film over the phone and I was expecting a ridiculous yarn filled with ridiculous characters. It has all that, but it is more often than not surprisingly entertaining. Kathy Bates is the brightest star here and she portrays her "homemaker" character with great subtelty and depth, making her instantly likeable. Rupert Everett shows up about a third of the way into the film and is just one of the many character actors in this film that shine upon arrival. The major flaws appear when the viewer starts thinking too much. In fact, sometimes thinking at all will ruin a scene. For instance(s), there are some great moments when characters break out in song. Even though the scene calls for singing to occur it is still very refreshing amid all the crazy and far-fetched plotting circling around. Kathy Bates sings! She has more than just a pleasant voice. I was often impressed. She carries this film, being the proverbial "heart" of the story, but the entire cast is superb. There are even a few cameo appearances including Barry Manilow and Julie Andrews. This movie is completely unbelievable, but overall, it is a surprising and entertaining film. Recommended.

What can one say about a movie that features Julie Andrews singing GETTING TO KNOW YOU on a turbulent-ridden plane AND at the funeral of a worldwide singing sensation? AND Barry Manilow joining the cast for the finale's showstopper? It may all seem mushy, maudlin and over the top, and it is! But this little gem is a delightfully entertaining movie, full of smashingly good performances. Oscar winner Kathy Bates shines as Grace Beasley, a housewife with a dream of becoming a singer, a husband who leaves her after 25 years and a trip to England for the funeral of her murdered singing idol, Victor Fox. Bates hits all the right notes and is utterly charming.
Rupert Everett as the singer's unknown lover is at first all brutish and loutish, but once we learn a little more about him, he becomes the film's ironic hero. Everett is very good in this role.
Dan Aykroyd plays Bates' husband with all the timidity and self-serving bravado that explains the lack of adventure in their lives.

Jack Noseworthy, a very underrated young actor, portrays their son, who has also left his wife (we'll get to her later!).
Peter Skaasgard (Shattered Glass) plays the window washer with a secret. His youthful innocence is appropriately fitting.
Lynn Redgrave and Stephanie Beacham are remarkable as Victor's obnoxious and grabbing sisters. Their scenes are few, but they are brilliant!!
Jonathan Pryce (who got his start in Miss Saigon) is wonderful as the Tom Jones/Elvis Presley clone, whose murder leads Bates and Everett to find his killer--the Crossbow Killer.
The movie belongs, however, to the delightful Meredith Eaton, who plays Bates' daughter-in-law. Eaton is a dwarf (really) and she has a beautiful face and is so full of energy and oomph she lights up the screen. Her take off on the red-raincoated dwarf from 'DOn't Look Now" is absolutely hilarious. I hope we see more of Ms. Eaton in the future---she is brilliant!
This movie is a pleasant surprise, and is outrageously entertaining.

A common housewife seeks adventure after her husband leaves her. A Dead Pops stars gay lover seeks recogniton after his death. An unlikely trio stalks a serial killer. It may sound like three seperate movies, but P.J. Hogan's (Muriel's Wedding, My Best Friend's Wedding) Unconditional Love is a wonderful mish-mash of a movie that kept me howling.

Not everyone will love this movie. In fact, some will downright hate it, but I loved it. It received no theatrical release in the US (except for the Philadelphia Gay and Lesbian film festival) and isn't set for DVD release until October, but the Starz Cable Movie network is now showing it, and boy am I glad. Not everything works in the film. The plots don't always gel, and you spend quite a bit of time trying to make sense of it all. Hogan is a bit self-indulgent, but if you trust him, and let go of your conventional idea of what a good movie should be, you'll have a hell of a lot of fun.

Bates is fantastic as a put-upon house wife Grace Beasely, who adores Pop Icon Victor Fox (Jonathan Pryce). Her husband (Dan Akroyd) tells her one morning that he doesn't have enough danger in his life, and he's leaving. Determined to start living herself, and at the urging of her dwarf daughter-in-law Maudey (ilariously portrayed by Meredith Eaton) Grace manages to score a ticket to a taping of his Christmas special. Unfortunately, that morning, Fox is found the victim of the Cross-bow Killer under the streets of Chicago.

Grace, pushed to a point of know return, decides to go to England for the singer's funeral. There she meets Dirk (Everet), his Valet and long-time companion. Dirk is holed up in the singers home, which is much in the demand of Victor's three sisters, who want to turn it into a Graceland like tourist shrine. The two form a strange bond, and decide to return to Chicago to find the serial killer and avenge his death, Dirk will claim his rightful in history place as Victor's companion, Grace will get her husband back, and maybe even Maudey will reconcile with her husband.

Yeah, that's a lot of movie. And to top it all off, there's Salley Jesse Raphael, Barry Manilow and Dame Julie Andrews to keep you on your toes. Despite all this, Hogan keeps it all going and the laughs coming. We all loved the singing numbers in Hogan's previous films (Abba, Dionne Warwick) and there's plenty of that here. It's off beat, so off beat that it's rhythm is hard to find, but that's all made up for by great performances.

Bates is central to this, and in her capable hands, the character of Grace walks a very thin line between pathetic and obnoxious, but gives her enough empathy and humor to make us route for her through it all. Everet again creates a wonderfully complex character that we start out not liking very much, but warm too as he peels back the layers. Lynn Redgrave and Stephanie Beacham are superb as two of Victor Fox's uptight sisters, and I can't say enough womderful things about Eaton. She scores with her fantastic delivery of the line: "Nobody messes with a dwarf in a red raincoat". With Everet and Bates, stalking the serial killer in the bowels of Chicago, the Housewife, Gay guy and Dwarf are a trio to be reckoned with.

I'll admit, it doesn't know what kind of movie it wants to be, but so what? It tells a great, funny, poignant, often corny (we're talking Barry Manilow and Julie Andrews here) story about people needing to find fulfillment and meaning in their lives. It all wraps up in sacharine sweet happy ending and a pseudo musical number that had me grinning from ear to ear.

It was also great to see again the wonderful country house used in Merchant Ivory's "Howard's End", which serves as Fox's much coveted childhood home.

Yes, it has it's it's faults, but I love it anyway. But, after all, isn't that what you would call Unconditional Love?

"Unconditional Love" with Kathy Bates, Dan Akroyd Rupert Everett and Meredith Eaton is one of the most delightful films I've seen in a long time. Jonathan Price plays international singing sensation Victor Fox (what a voice) murdered in Chicago, plunging the English-speaking world into mourning, and his #1 Fan Kathy Bates into a serious of adventures so charming and fun -- I kept exclaiming "What a GREAT story!" She goes to England for her favorite singer's funeral, meets his family and his best friend/valet (actually lover) and ends up understanding who Victor really was, becomes embroiled in everyone's affairs, returns to Chicago with Rupert and attempts to catch the murderer of the singer -- hilarity ensues! Happy endings all around -- fantastic singing of old favorites, Barry Manilow and Julie Andrews in cameos. My heart was full after seeing it. I think any "homemaker" would feel identification with the charming Kathy and wish-fulfillment in her courage and adventures -- she even gets to fulfill a life-long dream of singing to a large group of people -- and WHAT a voice SHE has. Quotable quote: "A life lived in fear is not much fun." This emboldens Kathy to reach out to the world, not just observe life on TV, but to go places, do dangerous things, make new friends, embrace the world and in so doing, be insulted, console, problem solve, support others, laugh and lead others to triumph through her empathy, sincerity, creativity and loyalty to her friends. She was the perfect example of someone being "lifted out of her milieu." The B. Manilow tune "I can't laugh without you, can't cry without you, if you only knew what I'm going through, ..." is still playing in my head! Ignore the critics and enjoy this movie.

Life isn't going very well for Grace Beasley. First, her husband Max decides to end their 25-year marriage so that he can live life more dangerously. And, then, her favorite singer Victor Fox is murdered by the Crossbow Killer. Determined to turn her life around, she sets off for England to pay her last respects at Victor's funeral.

Events take a unique turn when Grace meets Victor's lover, Dirk Simpson, and Victor's three sisters. Seems they want to evict Dirk from their brother's house, but Dirk insists that Victor left it to him. Grace and Dirk form a quick friendship and get back at the three sisters. Then, Grace convinces Dirk to come back to Chicago with her to find the Crossbow Killer.

A little "out there" at times with the plot, this movie is still quite charming and funny. Kathy Bates is both warm and hysterical as Grace. Rupert Everett is equally charming and funny as Dirk Simpson. Even Julie Andrews shows up in two of the best moments in the film. But ,Meredith Eaton steals the movie as Grace's dwarf daughter-in-law Maudey. She's brash and funny and gives one of the best performances I've seen.

The only extras on the DVD are a theatrical trailer and a deleted scene. It's still a movie that surprised me with its charm and humor.

Having never heard of this movie when it was in general release (if it ever was) it seemed a good Saturday evening diversion type story. Once the film begins and it is apparent that the director is P.J. Hogan who has created such fun and sensitive stories as MURIEL'S WEDDING and MY BEST FRIEND'S WEDDING, then the gentle humor and touching messages are welcome and anticipated. With a cast that includes sterling performances by the always excellent Kathy Bates, Rupert Everett, Jonathan Pryce, and Lynn Redgrave, the impact is one of polished comedy and sincere pathos blended as well as Hogan has done in the past. Hogan likes to touch on issues such as 'different' people, be those differences as in gender identity, physical stature ( small person Meredith Eaton is a beautiful and gifted actress), or social mores. Briefly, Kathy Bates plays a housewife who fantasizes an affair with a popular British singer (Jonathan Pryce - who not only acts well but is given the opprtunity to share his significant vocal talents in person and on the soundtrack of the film). Her husband of 25 years (Dan Ackroyd) announces to her that their marriage is over because Bates is boring. That same day her idol is killed and she decides to go to England for the funeral! Once there she intrudes into the house of her fantasy man only to discover that he was gay and has a lover of 10 years (Rupert Everett) who is being ostracized by the singers' family. Persistance and happenstance throw these two together and the resultant bi-continental declaration for revenge of the death of their shared hero (with a lot of help form Bates' daughter-in-law Meredith Eaton) forms the bulk of the tale. Along the way they encounter the real life Julie Andrews, Sally Jessy Raphael, and Barry Manilow in what could have been a pushed overindulgence, but Hogan keeps the tempo down so that these guests appearances maintain the jolly mood of this fluffy but warmly entertaining movie. Definitely a feel good film!

Like the other reviewers, I was totally entertained and enjoyed the movie immensely. Plot is farfetched and unbelievable, but the movie succeeds in suspending disbelief enough for you to enjoy the movie anyway. Yes, the dwarf stole the show -- she is awesome. But Kathy bates IS the heart of the movie. Another excellent performance from her, AND Rupert Everett.. who never disappoints. I Tivo'ed this movie, but now I am getting a DVD to keep.

I picked up this movie because it's one of the few non "R" movies made recently. It sat on my coffee table for several days as I wondered what it would be like. Finally I decided to play it, thinking that at worst I could always turn it off. But it was WONDERFUL! Kathy Bates is fantastic, wistful, sincere and I was drawn into her life. Rupert Everett plays his role with that quirky manner that won me over in An Ideal Husband and My Best Friend's Wedding. I'd never seen Ms. Eaton before but although I winced at her language a bit (yeah, I'm old fashioned) I thought she was terrific too. And, speaking of the word "terrific", seeing Julie Andrews send herself up made me laugh out loud. All in all, I enjoyed the movie thoroughly!

Why this movie didn't make it to theaters is beyond me. It's great entertainment with super characters and an original storyline. And Kathy Bates is her usual outstanding self.

Great story, great fun. I find myself smiling whenever I tell others about it.

The actor's were all outstanding, and I could actally feel myself
in that wonderful english manor in England,. and smell the food
on the table in one of the scenes..
The actors were all a perfect match for their character, this
movie was a totally surprise to me, I kind of thought oh one of those movies, ya know unconditional love. or mad love etc.
It is totally 100% an outstanding comedy drama, make you feel
good movie.
I admire the producers for incorporating a small person and a
gay male, as part of this movie, it is strange how so many
people think that if someone is different than you , well they
could never be included in your circle of friends or family
NOT TRUE..... this movie opens the eyes wether you wish for them to be opened or not...Its a 5 star movie and this is my
opinion.This is a movie you can watch over and over and always
get inspried by it.. so get out and buy it you wont regaret it
unless you have predjudices in your life... referring to
small people and gay men.- couples getting divorced. etc.
Enjoy this wonderful movie