Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Serious Film, November 26, 1999
This is a daring topic and I wish more theaters had shown the film. Can two men love a woman and share her in a way that makes it work? This movie attempts to answer that question without compulsively tacking on moralistic, "don't try this at home" endings where the relationship ends disastrously almost before it starts with jealousy-crazed, immature tantrum-throwing on the part of the protagonists. It also blows a few stereotypes in a delightful way: the two men in question seem like normal, heterosexual guys, if a bit immature; the woman is a nice, girl-next-door type who is just trying to find someone to love her and hits the jackpot, rather than a nymphomaniac. Somehow, it's the rest of the world that starts looking a bit strange after a while -- nobody else seems to get it.The film isn't very explicit, which has its pluses and minuses -- other movies that have dealt with similar scenarios invariably do a thoroughly awkward, uncreative job of portraying a threesome, so it would have been nice to see an improvement on that -- but I think Araki wanted to focus on the romantic, emotional side of a threeway relationship rather than the sexual aspects, which this film does quite well. I would also have liked the film to be a bit longer to allow for more character development of the men (it's told from the woman's perspective so it's easier to develop her character than theirs); what was it about the men that made the woman think that it could work between the three of them? Those points aside, this is a serious film and I highly recommend it.
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11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Three's Company, for the Millennium!, November 23, 2000
'Splendor', from writer/director Gregg Araki, is a bright, witty comedy of relationships, told from a woman's perspective. The film's opening shot sets the tone for the entire film; a beautiful girl lies between two handsome men, a look of pure bliss on her face, and sleepy satisfaction on theirs! Unusual for a mainstream American film, but this is NOT your usual 'Boy Meets Girl' movie!Young Veronica, portrayed by the astonishingly lovely Kathleen Robertson, comes to Hollywood to pursue an acting career; one evening, attending a crowded costume party with lesbian friend, Mike (British actress Kelly McDonald), she sees hunky drummer Zed (played with goofy charm by Matt Keeslar), and immediately is aroused, much to Mike's chagrin! As she is pulled away, she literally runs into handsome, sensitive writer Abel (the always watchable Johnathon Schaech) and sparks fly again, despite Mike's funny insults! After passing him her phone number, she retreats to the bathroom...and runs into Zed! Passions explode immediately, and a tryst begins that ends in her apartment, the next day...when Abel phones her! Veronica bemoans the fact that it's always 'feast or famine', but likes both guys too much to date either of them, exclusively! Of course the two suitors eventually meet, and Veronica is so sweet and desirable that she manages to convince both of them that a loving relationship between the three is not only possible, but desirable! This would be the 'end' of many films, but director Araki uses the threesome as the framework for an entire movie, covering a wide assortment of funny situations! As the 'glue' that holds this unusual relationship together, Robertson's portrayal of Veronica is a marvel, funny and sexy, yet vulnerable! Can this trio of young lovers survive, especially with a young, wealthy TV director (Eric Mabius) waiting in the wings, to take Veronica away from all this? Buy 'Splendor', and find out! You WON'T be disappointed!
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Cute, enjoyable romantic tale., June 20, 2004
`Splendor' is a wonderful film by indie director Gregg Araki, who with such films as Nowhere, The Doom Generation, and Totally f***ed up, has been dubbed "The God of Alternative Gay Teen Cinema." The film opens on Halloween night at a costume party, where out heroine, Veronica, an aspiring actress (is there any other kind?) meets her Prince Charming (literally), Abel, a freelance rock critic, after he accidentally runs into her. As their eyes meet, the two realize that they are destined for each other. As Veronica begins to walk away, due to protests from her lesbian best friend Mikey, Abel asks for her number and she gives it to him. Less than five minutes later, Veronica sees the gorgeous drummer of the band playing at the party, and they immediately have sex, without even an introduction.
It isn't long before Veronica is steadily dating the two men, with their permission of course. The two men know that they are sharing the same woman, but they have never met each other. When Veronica invites Abel to one of Zed's concerts, the two men run into each other and complications arise.
This film deals with a daring topic and I wish that more theaters had shown it during its theatrical run. Surprisingly, the film isn't very explicit, but I think that Araki wanted to focus more on the romantic, emotional side of a threeway relationship rather than the sexual aspects, which the film does quite well. This movie was very enjoyable and somewhat different from the corny romantic comedies out there, although the end did manage to take that route. The script was fresh and funny, and the performances were great. I love Kathleen Robertson and its been good seeing her in such daring roles lately. Johnathon Schaech was terrific as always, and Matthew Kessler, who plays Zed, is one of the sexiest actors I have ever seen. This is one I can watch over and over and I am eagerly anticipating whatever will come next from this great director. Highly recommended for those who want to see a slightly different romantic comedy.
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