Far From Heaven Review
by Laura Clifford (laura AT reelingreviews DOT com)October 21st, 2002
FAR FROM HEAVEN
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When happy housewife Cathy (Moore) discovers her ad exec husband (Dennis Quaid in a 180 from his "The Rookie" role) in a clinch with another man, she tries to save their sexless marriage via counselling, but finds herself drifting into a relationship with her black gardener (Dennis Haysbert). Suddenly Hartford's perfect hostess is the subject of a scandal that even her best friend (Patricia Clarkson) recoils from in writer/director Todd Haynes' ode to Douglas Sirk and actress Julianne Moore, "Far From Heaven."
Haynes ("Safe," "Velvet Goldmine") walks a fine line in his exploration of 1950's American sexual and racial discrimination and repression, reviving the melodrama to the very edge of camp, yet attaining a real emotional wallop. Haynes has achieved perfection in every aspect of filmmaking here, displaying a confident maturity far beyond his earlier works. His homage to such films as "All That Heaven Allows" and "Imitation of Life" transcends them. Simply put, "Far From Heaven" is a masterpiece.
Cathy's first warning that her world is not what it seems comes when Frank fails to appear in time for a dinner engagement. Called to the phone by their maid Sybil (Viola Davis, "Traffic"), Cathy is shocked, but rises to the task of having to bail her husband out of jail. She believes his explanations and the very next morning is presenting her household to Mrs. Leacock (Bette Henritze), Hartford's society columnist. Distracted by a stranger in her yard, Cathy meets Raymond (Dennis Haysbert, "Love and Basketball"), the son of her former gardener, with a warmth that's noted in Leacock's article, much to the amusement of Cathy's circle. Cathy, it appears, is viewed as a bit of a liberal. 'I'm not prejudiced, we support the NAACP,' says she.
Indulgent affection begins to sour at a local art show when Cathy greets Raymond and his young daughter like old friends. Yet Cathy's annual party, prepared with the help of best friend Eleanor (Patricia Clarkson, "The Pledge"), is still a success, albeit one where marital cracks begin to show publicly when a drunken Frank embarrasses his wife.
Raymond discovers Cathy distraught at her home shortly afterwards and he talks her into a refreshing outing, but they're seen entering a restaurant by town gossip Mona Lauder (Celia Weston, "In the Bedroom"). Frank's relieved to be on the offensive for once and Cathy tries to resuscitate the marriage with a New Year's trip to Miami, but once there a young man breaks Frank's resolve and wins his heart. Cathy's confides her feelings about Raymond to Eleanor and is shocked to find herself rebuffed.
Haynes complex script encompasses the strata of an entire society in a specific time and place. Housewives twitter over the unseemliness of a husband who wants sex more than once a week. Doctors discussing the 'disease' of homosexuality list shock treatment as an option. Children are admonished to watch their language after uttering 'Jeez.' Perfectly made up women outfitted in heels and pearls deliver elaborate silver serving pieces for their friends' soirees. A little girl is pummeled with stones by a group of little boys simply because she's black.
This is a world where what is unsaid is often louder than the spoken word. Haynes realizes this most powerfully when Cathy goes to Raymond's house and Raymond 'consummates' the unrequited love affair by running his thumb throughout the center of a pink rose.
Moore is perfection as the idealistic woman whose perfect world crumbles. The transformation of her smiling kind face into a mask of disillusionment by film's end is heartbreaking. Haysbert is the essence of gentility. His quiet, educated manner and decency make him the ideal match for Moore's Cathy, although he's played this part before with Michelle Pfeiffer in "Love Field." Quaid captures the 1950's businessman, showing his chinks by slipping in subtle effeminate touches. He remains sympathetic with displays of sincere confusion and anguish. Clarkson is once again top notch, here as an elegant country club gal. Davis provides a stabilizing influence on the Whitakers' turbulent household. Henritze is a real find as Leacock.
Mark Friedberg's ("Pollock") autumnal production design and Sandy Powell's ("The End of the Affair") color-coded costuming are magnificently lush and evoke not only the period, but the filmmaking of the period. Cinematographer Ed Lachman's stylistic framing also recalls Sirk's era, mostly amusingly when rear projection is used for vehicle exteriors. Composer Elmer Bernstein's ("The Age of Innocence") score is another vintage touch.
"Far From Heaven" is cinematic paradise.
A+
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