Far from Heaven (2002)

 

Far from Heaven is quite simply a gorgeous film. The production design, the costume design, the cinematography – those beautiful fall colors! – are all just first rate. The score by Elmer Bernstein is so evocative of the movies from the 1950s that director Todd Haynes pays homage to. Far from Heaven is really a sort of reworking of the Douglas Sirk classic All that Heaven Allows (1955), but instead of focusing on two people from different classes who fall in love with each other, the newer film focuses on the growing affection between two people of different races. It also presents a sympathetic depiction of a gay man coming to terms with his sexuality during a period when that was as taboo a subject as interracial relationships. Cathy Whitaker (the astoundingly good Julianne Moore) lives a comfortable if restrained middle class existence. When she surprises her husband Frank (Dennis Quaid giving a career-best performance) at his office after work hours, she finds him kissing another man. Their relationship, unsurprisingly, begins to crumble after this revelation. He seeks psychiatric help, as did many gay men of the time, but refuses to share with her how his treatment is going. He begins drinking more, he becomes outraged easily, and he even slaps her over his inability to… uh… perform. Quaid is a standout in this film. The scene where he reveals that he’s fallen in love with someone else, another man, is a marvel to watch. Moore deservedly received attention for her performance, which is note perfect, but Quaid should have been nominated as well. Cathy develops a friendship with her black gardener, played with such gentleness by Dennis Haysbert. His Raymond Deacon is the only person around whom Cathy seems to feel comfortable. They bond over modern art and even go to have a meal at a local restaurant, but their friendship starts to garner them a lot of attention. The neighbors, played by such great actors as Celia Weston, begin gossiping, and he realizes that they cannot keep seeing each other. In a wonderful small touch, Haysbert sometimes even dresses like Rock Hudson, the male lead of All That Heaven Allows. Haynes and his crew pay such close attention to almost every detail. The rest of the cast is uniformly excellent. Viola Davis, early in her career here, gets one good scene, but it’s enough to see why she’s such an acclaimed actor. Patricia Clarkson is a delight as Cathy’s best friend Elinor; she seems to be very modern and understanding and accepting until Cathy reveals her possible feelings for Raymond and then Elinor is shockingly judgmental. The final sequence of the film is just heartbreaking in so many ways, but you know that it’s also truly realistic.

Oscar Nominations: Best Actress in a Leading Role (Julianne Moore), Best Original Screenplay, Best Cinematography, and Best Original Score