- Actors: Juliet Stevenson, Kevin Bishop, Allan Corduner, Paul Rhys, Craig Hill
- Directors: Ventura Pons
- Format: Colour, DVD-Video, NTSC
- Language English
- Region: Region 1 (US and Canada DVD formats.)
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9 - 1.85:1
- Number of discs: 1
- Classification: R (Restricted) (US MPAA rating. See details.)
- Studio: Tla
- DVD Release Date: 10 Jun 2003
- Run Time: 105 minutes
- Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
- ASIN: B00008YLU4
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 80,353 in Film & TV (See Top 100 in Film & TV)
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
13 of 14 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
Gullible young Paul becomes the page-turner for world-famous pianist Richard. They meet up again in Barcelona where Paul goes with his mother, and they have an affair. Paul falls in love but hard, but Richard goes back to his life, and his lover, in New York.
It proves a little difficult for Spanish director Ventura Pons to keep track of his focus, and two thirds of the way through 'Food of Love' the somewhat too stereotypical gay machinations and love intrigues become tiresome. Everybody, even our 18-year old hero, is a liar and a cheat, and everybody is shouting hatefully at everybody else, and you sort of lose interest in a plot that doesn't strive for emotional or psychological realism. Still, young Kevin Bishop does manage some touching scenes and deserves credit for his frequent risk-taking. Paul Rhys as the caddish pianist also has his moments.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
I thought this was a really lovely and absorbing film. It very much captures what it is to be young and cute and get involved with older successful men (and I don't mean for rent). The scenes shot in Barcelona really evoke the city and the feel of a young American boy and his mum there as tourists - reminded me a bit of "Room With a View" as they went round with Paul being "tour guide" for his mum. Then the romantic secret relationship that develops with the older, successful concert pianist Paul Rhys. The film tends to suggest that young Paul is "used" when in fact he is probably - certainly later - enjoying the benefits of "the good life" and probably a "user" himself (if one can really call it that). I could really identify with the character and see so much I recognised - most "gay" films focus on the two beautiful young guys falling in love - it was refreshing to see another, not uncommon story - rarely told - of the young guy in loving relationships with the older partner(s).
Kevin Bishop acts brilliantly in this film - I thought he was the all-American boy he plays but when you watch the cast interviews you realise he is very much an English lad. And he is very cute in the film - one almost thinks he is "wasted" on the men he ends up with due to the benefits they can offer. Still such is life and I don't think he is simply using them for the fringe benefits - he genuinely appears to love older men. But it's almost shocking to see such a cute young guy in relationships with the older men but liberating to see this portrayed in film rather than that he was in love with another cute young guy.
The other main theme is the relationship Paul has with his mother, Juliet Stevenson. This is brilliantly acted by Juliet and Kevin and the resolution of their increasingly difficult relationship is very welcome. Mother does in fact facilitate a denouement for Paul and the other main characters and we hope a way for him to move forward with greater knowledge and maturity.
I loved this film and just wish it had carried on or there was a sequel.
Kevin Bishop acts brilliantly in this film - I thought he was the all-American boy he plays but when you watch the cast interviews you realise he is very much an English lad. And he is very cute in the film - one almost thinks he is "wasted" on the men he ends up with due to the benefits they can offer. Still such is life and I don't think he is simply using them for the fringe benefits - he genuinely appears to love older men. But it's almost shocking to see such a cute young guy in relationships with the older men but liberating to see this portrayed in film rather than that he was in love with another cute young guy.
The other main theme is the relationship Paul has with his mother, Juliet Stevenson. This is brilliantly acted by Juliet and Kevin and the resolution of their increasingly difficult relationship is very welcome. Mother does in fact facilitate a denouement for Paul and the other main characters and we hope a way for him to move forward with greater knowledge and maturity.
I loved this film and just wish it had carried on or there was a sequel.
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
The problem is the script and direction. A very strong cast do what they can to make this melodramatic and rather unpleasant story work. The stereotyped predatory nature of the older gay men is not the most enlightened scenario one would wish for in 20th century film - however the young male lead, Kevin Bishop, is excellent and so is the astonishing Paul Rhys, in a rather underwritten role. Juliet S. and Geraldine G. are so "over the top" they are coming down the other side. And that clearly is the fault of the director as they are both talented actors. Finally the sex scenes are neither pornographic nor tasteful - they just leave you with a rather unfortunate feeling that you are watching arty soft- porn - which am sure was not the intention and clearly not a good idea for such as sensitive subject matter. There is much of interest in the story line - and presumably the novel on which it was based - but the film really does not deliver despite good production values and clearly a better budget than many others....
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