Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Simply Great!, 31 Oct 2006
Most 'Gay Cinema' seems to deal with one of three main themes - being a drag queen; living with HIV/ dying of AIDS related illness; or dealing with an often painful/ traumatic coming out - first love scenario. All very worthy, but getting a bit boring quite honestly.
So how refreshing to see Big Eden. The film concerns a successful (in terms of career, not love) artist, Henry Hart who is asked to return to his small home town in rural Montana - Big Eden - to help with his sick grandfather. He is unwilling to return in part because of his successful career, but in truth he uses this as an excuse not to go back so as to avoid painful memories. Of course he does return and so begins a new awakening for him, though perhaps re-awakening would be a better term to use.
Having returned to Big eden he finds that the focus of his adolescent first, an un-requited love, has also returned to town with his two sons. He also strikes up a re-aquaintance with the painfully shy Pike, a local Native American storekeeper. Henry Hart re-adjusts to the slow and easy-going pace of life in Big Eden where people are just busy being nice and helpful to each other.
The story develops and different aspects of the different characters emerge each with their own concerns and complexities. Henry slowly realises that the concern people have for him is not born out of a need for gossip, but genuine affection. He eventually manages to put the past behind him and finds love in probably the most unexpected quarter.
Ok, so it's probably not like real life because in real life the lovely group of men who hang around Pike's store would be more likely to beat Henry up than embrace him as a member of their community. Perhaps though, that's where the beauty of Big Eden lies, it's a 'might be, should be' place that all of us want at some level - unconditional acceptance of who we are and who we choose to love.
There are some great characters in this. I've already mentioned the chaps who hang around the store and Pike; but the grandfather is great and the Widow Thayer is not to be missed!
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20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Blissful , bubbly and breath-taking - no it is not an ad for indigestion!!!, 22 Jun 2006
Saw the title around for abit, and finally gave in and got it and I am totally thrill i did!!!
This a a wonderful tale of love, lost and lusting... set amidst a breaktaking backdrop of Montana. The cinematography is amazing, and certainly lends to an inviting tale.
The story is simple and effortless in its development, and given it is set in a small town, there is no hint of prejudice, given the main focus is on a gay artist returning to nurse and infirmed relative.
The casting was perfect, the scenery complimentary and the tale - uncomplicated and poignant at the same time. The lead is great, and his total oblivion to the local store-owner's obvious wanton love and passion for him is amusing and refreshing. The fixture of unrequitted love rings through!!! It does not rely on gratutious scenes to devlop the plot, and comes to a fitting close... a good testament to taking time to tell a good story, and you will totally satisfy your audience...
Well worth repeated viewings... it is a great story - and it helps, that it focuses on a tenderness between human beings. It is merely icing on the cake, that the human beings involved happen to be gay men!!!
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13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A beautiful gem! , 26 Aug 2006
This is a fantastic film (5 stars) and I really hope that this director would make more films like this in the future. The music is wonderful and the action, photography and the whole cast is sewed together like a beautiful quilt. It completely takes on a new meaning of our sexuality. This story is full of optimism,love,laughter and friendship and I highly recommend this film to both gay and straight audience. When love speaks out, it transends all human beings no matter what their sexualities are. I hope this film will inspire many loving spirits ("People who need people are the luckiest people") and eventually people in our community would accept broader understanding of attraction, acceptance and love like Big Eden.
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