Cable Spotlight: "Behind the Candelabra" - Starring Michael Douglas and Matt Damon

 

 

The movie that was labeled as "too gay" for a theatrical release, Steven Soderbergh's Behind the Candelabra, recently premiered on HBO. The film focuses on the relationship between the late entertainer Liberace (Michael Douglas) and his young lover, Scott Thorson (Matt Damon), in the 1980s. The screenplay, by Richard LaGravenese, is based on Thorson's 1988 book Behind the Candelabra: My Life with Liberace and details their years together as lovers before a dramatic falling out.

 

Liberace was clearly attracted to younger men and fell for Scott shortly after they met. Scott, who came from a broken home, feels a connection to the much older Liberace, who acts like more of a father figure than companion to the young man and even offers to adopt him. Of course, being lovers first and then proposing an adoption is not easily understood or accepted by the people outside of their relationship. But that was just one of the issues that the couple faced in their often turbulent relationship, as Liberace demanded to have control at all times and would wield his considerable power when he thought it was necessary.

 

Scott was clearly out of his league, but felt accepted and loved, so it was difficult to leave, even after Liberace suggested (demanded) that he undergo a series of plastic surgeries to make Scott look more like the legendary entertainer. That bizarre suggestion is followed through courtesy of a drug addled doctor (a sublime Rob Lowe as Dr. Jack Startz). Following the procedures, Scott is advised to begin taking a variety of painkillers that are addictive and eventually lead to other addictions, including cocaine. As Scott is heading for a fall, Liberace has already moved on to other young men, which only adds more fuel to the fire as their relationship disintegrates.

 

While the subject matter is interesting and Soderbergh's direction is strong, as always, the performances by Douglas and Damon are superb, even award worthy. The usually masculine Douglas somehow captures the flamboyant nature of the one and only Liberace, while Damon completely becomes Scott Thorson and is so convincing that viewers might think that he is gay. However, he is not. It is just Matt Damon being Matt Damon. What other young actor can play characters as diverse as Will Hunting, Jason Bourne, Tom Ripley and now Scott Thorson? Damon is one of the best actors of his, or any, generation. Both Douglas and Damon were brave for tackling these roles, considering the amount of intimacy between the characters, which always feels authentic. Damon also physically transforms himself throughout the film and is called upon to do a number of nude scenes. I am not sure how many other actors, of a similar age, would have taken the role to that level of realism. The talented supporting cast includes Dan Aykroyd, Scott Bakula and Debbie Reynolds.

 

I am old enough to remember Liberace, who passed away when I was in high school, and I recall the controversy surrounding his death, which is touched upon in the film. There are many surprising moments throughout Behind the Candelabra, including the idea that many of Liberace's fans did not know he was gay. Really? I suppose it must be true because during the piano player's long career, he enjoyed immense success and lived like royalty, if the film is to be believed and I trust that is it accurate. During that time, I am not sure he could have been "out" and continued to be so successful beloved. I have always found it strange that in a place like Hollywood, where gay and lesbian people populate the landscape, that so many of them would go to great lengths to hide their sexuality. Of course, that appears to be changing, albeit slowly. In any event, Behind the Candelabra offers a fascinating look at one of the greatest entertainers in the history of show business and the demons that plagued his personal life, in a non-judgmental, riveting and, of course, entertaining way.

 



DVD Recommendation: "Chasing Amy: The Criterion Collection"

After reading An Askew View 2: The Films of Kevin Smith, I decided to become reacquainted with a few of the director's older films that I have not seen for a while. Chasing Amy is at the top of the list, since it is my favorite Kevin Smith effort (and one I used to own on VHS tape). The film, which was released in 1997, holds up well and was ahead of its time in dealing with the complications surrounding contemporary relationships and issues of sexuality. As viewers might expect, there is no shortage of vulgarity and sexual innuendo, as well as commentary on popular culture, including Star Wars (a favorite Smith topic) and characters from Archie comic books.

Ben Affleck and Jason Lee star as comic book artists Holden McNeil and Banky Edwards, who also happen to be roommates and long time friends. Banky appears content to be single, but Holden is quite different and soon falls for Alyssa Jones (Joey Lauren Adams), who he meets at a comic book convention. Holden does not realize that Alyssa is a lesbian and learns that fact during a rather embarrassing scene in a gay bar, where Banky appears to enjoy seeing his best friend shot down. Despite the obstacle, Holden continues to spend time with Alyssa and falls in love with her. Perhaps he enjoys being self destructive, or maybe he really believes that she is "the one" and that they can somehow build a life together.

Alyssa and Holden become close, which angers Banky, who believes that Holden will end up with a broken heart and he has no trouble voicing his opinion. It appears Banky is jealous of the connection between Alyssa and Holden and is hostile towards her for the duration. After meeting with Jay (Jason Mewes) and Silent Bob (Kevin Smith), who is not so silent this time around, Holden receives uncomfortable information about Alyssa's past that threatens to derail their relationship, which is already on shaky ground. After an emotional and rather long argument with Alyssa, Holden decides to confront both her and Banky together and propose something unexpected, which is met with surprising reactions from both of them and creates even more interpersonal drama among the trio.

Kevin Smith serves as writer and director and excels at both jobs. He clearly understands popular culture and incorporates several clever and brutally honest observations that are delivered with perfection by the talented cast, especially Jason Lee, who is simply hysterical throughout the film. Indeed, Banky says what is on his mind at all times and that does not go over well with everyone. He simply does not care what anyone thinks or if anyone likes him, expect for Holden, of course. Smith also offers keen insight into romantic relationships and how sex can cause many problems, whether in potential heterosexual or homosexual pairings.

Chasing Amy is also perfectly cast by Smith and features solid performances from the aforementioned principal cast members, as well as a scene stealing supporting turn from Dwight Ewell, as Hooper X, an openly gay comic book writer who, like Banky, always speaks him mind. Frequent Smith contributors Ethan Suplee, Brian O'Halloran, Scott Mosier and Jason Mewes add to the enjoyment of the film, which also boasts a brief appearance by Matt Damon. Like many of Smith's films, there is an abundance of male actors who all seem to understand exactly how his words are to be read onscreen. Whether that is just great direction or a magic that Smith develops with his actors, I do not know, but it works beautifully in many of his projects and Chasing Amy may just be the best of the bunch.

The special features include Ten Deleted Scenes, Outtakes, Trailer, Audio Commentary, Special Insert: The Askewniverse Legend: A Guide to Characters in the New Jersey Trilogy, New Video Introduction to the DVD Edition from Director Kevin Smith and Video Introductions from the Cast and Crew, including a completely spaced out Jason Mewes.

By the way, regarding the Archie characters, I would not doubt that at least one of the main characters is actually gay, but a supporting character, Kevin Keller, was introduced as gay a couple of years ago. I suppose that was the easy way out for the writers of the Archie comic books, which continue to be popular, keeping Archie, Jughead, Reggie, Moose, Dilton, Betty, Veronica, Miss Grundy and even Mr. Weatherbee from exiting the closet any time soon. I wonder what Hooper and Banky would say about Kevin Keller?

Gus Van Sant and Matt Damon Reunite for "Promised Land"

Matt Damon re-teams with his Good Will Hunting director, Gus Van Sant, for the socially conscious drama Promised Land, which centers around the efforts of an energy company to purchase natural gas drilling rights from residents of a small farming town. Damon portrays Steve Butler, a rising star in his company, Global Crosspower Solutions, who partners with another employee, Sue Thomason (Frances McDormond), to secure the land rights quickly and with limited cost to their employer. Initially, their efforts are well received, but during a town meeting, a science teacher, Frank Yates (Hal Holbrook), expresses skepticism about the dangers of extracting the natural gas through a process known as fracking. Steve is not prepared for Frank's educated opinion and has trouble addressing his concerns, which seems to trouble the other residents. As a result, the locals decide to take a vote after they have had time to educate themselves about fracking. Soon thereafter, an environmental advocate, Dustin Noble (John Krasinski), arrives in town and works to convince the residents not to sell their land to Global because of the possible contamination of the water supply and the dangers posed to the animal population from fracking. Dustin's easy going, friendly demeanor helps endear him to the locals, who believe what he has to say, thus causing roadblocks for Steve and Sue to successfully purchase the land. 

Promised Land was filmed in and around Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania which is a fracking hot spot these days. The fracking debate that is addressed in the film is not a new one and was the focus of a 2010 documentary, Gasland, which was nominated for an Academy Award. While the debate on the pros and cons of fracking continues, the farming industry continues to struggle, which is prompting more and more people to sell their land and reap the rewards. That reality is captured throughout the film, as Steve tries to convince the land owners that farming is a thing of the past and that their only real option is to sell. That may be an oversimplification, but Steve is trying to further his career, after all. Even though he tells the residents that he is not the bad guy, his inability to be completely honest with them suggests otherwise. However, Steve is likable and comes from similar small town roots, so he can relate to the people that he is trying to coax into selling their land. At times, Steve appears conflicted about his job, which becomes even more complicated when he knows that the promises that he is making may not come to pass for the residents, who are essentially being manipulated and not necessarily receiving a fair price for their land and the natural gas resources.

The screenplay, by Matt Damon and John Krasinski, starts off strong but loses momentum during the second half of the film, when I found myself becoming distracted during a few dialogue heavy scenes. When Promised Land stays focused on Steve's internal conflicts, the film works well, but when a needless potential romance develops between him and a local resident, Alice (Rosemarie DeWitt), the film veers off course. The romantic angle is never fully realized because the characters do not spend enough time together. In fact, viewers know next to nothing about Alice, so why should they care about her potential romance with Steve? Furthermore, there are too many characters introduced throughout the film, which is distracting at times and at least two of them, portrayed by the aforementioned and always outstanding McDormand and Holbrook, simply do not have enough to do. On the other hand, Damon and Krasinski play more substantial roles and deliver strong performances. Krasinski is particularly effective in a bar scene during open mic night when Dustin is trying to sway the residents against selling their land. He ends his speech by belting out Bruce Springsteen's "Dancing in the Dark," which solidifies his "everyman" status with the locals. 

My expectations for Promised Land were high because the film features two of my favorite actors, Matt Damon and Frances McDormond. In addition, Gus Van Sant is one of my favorite directors and the aforementioned Good Will Hunting is one of my all-time favorite films. Unfortunately, Promised Land does not live up to its potential. While I appreciated the effort put forth by the considerable talent that has been assembled for this project, I cannot fully recommend this film. However, there is much to like about Promised Land, if you can overlook its shortcomings. For instance, small town life is perfectly captured, the music is well considered, humor is used well to offset the drama, and the main characters are realistically portrayed by exceptional actors. Of course, depending on where viewers fall in the fracking debate is likely to be crucial to their enjoyment of the film, which does an admirable job at looking at both sides of the issue, but ultimately appears to be saying that the potential dangers associated with the process need to be examined more closely. While that is reasonable, I suspect some viewers may not feel the same way.