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Popcorn Reviews
With Cybèle: Love! Valour! Compassion!
By Cybèle Elaine Werts
CybeleW@aol.com
First published in the Shelburne
News, Shelburne Vermont
Popcorn Kernel Rating (four possible): Three
kernels for tender moments throughout that were neither written
nor acted to beat you over the head.
There are two ways to tell if a movie
originated as a play. One is that most of the action is
relationship oriented, and happens in one place. The other is
the "three act" feeling you get as the plot sets up,
gets complex, and resolves. Love! Valour! Compassion! is
a perfect example of this as a group of gay men get together
over a series of weekends at a country house.
Often compared to The Big Chill, the
themes of love, sex, and commitment run throughout; it just
happens to be gay men. Mainstreaming gay relationships is a
motif as the personality gamut includes everyone from the
standard hot babe Ramon (Randy Becker) to the swishy Broadway
tune quoter Buzz (Jason Alexander) to the long time couple who
"represent" gayhood - Perry (Stephen Spinella) and
Arthur (John Benjamin Hickey). It’s kind of like All In The
Family where the variety of viewpoints works to appeal to
all audiences. No matter who you are, you can’t help but like
one of them. And this movie is very character driven as they
come together and separate in 52 flavors of love hate
relationships. The cast, mostly fresh off the Broadway version
delivery funny and painful moments with surprising ease. Only
Jason Alexander (Yes, from Seinfeld) is a newbie but blends in
seamlessly. In fact it is he and John Glover who have the
gustiest parts, and ultimately the most tender. Alexander threw
off his Seinfeld shackles and embraced the opportunity to make a
complete fool of himself, ultimately becoming the heart of the
film.
As best as I can tell the only self indulgent
moment on the playwright’s part was a disembodied scene at the
end where each character explained how his life ended. Morbid
and out of character for a reality based story. Ultimately
though, the movie finished up in character.
Suggested Gustatory Accompaniment: Got milk?
Why not, since it places squarely in two scenes.
Copyright 2000
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