A Home at the End of the World
by Michael Mayer
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DVD details
Actor: Andrew Chalmers, Colin Farrell, Dallas Roberts, Robin Wright, Sissy SpacekDirector: Michael Mayer
Brand: Warner Brothers
Producer: Bradford Simpson
Producer: Christine Vachon
Producer: Jeff Sharp
Producer: Jim Powers
Producer: Jocelyn Hayes
Producer: John Hart
Writer: Michael Cunningham
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Subtitled); French (Subtitled); Spanish (Subtitled); English (Original Language)
Format: AC-3, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DVD, NTSC, Subtitled, Surround Sound, Widescreen
Picture Format: 2.40:1
Running Time: 97 minutes
Published: 2004-11-01
DVD Release Date: 2004-11-02
Audience Rating: R (Restricted)
Model: 38964
Studio: Warner Home Video
Product features:
- From the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Hours comes a story that chronicles a dozen years in the lives of two best friends. The film charts a journey of trials, triumphs, loves and losses. Now the question is: can they navigate the unusual triangle they've created and hold their friendship together?Running Time: 96 min. Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: DRAMA Rating: R Age: 08
DVD Reviews of A Home at the End of the World
DVD Review: You're essential.
Summary: 2 Stars
A Home at the End of the World is a beautiful story about the changing family structure in our society. It is the story of friends, lovers, and life told in a way that is becoming more and more common in our world. It is the simple story of Bobby and Jonathon and the tangled lives that they lead together. Sadly, there is a downside to this story. While I was completely enthralled with the charismatic story and the new direction of Hollywood boy-toy Farrell, there was still something missing from this film. While I appreciated the social commentary about the possibility of a same-sex couple bringing up a child, it was the choice of director Michael Mayer to cast Robin Wright Penn, Dallas Roberts, Sissy Spacek, and Matt Frewer that considerably lost points in my film book.
Here we have an enchanting story. A love story that has chosen to go in a very powerful direction that is normally not taken in a Hollywood film. It will capture your imagination and your heart, but will leave you dreaming for more because the actors are not suitable for their roles. Now, don't get me wrong. Normally when I write these reviews I am discuss how poor the actors did in their roles and then I go into a rant about that, but instead with this film I just felt that the actors were miscast. As I shrug my shoulders at this thought, I think back to the film and how some of the scenes that were to be important just didn't stand out because I couldn't see the actors actually playing the parts. 1980s Jonathon seemed like too much of a homosexual cliché. It felt like Mayer decided to forego any development of Jonathon's character to place scenes of him doing cliched homosexual things. It is hard to explain, but I knew that Jonathon was gay, I didn't need to continually be reminded of it. I wanted to see more depth, more power, and I don't think that Mayer or Dallas Roberts were willing to give it. Spacek wandered through her part like a pro, adding nothing new yet never detracting from it. I didn't realize Frewer was in this film until later on, man, it is great to see that guy. Finally, there was Robin Wright Penn, whom, out of all of the characters, was the most miscast of them all. Her zaniness and eclectic personality never truly came over the mountain. She played her part, she was enjoyable to watch, but was nothing short of average. Colin Farrell was the only actor worth watching in this film. He impressed me with his pensive, quiet demeanor. I just wish the others had seen him and followed suit. I think that for this film to work we needed some better players in the roles.
As I look over these characters and the lack of pizzazz that the actors gave, I also begin to think of how they fit into the story. Jonathon and Bobby are the major players in this romantic exploration, but what is Clare's role? After watching this film I had to ask myself this question several times. Why was she even in there? Does she really keep Bobby and Jonathon together? As horrible as this sounds, I basically saw her as a birthing tool to show how these two gay men would handing having a baby. It felt like propaganda for audiences to show them that two men could handing a child just as well as the conventional family. Perhaps I was mistaken, but I just couldn't see the path or direction of Robin's character. When her climactic moment occurs, I just didn't care. Her lack of excitement and moments of randomness just lessened the effect. I didn't make sense to me...
Outside of a couple of poor shots by the cinematographer that just seemed to distract from the rest of the story, it ends visionary. Not to give anything away, but I was expecting a larger finale. This film reminded me of gym class. Let me explain. Remember in high school when you had the run the mile for Physical Fitness and there you were pushing your muscles to the limit, and as you turned your head you saw that other classmates were just walking the course. A Home at the End of the World is those students walking the course. It never really picks up much speed and never makes you gasp for air. I felt as if this film was striding along expecting people to be surprised by the liberal nature of the film. If this film was made years ago, I think it would surprise viewers, but with films like Angels in America currently winning awards and breaking boundaries, it needed to have something stronger. Alas, it just was never there.
Overall, I wasn't happy with the characters or the final result. I expected to be flabbergasted by the story, images, and social commentary by this film and instead it came closer to cliché than shocking. I don't think it is worth picking up unless you are that one die-hard Colin Ferrell fan. He does a decent job in this film, but nothing else is worth writing home about. A could-be powerful film that seems to be running at half speed (if running at all)!
Grade: ** out of *****
Description of A Home at the End of the World
A STORY THAT CHRONICLES A DOZEN YEARS IN THE LIVES OF TWO BESTFRIENDS. THE FILM CHARTS A JOURNEY OF TRIALS, TRIUMPHS, LOVES & LOSSES. NOTHE QUESTION IS: CAN THEY NAVIGATE THE UNUSUALTRIANGLE THEY'VE CREATED & HOLD THEIR FRIENDSHIP TOGETHER?Bestsellers in DVD
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