Rating: 
Summary: Ain't Love Grand
Review: Big Eden is a sweet,humorous, down-to-earth story about following your heart wherever it may lead you. When Henry Hartt returns home to care for his elderly grandfather, he rediscovers a life vastly different from the one he left behind in New York City. During the course of his visit, Henry inability to let go of his past prevents him from experiencing the joy that right under his nose. This movie demystifies the dymanics of a gay relationship, and allows the viewer to see that meaningful love is universal and possible regardless of one's orientation. For those people who thought only heterosexuals are capable of this kind of emotion, surprise! If you have ever been a victim of homphobia or know someone who has, I'm sure you'll agree that the world would be a better place if it were more like Eden, Montana.
Rating: 
Summary: Coming Home to a town with a big heart
Review: A successful artist, who lives in NYC, goes home to visit his grandfather when he has a stroke. While caring for him, he is reunited with a teenage lover that he has never gotten over. He is also reacquainted with a new man where love sneaks up on him. How and why he makes the choices before him at this time will determine his level of happiness for the rest of his life.Henry is a successful painter in NYC who is scheduled to open a major show with his work, when he learns a few days prior that his grandfather Sam has had a stroke in his small home town of Big Eden, Montana. He decides to forego the opening so he can support his grandfather. Pike senses an attraction to Henry, which is, realized by him starting to cook gourmet healthy meals which he lets them think that Widow Thayer is making. We know that Henry and Pike are mutually attracted to one another, but Pike is very shy and Henry must decide if he will consummate his relationship with Dean from 18 years ago. Dean is divorced from his wife and has two young children that he is caring for. He has returned to Big Ben to raise them. Will Henry and Dean complete their unfinished business of almost 20 years ago or will Anna, who is attracted to Dean, help him decide where is love truly belongs? As Louise told Henry when he was trying to decide if he should 1) tell his grandfather he is gay and 2) if he should return to Big Eden or go back to NYC, "...when you are lost in the woods, the best thing to do is stand still.....rather than you finding them....they will find you".
Rating:
Summary: A Real Winner
Review: I am always looking for interesting films for a class I teach on gay and lesbian cinema. The reviews for "Big Eden" had caught my eye, but I didn't decide to buy it until a friend recommended it out of the blue. It took some time for this this film to "hook" me, but after about 45 minutes I couldn't look away. I was stimulated in the best of all possible ways: emotionally and intellectually. After showing this film to my class of straight students, they raved. This film shows the viewer what might be possible in a society that is truly culturally pluralistic. It dares to imagine the ideal without sacrificing the real. "Big Eden" has impeccable production values and a vibrant heart. Anyone looking for something that gets past the gay fascination with pecs and strong jaws will love this film. It's now my personal favorite.
Rating: 
Summary: Damn!
Review: I had such high hopes for this movie resulting from the many excellent reviews and many festival entries. I REALLY tried to like it, BUT it seemed to me that the two main characters had no chemistry at all and most of the time they were intermittently infuriating and obnoxious. As someone mentioned in another review they circled one another in a dance with one chair left and neither of them wanting to take the first move. Production values were excellent. I feel both the lead characters were woefully miscast in what could have been a rather sweet AND realistic story of self discovery and romance. By the way, if anyone knows of a town this tolerant, please send me a travel guide.
Rating:
Summary: Sooo boring!
Review: can the plot go any slower? and in the end you're given NOTHING. don't buy it, rent it only if you have a cupon for a free rental. because it's not worth the 4 bucks. sorry
Rating:
Summary: Genuinely sweet love story.
Review: I'm a married straight woman who generally avoids romance/love stories (not much for schmultz). But I just love this film. It sort of reminds me of a gay "Northern Exposure". But I'd hate to define it as a "gay movie". Quite simply, it's a charming little romance about unrequited love. And the main characters "just happen to be gay". Eric Schweig was wonderful as Pike, the achingly in love but painfully shy general store owner. Lots of good performances by some really wonderful character actors. If you're in the mood for a romantic film that's a little different, I highly recommend it.
Rating:
Summary: A Delightful Fable!
Review: This is one of two recent films with "gay" themes which surprised me with their excellence-- the other having been "Latter Days". But how different they are. Latter Days is a film which touches upon the sore points of gay existence-- the disapproval of blood relations (and homophobia in general), dogmatic religion, AIDS, the seductiveness of a superficial lifestyle, coming out, achieving balance in an unapproving wider society; and engages these points directly. Big Eden is a fable, a delightful fairy tale: it takes place in the aptly named small town of Big Eden, Montana: a town where homophobia appears not to exist at all, where gay townsfolk are protected and treasured by their neighbors-- where old widow women and weatherbeaten cowboys actively play matchmaker, and meddle with only the best intentions. Henry, a native of the town, now a successful artist in New York, is called home to care for his grandfather. Also newly back in town is his high school best-friend, Dean, for whom he carried a torch all those years, but who was straight. Dean is married-- a father-- and now divorced, curious, and confused. The local general store is run by Native-American Pike, who also knew Henry as a boy-- and who has secretly harbored love for him. Pike is bighearted and a man of few words... and when his friends realize he is in love with Henry, they are deeply sympathetic, and only worried Pike will get hurt. They also care for Henry. The absence of homophobia, of the omnipresence (elsewhere) of AIDS, allows us to focus on these three men and the human issues they share with all of mankind-- love, fear of rejection, uncertainty of what one truly wants. The townspeople are delightful: Nan Martin, as the delightful Widow Thayer, may be a busybody, but she is one with only the best intentions and without any malice. When Henry returns she throws him a party- with all the eligible young ladies she can rustle up. When the error of her judgment becomes clear, she intrepidly throws him another party-- with all the eligible young MEN she can corral. The actors are uniformly superb-- the performances a delight--- and like all good fables, there is a warm, happy ending. Someday, in public, in front of their whole towns, gay people may be able to dance together, and kiss, as their straight counterparts do without giving it another thought. Not soon-- not here in America, in the present climate of increasing repressiveness, with our president vociferously against gay rights and plebiscites voting to deny gays the right to marriage-- but somewhere, someday. And this sweet fable shows us that such a time, and place, would indeed be a veritable Eden.
Rating:
Summary: Gay-friendly romantic utopia that we should all discover
Review: An absolute charmer. If, like me, you've been searching for that really good gay-themed film and had begun to feel that it it would never exist, welcome to the world of BIG EDEN. My partner and I had bought this film a while ago, and had not watched it (staving off the disappointment factor?) So it came as a real surprise to find ourselves being enveloped in this utopian take on life in Montana, and how a small community could encourage and fully welcome two gay males on their bumpy road to becoming a full-fledged couple. With great performances by the two relatively unknown but talented leads (Arye Gross and Eric Schweig) and the pleasure of seeing some terrific veteran film and stage actors (Nan Martin, George Coe, Veanne Cox, Oscar winner Louise Fletcher) do their thing, and the incredible natural scenery as a wondrous backdrop, tyro filmmaker Thomas Bezucha has created a beautiful world and a beautiful film. I see his next film features some bigger names (Diane Keaton, Sarah Jessica Parker et al), and I hope a larger budget does not mean a loss of the amazing charm factor that he brings to BIG EDEN. Highly recommended to any discerning filmgoer, straight or gay.
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful Love Story
Review: I have seen this movie over and over again. I want the world to be as accepting as the people in this movie. I know we aren't there yet, but this film was amazing. A beautiful, touching love story in a small town called Big Eden. Finally, a gay film that shows a realistic view of how difficult it is for some to show their feelings.
Rating:
Summary: Big Eden,2000 Best Gay Flick a must See!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Review: I loved this move the lead guy is shy and mousey and he loosens up as the film goes on. The supporting cast is wonderful. This is a tender, loving,and tastful film. Most Gay films wonder down the road of poor actting, sex, or poor writting, it is nice to see films that are worth watching and have a good message about gay love other than "Hay he just found his NEXT ex-husband" aditude film.
If you are looking for a date movie or a feel good film this is it!! I have loned my copy out to friends or showed it to them and they all have said that this was a great movie. Get it and enjoy it.
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