Rating: 
Summary: This is a beautiful and satisfying movie.
Review: Every frame of FAR FROM HEAVEN is filled with magnificent colors and textures. Julianne Moore glows in what will surely be an Academy Award-winning performance. The emphasis on the style and language of late 1950s films makes the explosions even more powerful when they come. The pace is wonderful, and I found myself wanting to stay in the theater and see it again. It will be a DVD that I will watch over and over. The movie lets us see some of what couldn't be shown in the 1950s films.
Rating: 
Summary: Failed to Meet Expectations
Review: Many critics whose opinions I respect raved about this film, so I had high expectations when I went to see it. Alas, I was disappointed.A common theme among the critics is that this film succeeds by transporting us back to 1957, letting us experience the societal prejudices and foibles of that era firsthand. The central figure, Cathy Whitaker (Julianne Moore) finds her picture-perfect life as a society-pages housewife gradually unravel as her husband struggles with his homosexual feelings and she innocently steps over the color line in her interactions with her black gardener, Raymond Deagan (Dennis Haysbert). The film shows us this story by showing subjects on the screen that would be taboo in 1957 while simultaneously projecting a mood based on those same 1957 mores. For me the central problem with the film is that Cathy is simply not a very likable or sympathetic character. She is good-hearted, but only superficially. In truth, she is a self-centered and insensitive society butterfly, coddled in wealth and oblivious to the effect of her actions on others. It is striking how little affection Cathy shows for her own children (she is constantly sending them out of the room, shutting them off, or ignoring their desire for some involvement in their lives). Her blindness to the consequences of her "friendship" with her gardener is almost incredible; at no point does she seem to realize that she has some responsibility for destroying his life and that of his daughter. A cold fish, she leaves her husband to deal with his own internal turmoil alone, seldom showing compassion or any genuine concern. Initially, I felt that the fact that I could not like Cathy Whitaker was part of the brilliance of the movie. The characters are the creatures of their environment, and what that environment created was not very likable. Yet I cannot help feel that this was inadvertent -- indeed, I am struck by the fact few of today's critics picked up on what a miserable mother, wife, and friend Cathy really was. Is our own sense of political correctness preventing us from seeing this? As the film progressed, it became irrelevant to me whether Cathy's character flaws were intentional. They simply made her too unlikable to draw out my sympathy. The only genuinely likable character in the film was Raymond; the damage done to his life by his brief brush with Cathy is tragic. Cathy's continued pursuit of him in the face of the damage she caused -- and the clear self-centeredness of that pursuit -- is dismaying. I want to feel at least neutral about Cathy; instead, I find myself loathing her. The story takes place in Hartford, CT over a period of several months, during the late fall and winter. Yet the outside scenes appear to all come from the same October week. About the only change one sees is a few more leaves off the trees. Christmas comes and goes without snow or even brown grass, and the leaves maintain their color and crispness on the ground months after having fallen off the tree. Julianne Moore's acting is very good, but Dennis Quaid is little more than a stereotype as her husband, Frank. This is probably more the script's fault than it is Quaid's, but I found myself wanting to know more about this character. The one performance I really loved was that of Dennis Haysbert. He captured perfectly the soul of the kind, experienced, and wise gardener for whom one misstep nearly destroys everything he has worked his whole life to accomplish. He projects the anguish of Raymond's situation and is the one character who shows any real understanding of what is going on. Haysbert is able to show tenderness and determination in a very convincing way. I hope we see more of him in prominent roles. In the end, I have to rate this film a 6 out of 10. It was OK to see once, but I would not want to sit through it again.
Rating: 
Summary: Almost heavenly
Review: Hands down, this picture is beautiful. The lush 1950s New England setting, the gorgeous fall colors (that cover up the shadowy realities of homosexuality and racism the film explores), the Technicolor splendor are supported by an emotional score that nuances with the plot sensitively (as expected, under the composition of Elmer Bernstein). But for all the faithful homage director Todd Haynes pays to melodrama king Douglas Sirk, the film does not address the Pandora's boxes it opens up succinctly; it's not substantial enough to support both a tongue-in-cheek exploration of the irreverent retro cliches and the challenging social issues faced by housewife Cathy Whitaker (Julianne Moore, radiant as always, more beautiful in this role than ever).
Rating:
Summary: The dark side of Father Knows Best
Review: If you've been around long enough to remember those 50s shows like "Father Knows Best", you'll remember how perfect life for the American WASP middle class was depicted as being. Perfect father, mother, marriage, children (or at least reasonably well behaved), job (for Dad - Mom stayed home), house, schools, and neighborhood. If there was a dark side, it didn't extend further than one of the Anderson kids complaining about having to help set the perfect table for the perfect home-cooked dinner. America had single-handedly won WWII (what Eastern Front?) and was keeping the world safe for democracy. Ike was President, and life was grand. For those of us who lived even a close approximation, it was. FAR FROM HEAVEN begins just that way. Frank Whitaker (Dennis Quaid) and his All-American blonde wife Cathy (Julianne Moore) - the high school cheerleader/prom queen sort who probably married right after graduation - own a perfect (and huge) home in a perfect neighborhood of Hartford, CN where you can't see the perfect neighbors for all the trees (gloriously clothed in perfect fall colors). The Whitakers have two perfect kids, and Frank manages the local office of mighty Magnatech. It's 1957, and when the Whitaker boy says "Oh, gee!", Mom reprimands him for his bad language. Frank wears a suit, tie and hat; Cathy wears full skirts and is perfectly coifed. In this all-white world, the only Blacks are the perfect housekeeper Sybil (Viola Davis) and the perfect gardener Ray (Dennis Haysbert). But there's a flip side. In the film's leading role, Moore turns in an Oscar-worthy performance as the 50s-perfect wife whose perfect life implodes on the day she discovers hubby, ostensibly working late, in his office passionately kissing another man. And she's so pathetically grateful when Frank reluctantly consents to undergo psychiatric treatment. But then, in her growing loneliness, she befriends Ray, who's just taken over his deceased father's yard maintenance business. Ray is educated, sensitive, soft-spoken, gentle, and the single father of a young daughter. One day, Cathy accepts Ray's offer to take her on a short errand out of town to pick up some shrubs. On the way back, they stop for lunch at a roadhouse. Cathy is seen exiting Ray's truck by a local gossip, who soon pours gasoline on the smoldering racism of the Whitakers' neighbors. Even Cathy's best friend Eleanor (Patricia Clarkson) is appalled. Finally, thinking all is at least approaching right again with Frank (who's undergoing that therapy, remember?), off Cathy and her troubled spouse go for an idyllic winter vacation in Miami, a place peopled with handsome young men. Oh oh, big mistake. In a role very different from the congenial characters recently played in FREQUENCY and THE ROOKIE, Quaid is darkly effective as the tortured Frank. And Haysbert is perhaps another Denzel Washington in the making. The "look" of the film is superb, recreating the fashion, cars, home and office decor, and technology of the period to an uncanny degree. FAR FROM HEAVEN gives the viewers a glimpse at the dark side of an ideal time perhaps existing only in nostalgia and Norman Rockwell prints. It presages the turmoil and changes in a society on the verge of irrevocable evolution. For American audiences, this deserves to be a great film. For foreign audiences who didn't share in America's 50s bounty, it may be something less, but at least they can see where we come from.
Rating:
Summary: Stating the Obvious?
Review: I'm not sure why Amazon's intrepid editors choose two negative reviews as Spotlight Reviews for "Far From Heaven" but I'm hoping that fans of this technically brilliant and thought provoking film from Todd Haynes will speak their piece. My wife and I saw this movie last week and thought it was as good as any movie we've seen this year. To dismiss the movie as postmodern sophism on the part of Haynes, is to miss the point of the movie entirely. We have seen quite a few movies (David Lynch and John Waters come to mind) that portray the Eisenhower years with a great deal of irony and that it is an easy task. Haynes resists camping it up and instead presents a heartfelt meditation on the nature of love, breaking social taboos and ultimately the price one pays for following their heart. Not since Bodonovich's "Last Picture Show", have we gotten such a photo-realistic examination of life in the fifties. "Far From Heaven" may possess the same social values as Water's "Hairspray" but Haynes resistance to using campy stereotypes is what makes this movie so powerful. The three principal actors Julianne Moore, Dennis Quaid and Dennis Haysbert all turn in compelling performances. Julianne Moore's nuanced performance as a housewife on the verge of a nervous breakdown should earn her an well deserved Oscar nomination. Dennis Quaid's fallen "golden boy" who discovers his own homosexuality and responds to it with self hatred and binge drinking is riveting. Dennis Haysbert's understated and sensitive performance as the black gardener shows us that all black movie roles don't have to be portrayed with overstated histronics. Haysbert, like Denzel Washington, refuses to resort to a stereotypical "black" performance. Seeing "Far From Heaven" made me remember that we are still grappling with many of these social issues nearly 50 years later. Many will see Hayne's treatment of racism, homosexuality and domestic violence as oversimplified, however if these issues are so "simple" why do they still persist as significant social problems in 2002? That's food for thought and "Far From Heaven" will definitely provoke a discussion.
Rating:
Summary: Meet Cathy and Frank Whitaker
Review: and watch their "far from heaven" marriage turn to dust. Like "American Beauty", this movie shows us how tragic life can be in the suburbs. This time we are thrown back to the 1950's. In this tribute to 50's movies, Julianne Moore, as Cathy Whitaker, dazzles us with her best performance thus far, and we watch her "far from heaven" lifestyle unravel. She has great expression and seems constantly professional in her acting manner.
This is a beautifully filmed drama with some outstanding acting. Patricia Clarkson, she plays the best friend Eleanor, is just brilliant in her role as well. She is an underrated actress.
The subject matter is of course, scandalous in the era being portrayed. Frank, Dennis Quaid's character and husband of Cathy, is gay. She finds him, in her quest to bring him a nice home cooked dinner, in his office in the arms of a man...very shocking for the 50's. She befriends a black man, played by smooth talker, Dennis Haysbert. He is the son of the gardener she had previously employed. Life is so tough for dear sweet Cathy, she has a maid, a gardener, a gay husband, a new black male friend...what a story this all weaves. I was entranced! Worth seeing if you like drama and 50's movies.
Rating:
Summary: By far, the best film of the year!
Review: Everything is right in FAR FROM HEAVEN, Todd Haynes's homage to 50's melodramas. Just from watching this flawless film, you can tell that Mr. Haynes is a natural director/writer. The always-wonderful Julianne Moore delivers the best performance of her career, bringing earthiness and credible emotion to a role that could have been overacted (if Mr. Haynes had cast the wrong actress). Dennis Quaid and Dennis Haysbert are also terrific in their respective roles. Great acting, tender script, lush musical score, gorgeous costumes & design, brilliant direction... What more could you ask for? Unlike the overrated and completely artificial A BEAUTIFUL MIND, HEAVEN earns the tears of the audience with real sincerity and heart. PS - Did I mention that this is the best film of the year?
Rating:
Summary: This movie brings back good and bad memories!
Review: My partner and i went to see this film. He's a bit younger than i and didn't remember the trils and tribulations of gay life back then. Actually, i'm a product of the 60's but i still could relate to the times that i did, hate to use the word, fool around with a married man. But i also remember the hard times he went through when he broke up with his wife. (not actually because of me but because he realized that he was gay and got married for all the wrong reasons.) The movie and story and the wonderful settings of the mid-1950's was all soul sturring. Geeee's,,,,i remember my mom being dressed like that and still remember our furniture. In that respect it was a wonderful walk in the past. The hardest part and most heart breaking of the whole film is the "wife." Man,,,,,my heart went out to her. Pretty much rejected twice! I wonder if the movie didn't end at the train station what would become of her.All in all this is a wonderful film. Not a feel good movie by all means but a great film on acting, thought, love, emotion and remenice of the 50's. The music score and title graphics are also excellent. I have to admit Hollywood every-so-often does something right. I'm not sure if this will be a hit or not,,,,,maybe a sleeper like "Greek Wedding" but it is worth the price of admission to see this wonderful 1950's film. Good job cast and crew of this movie.
Rating:
Summary: A movie that improves in retrospect.
Review: Todd Haynes' "Far from Heaven" is such a letter-perfect recreation of Fifties weepers that you need a little time after seeing the movie to appreciate the true depth and breadth of Haynes' accomplishment. At first the movie seems a straightforward soap opera, with a few knowing digs at the racist and homophobic prejudices of the Eisenhower era. Then the film's irony slowly grows on you, until you realize that Haynes has his cake and has eaten it too: the film works both on the surface as a soap opera and as a deeply ironic commentary on "American" values that still go woefully underexamined today. The multiple layers of meaning in "Far from Heaven" become apparent only in retrospect, after one has had time to ponder them. The depth and heartfelt emotion of the performances of Julianne Moore, Dennis Quaid and Dennis Haysbert, however, are obvious from the start, and the dazzling, hypnotic colors of Edward Lachman's photography make you long for the days of Technicolor. This ranks with "Black Narcissus" for its intoxicating and symbolic use of color. While Haynes' obvious inspiration was Douglas Sirk, I also found myself thinking of Michael Powell, and to a lesser extent of Max Ophuls, a great German-French director who didn't work in color, but who knew how to use a camera to plumb character and emotion.
Rating:
Summary: Moore Is the One To Beat For the 2002 Best Actress Oscar
Review: I had the privilege of attending the North American premiere of "Far From Heaven" at the Toronto International Film Festival this past September 2002. Julianne Moore looked stunning and even more beautiful in person. Awards are already beginning to stack up for Julianne Moore. She has already won the Best Actress award at the Venice International Film Festival this past September 2002. Just recently she picked up the Best Actress award from the National Board of Review. Halle Berry won it last year before going on to win the Oscar for "Monster's Ball", so that's a really good omen. After watching the film I was very moved by the the subject matter and especially the performances. I have to say that Julianne Moore is the one to beat for this year's Best Actress Oscar. I have not seen a stronger performance by a woman this year then one she gave in this film. I would have to agree with Peter Travers of Rollingstone Magazine in saying that "Moore and Quaid give the performances of their careers." Moore simply transformed into Cathy. With the blonde hair, 50's era clothing and cheerful mask of insecurity, she became the character of Cathy in every way imaginable. One thing that Moore has such amazing talent for as an actress is restraint. Never do you get the feeling that she is "acting" but just "being" which is some much more powerful for the viewer to watch. You can read so much from her facial expressions and they way she executes the dialogue. A perfect example would be from the trailer where she says, "I feel like there's no one in the world that I can talk to." You somehow relate and feel for her. I know a lot of you have the heard the expression, "the eyes are the doorways to the soul." Well it is so resonately true when watching Moore's powerful performance. Now I know a number of people have already negatively criticized the film for being "too stylized" but I don't even want to waste my energy debating the matter. All I can say is that I thoroughly enjoyed the film. Todd Hayes definitely succeeded in transforming and reviving the tired and bland film genre of melodrama by making it his own. Bravo to him and Julianne Moore for making it so subtly powerful. I give this film 8/10.
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