Rating: 
Summary: WHAT HEAVEN ALLOWS.........
Review: A BRILLIANT REALIZATION of the 'fodder-fed' 1950 weepies baby-boomer parents - especially mamas and older sisters mooned over.
Along the lines of the HUDSON/WYMAN "All That Heaven Allows" and "Magnificent Obsession" this is the other side of the coin - with just a jot of extra footage before that 'fade to black'. ["The Fabulous Fifties" - revisited, re-addressed and re-assessed through the "Eyes Wide Open" culture circa 2002].Superior performances by Ms. Moore, Mr. Quaid and Mr. Haysbert - expert Art, Costume Direction. Highly recommended - now AWARDS! [For the enthusiast - view Fassbinder's "Ali : Fear Eats the Soul" an earlier 'Sirk tribute' - colder, darker and yet equally moving ......]
Rating:
Summary: Life is Imperfect
Review: Accompanied by an enchanting score, "Far From Heaven" features exemplary performances by Julianne Moore and Dennis Quaid. Can life really be perfect for anyone? Even for Cathy Whitaker, who seems as if she is living the *perfect* life as a wife to a great husband and a mother to great children. Yet...behind every seemingly unblemished façade lie unrevealed secrets. When Cathy Whitaker's husband is revealed to have homosexual desires, what is she to do? When she develops romantic desires herself for a black gardener, as a white female, what is she to do? Both of the issues of homosexuality and interracial dating were forbidden topics in the 1950's - neither was considered "appropriate behavior." In that sense, this film is not only just about showing the imperfections life itself is composed of, but additionally it is a view of the societal values of that era. As for Cathy, what can she do? She knows that her husband, though he may try to "rid" himself of his homosexual feelings, may not return to her, and she knows that in her world, a romance between a white and a black will be considered unacceptable by both races. Sometimes, life doesn't exactly unfold as we may have planned for it to...and what can we do? 10/10. A.
Rating: 
Summary: Kindly Pass the Emetic
Review: For the first hour I thought this was an incredibly beautiful re-creation of an extinct genre. For the second hour I thought this was one of the worst films ever made. The unfortunate thing about this movie is that the glorious first hour is used as a launching point towards what amounts to an unending sermon about political correctness. Twenty years or so ago a movie like this might have been regarded as cutting edge, and deservedly so. Now, it's just a sorry anachronism, in a double-sense of the word. It's an anachronism not only because it employs a dead genre. It's also OLD-FASHIONED because there have been so many films which have tackled these themes in infinitely more courageous ways. Nowadays, there's nothing daring or interesting about making a film like this. It's just incredily boring. God, I hated this movie! Then again, the movie also has my grudging admiration for patronizing, within the time-span of less two hours, three distinct demographical entities: heterosexual upper-middle class whites, blue collar blacks, and homosexuals. Is there another movie in history that has managed to patronize all three sub-groups within the same film, and yet comes out saying nothing original? While I admit this is genius, it's not the sort of genius I generally admire.
Rating:
Summary: Close to Heaven
Review: With 201 reviews online, I am not about to summarize this film. But for those who say they "hated it," it is clear that they have no clue what Todd Haynes was trying to do. It is a very stylized film meant to evoke certain films from the 1950s, and if you watch all the extra features on the DVD, you will understand that is what the goal is. The difference, which makes this film absolutely stone cold brilliant, is that Haynes does what filmmakers in the 1950s could not do: address homosexuality. Anyone who is gay or sensitive to gay people will quickly grasp that many films in the 1950s had "veiled" themes, and that some of them could have been gay love stories or had gay themes, had the times allowed. Haynes shows what may have really been going on in the "Donna Reed" world of Cathy Whitaker, behind closed doors, so to speak.
The acting of the leads and the supporting cast is stellar, and Julianne Moore, in particular, conveys emotions in such an incredible way that it is impossible not to feel connected to her. When she admits to her best friend Eleanor that she feels the only person she can talk to is the black gardner, and that she feels somehow "alive" -- you can almost see a woman who has felt true, honest human affection for the first time in her adult life.
Other reviews commented on the bad camera shots/angles/what not -- I don't know what they're talking about. It is clear that everything in this film was thought out in minute detail and there was a deep love for the period, for the specific films being emulated, and that even the composer, the brilliant Elmer Bernstein, felt connected to the film, from his mesmerizing score, to his insightful comments that he offers on the DVD.
One of the tragedies of being young is not having lived through certain things, and yet making the assumptions that something is dumb, cliche, stupid, or any other sort of bizarre commentary that I have read about this film. I lived in this era, I saw these movies, those colors were in my house, and people said those things -- because movies influence us in ways that we cannot even begin to imagine.
This movie is not perfect; there are a couple of scenes, which, if watched too many times, border on the hysterically funny -- but even those have to be considered in light of the whole undertaking, which is absolutely brilliantly conceived.
I think that Dennis Quaid, who seemed uncomfortable discussing his part in the DVD extras (maybe he didn't want to give away the "secret"), was superb. Knowing men from that era, I can recognize the look in his face, and his posture, his clothes, everything about him said "closet case." He was fantastic. I find it odd that everyone is making a hysterical big deal out of the male-male kiss in "Alexander" -- and yet, look at Dennis -- he went for it. He is totally believable, and when their relationship really starts to fall apart, it's tragic -- two people living a lie, keeping up appearances, for what? This is one of the messages, if there were any, that I got. And the other is where Dennis Haysbert, as the gardner, has a moment with Julianne Moore in front of the theater -- an incredibly honest moment which he says a few things that make so much sense -- and yet, all around them was a world of fear, a white world with white people, all living in some fantasyland that they were the only people in it, and that black people were somehow "extras" or "atmosphere people" that showed up and did the dirty work, and were then bussed out of town at night.
Todd Haynes wanted to express these and other things within the very specific and stylized framework of certain 50s' films, and I think he did so with absolute, total brilliance.
Rating:
Summary: Heaven Knows She's Miserable Now!
Review: What Can I say? Back in 2003 and after leaving the Cinema I was amazed by this piece of art! Good in all the aspects! I am already Todd Haynes fan! And Julianne Moore are so intense in this movie (well, all her movies are intense)!
In the same year I saw The Hours! And the role wich Julianne plays in the two movies are so antagonistic, although in the same decade, the 50s! Here we see a lovely housewife taking care of her children and husband (great Dennis Quaid), organising parties and women meetings. Everything is under control! But as soon as she discovers her husband to be homosexual her life fall to the ground like a castle of cards... Only the comfort she needs - the ONE we all ever need is a true friendship that is given by her gardener (Dennis Haysbert) wich caused tremendous shock in the "world" she lives! Only because the friend is black...
She played so well in both movies! Although I prefer this one! It's dramatic and it's story is different from all we ever expect from a film related with the 50s! The beauty colors of the film, the Elmer Bernstein score evoques the 50s so well... It's perfect! Todd Haynes is apted to film whatever he wants just because he is one of the greatest US directors of the last years!
Rating: 
Summary: Wow!
Review: It's 1957. Cathy Whitaker (Julianne Moore) has it all: a charming and successful husband, Frank Whitaker (Dennis Quaid), two adorable children, fashionable friends and she is the perfect housewife and mother with impeccable manners. Yet, the dark and unfair side of 1950's perfection is revealed in this moving and touching drama. Mr. Whitaker has a secret that crushes Mrs. Whitaker. She finds comfort in her intelligent and calm gardener, Raymond Deagan (Dennis Haysbert) and feelings grow between the pair. However, she causes an uproar because her confidant is black.
Positive Points
Julianne Moore was absolutely delightful and bloody brilliant! The way she portrays her character's genuine and kind heart is beautiful; her soft-spoken manner that betrays her inner pain is vivid and heartbreaking. She was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress in 2003 for this role (only losing to Charlize Theron for her role in 'Monster'). I have not seen Monster but judging from Far From Heaven, this category must been one of fierce debate.
Dennis Haysbert was impressive in his dramatic role as the kindred spirit that Moore is attracted to and while their scenes together are ones of delicacy, there is great chemistry between the two. He is now widening his scope from not only acting in African-American films like 'Love & Basketball' to the acclaimed TV series, '24' and now this feature, 'Far From Heaven'.
Dennis Quaid? Hmm, I think he'll grow on you. At first, his performance is hard to comprehend - is he truly sorry for his secret or is he just biding his time? Then at the end, he does deliver a great show of the emotional guilt and turmoil he is experiencing because of leading a double life.
The costume and art design is bloody wicked! The dresses, the hair, the makeup look brilliant but it doesn't feel modernised at all, it looks like you have been transported to a posh neighbourhood in 1950s America. The use of light, dark and colour is excellent. The colour is rich and vibrant but yet when it is dark, it adds to the sombre and tragic tone of the film. 'Far From Heaven' is in the league as 'Girl with a Pearl Earring' when it comes to the usage of colour - captivating to look at for the artistic flair.
Negative Point
One negative is the lack of character development: Sybil (Viola Davis) could have been an integral part of the story and so could have Eleanor (Patricia Clarkson) as she was Cathy's best friend but instead they were peripheral figures who weren't as strong as they should have been.
Last Thought
The message of this film is multi-layered, exposing the attitudes towards inter-racial relations and homosexuality and portraying that betrayal lurks everywhere even behind the smiles of the perfect couple.
Rating:
Summary: Far from Heaven stands out in a sea of mediocrity
Review: It has been two years and many movies since this movie came out, but I keep coming back to Far from Heaven as a movie of substance and very fine acting. The story itself is static and engaging; the multi-dimensional story keeps one's interest and engages the emotions meaningfully.
One story line is Dennis Quaid's character's emerging homosexuality and its effect on his wife, himself, and their marriage.Another aspect is His wife's (Julianne Moore) relationship with their gardener (Dennis Haysbert). Racial prejudice and tension are laced throughout the film; racist violence erupts when a few schoolboys hurt the gardener's young daughter, taunting her about her daddy's "white girlfriend." Moore's and Haysbert's characters innocently begin a casual relationship which begins to blossom into deeper feeling; this is where the movie soared, the characters beautifully and effectively conveying that the heart is color blind. I loved watching Miss Moore's character, especially, as she was a fine person with a pure heart, and it was refreshing to experience that innocence and goodness.
The ending wasn't happy, but it was realistic. Whatever relationship the two main characters had or wanted to have, was constrained by the social mores of the times, by the limitations society put on interactions between the races, spec., between blacks and whites, even in New England, where the story takes place. Miss Moore's character watches the gardener leave on a traIn at the end, and her expression at their farewell is a magnificent piece of acting, speaking volumes without a word being uttered.
This movie truly moved me and was thought provoking, with well-drawn, complex characters. Adult language and situations existed but were kept to a minimum, thus (for me) enabling the story to develop well without these kinds of distractions.
Rating:
Summary: douglas sirk revisited
Review: Some bad camera placement, otherwise wow! Where it lacks emotion,
it makes up in form. There are moments in the story where it deals with the subjects of homosexuality and racism in a very honest way and other times it casts shadows over them. For dramatic purposes and mood and to keep the story from the perspective of the lead female character, it works to an advantage. But it's not consistent. Sometimes it gives too little perspective and sometimes too much. Besides all that it has a wonderfully written human being in the character played by Julianne Moore. She earns our respect and sympathy. The photography is a great hommage to Douglas Sirk who made many wonderful melodramas. The difference between Sirk and Todd Haynes, is that you feel the ease of Sirk's direction in his films; fluid, powerful and sometimes quiet and subtle but Todd
seems a little awkward with this style. At the end, I did feel I had a wonderful film experience because that style had been lost forever and Todd has given us a piece of retrospect heaven. Next time I'd like a bigger slice, please.
Rating:
Summary: gracefully relevant melodrama
Review: Far from Heaven is a purposefully distant melodramatic tale of suburban relationships both private and public. As Cathy makes efforts to embrace all populating the society around her, she finds herself befriending her kind and thoughtful gardener. Her friendship is soon discovered and deemed controversial, as the gardener is also black, and rumors begin to circulate around town. Meanwhile, her husband Frank is making efforts to cure himself of his homosexuality, which is viewed as a curable disease. As these characters come to grips with the limitations of their surroundings, the stereotypes of themselves and of those they associate with, Todd Haynes composes a world around them of Sirk-ian proportions.
This film is technically superior, with graceful cinematography that emphasizes richness of color and character. A combination of opulent natural autumn settings and beautiful 1950s homes, the environment of the characters has seeming vitality yet serves as a shell of internal repression. Costume involves classic designs often with ornate and rich fabrics, while camerawork is distant and still.
Far from Heaven is a subtle examination of femininity, of society, and of human relationships. The role of the individual's inner life and significance within society is examined here, therefore examining humans themselves. Todd Haynes successfully balances intricate conventions of humanity through melodrama and homage, making a film of repression, of vulnerability, and of ideologies very personal to characters involved. This film seems to naturally accomplish genius status, without the least bit of actual effort employed to do so.
Rating:
Summary: Not that far from Heaven at all!
Review: In the middle of 2003 when I first got this movie I was blown away by all of its beauty, detail, and sense of time and place and character, and I'm still blown away and never get sick of this movie!
Julianne Moore is just PERFECT as a 1950s housewife, and Dennis Quaid is equally as good as a closeted queer. ;) He was robbed at the 2002 Oscars of a Best Supporting Actor nomination. Dennis Haysbert's role is similar to the role he had in Love Field, and I know others have said that already. It's just the truth. I think he's been typecast. And actually, Patricia Clarkson is a vision as Julianne's best friend, even though she's nosey and gossipy and you wanna smack her sometimes, but she's been given a sumptuous role that she, too, is perfect for.
But ... this is how life actually was in the 1950s. And I feel sorry for, and I know you will to, the children in the movie. Basically, the reason that our parents (I'm 23) turned out the way they did is because of the way their parents treated them, and ... you'll just have a better understanding of this concept when you see the movie.
This is one of my favorite movies, and it's destined to be a classic in decades to come. The director and the actors are brilliant. Everything in this movie COMPLETELY works, and it's not often that that happens.
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