Review of Far from Heaven

The Hidden Pregnancy
2 December 2002
Warning: Spoilers
Spoilers herein.

I have not seen many of Julianne's early projects. She may be uninteresting in them. But her Yelena in `Vanya' was an important event in film acting, displaying the same multidimensional ability as Brando in `Streetcar.' That's where the actor plays both the character and the actor playing the character (and perhaps other things as well) simultaneously. Blancett and Winslet have since achieved this. Now, along comes a film with no room at all for this `other' way of making and watching film.

This film depends on us all taking it seriously. There cannot be any ironic reflection. There cannot be any `fancy' acting. So while Moore does the job, hundreds or thousands of others could have too. She is merely a set dressing, just like the overly romanticized blacks. (Are these the visitors Viola Davis hosts in "Solaris?")

Moore must have done this as a favor for the early break Haynes gave her. Makes me remember fondly `Mr and Mrs Bridges,' which also played it straight, but instead seemed worthwhile at the end.

I also study redheads in film. What a bonanza here! But this seems to be a matter of production design than any understanding or archetypes.

Ted's Evaluation -- 2 of 4: Has some interesting elements.
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