Far from Heaven film review

Review

Cast & crew

Far from Heaven

(2002)

This exquisite evocation of the 1950s tear-jerkers of director Douglas Sirk (it borrows heavily from the Jane Wyman-Rock Hudson vehicle All That Heaven Allows) is gorgeously designed, stunningly photographed, ravishingly scored and beautifully acted. Julianne Moore plays a housewife in 1957 Connecticut who, reeling from the discovery of husband Dennis Quaid's homosexuality, develops an attraction to her black gardener (Dennis Haysbert). This perfectly pitched synthesis of Sirkian themes — middle-class conformity, hypocrisy and self-delusion — is no flamboyant camp-fest. Nor is it simply a parody of an arch period style, employed to hint at forbidden desires that were left unspoken in Wyman's day. Without a trace of intrusive irony, lush images illustrate a taboo-breaking story without suffering from the restrictions of that time. Because it deals with sexual, feminist and racial issues that are still valid, this immaculate melodrama works as both a barbed comment on current American values and a sumptuous period piece. AJ

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Running time

102min

Country of origin

US / Fr

Genre

Romantic Drama

Alternate title

Loin du paradis

Original language

English

Screenplay

Todd Haynes

Theatrical distributor

Entertainment

UK cinema certificate

12A

UK cinema release date

March 2003

UK video release date

October 2003




awards information


	Award	Category	Name	Nominee/Winner

	Academy 2002	Actress in a Leading Role	Julianne Moore	Nominee
	Academy 2002	Writing (Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen)	Todd Haynes	Nominee
	Golden Globe 2002	Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role Motion Picture	Dennis Quaid	Nominee
	Golden Globe 2002	Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture Drama	Julianne Moore	Nominee
	Golden Globe 2002	Best Screenplay Motion Picture	Todd Haynes	Nominee