THE HANGING GARDEN
A Film Review by James Berardinelli
RATING: *** OUT OF ****
Canada, 1997 U.S. Release Date: 6/98 (limited) Running Length: 1:31 MPAA Classification: R (Profanity, sexuality, mature themes) Theatrical Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Cast: Chris Leavins Troy Veinotte, Kerry Fox, Peter MacNeill, Sarah Polley, Seana McKenna, Joel S. Keller, Joan Orenstein, Christine Dunsworth Director: Thom Fitzgerald Producers: Thom Fitzgerald, Louise Garfield, Arnie Gelbart Screenplay: Thom Fitzgerald Cinematography: Daniel Jobin Music: Ashley MacIsaac, Heather Rankin U.S. Distributor: Goldwyn Films
THE HANGING GARDEN was one of the hottest films to be shown at the 1997 Toronto International Film Festival. Not only was it the centerpiece of the "Perspective Canada" series, but it packed its first critics' screening and took home two prestigious prizes: the Toronto City Award for the Best Canadian First Feature and the Air Canada People's Choice Award for the Most Popular Film. While I'm not sure that the picture deserves the full share of praise heaped upon it at the festival, there's no denying that it's a fine, fascinating debut effort from director Thom Fitzgerald.
THE HANGING GARDEN dissects one of the most dysfunctional families ever to appear on the silver screen. It is by turns engrossing, horrifying, shocking, eccentric, and pretentious. In order to tell the entire story, the film moves back and forth through three different time frames. There are overlaps in the periods, with characters from the past slipping into their future. It's up to the viewer to determine whether they're real or imaginary – ghosts or physical embodiments of guilt and responsibility. THE HANGING GARDEN opens in the present, with the wedding of Rosemary (Kerry Fox, last seen in WELCOME TO SARAJEVO) and Fletcher (Joel S. Keller). It also marks the return home of Sweet William (Chris Leavens), Rosemary's brother, after a lengthy absence. William's appearance – he's thin and handsome – surprises everyone, since, when he left home as a teenager, he was grossly overweight. Now, having started a new life away from his abusive father, he has learned to embrace his homosexuality and to like himself. Also on hand for the wedding are the abusive father, Mac (Peter MacNeill); Rosemary and William's mother, Iris (Seana McKenna); their dotty old grandmother, Grace (Joan Orenstein); and their little sister, tomboy Violet (Christine Dunsworth).
Before long, images from the past rise up to haunt William. As an obese teenager (Troy Veinotte), he began to discover his gay urges one night while engaging in some innocent sex play with Fletcher. Fearing that he might not be "normal," Iris arranged for him to have intercourse with a local woman who was willing, for a little money, to act as an instructor. Meanwhile, Mac's attitude toward his son was shaped by the typical unpredictability of an alcoholic father – loving one moment, violent the next. Only William's closeness with Rosemary (Sarah Polley, of THE SWEET HEREAFTER) kept him sane.
THE HANGING GARDEN is brimming with symbolism. Most of the characters – Sweet William, Rosemary, Violet, Iris – are named after the plants that grow in the family's extensive, well-groomed garden. Each of the names says something significant about the person who bears it. Sweet William is vulnerable, Rosemary is biting, Violet is resilient, and Iris is proud and regal. There's also a great deal of religious imagery, most of which is used to emphasize guilt (especially William's concerning his sexual urges). On a number of occasions, the eyes of a Virgin Mary statue are seen to move.
THE HANGING GARDEN is not plot intensive, although the story offers at least one unexpected revelation (we anticipate a "surprise" concerning this plot element, but not the one that comes to light). Rather, it's about the characters -- how they interact and how the consequences of long-age actions have irrevocably altered their personalities. From her teen years into her twenties, Rosemary has remained the same person (the performances of Fox and Polley, who work to match their presentations of Rosemary's mannerisms and personality, allow us to always see the character, not the actresses). Sweet William, on the other hand, is vastly different in appearance, confidence level, and his ability to cope with the misery of his adolescent existence. The watershed moment in William's life is THE HANGING GARDEN's central mystery. Fitzgerald handles all of this difficult material like a pro (only occasionally going overboard with flashes of pretentiousness), displaying a distinctive visual style, and injecting a fair amount of humor into what is, in essence, a tragic tale about abuse, misunderstanding, and love gone awry. THE HANGING GARDEN is a memorable debut.
Copyright 1998 James Berardinelli
- James Berardinelli e-mail: berardin@mail.cybernex.net
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