Old pros inspired by old prose in 'Midsummer' update
If young filmmakers can be excused for naively pontificating about true love, then old fogy Robert Benton (75 on Sept. 29) can certainly be excused for lecturing about it in his new film, appropriately titled "Feast of Love."
The story comes from Charles Baxter's novel of the same title, a work inspired by William Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream." Right away, "Feast" runs into trouble by making Morgan Freeman's college professor, Harry Stevenson, an omniscient narrator.
If Harry's just one of the citizens living in the beautiful city of Portland, Ore., how does he know what everyone else does and thinks?
When Harry lapses into narration mode, he utters deep thoughts: "You can't know that you've crossed the line until you're on the other side. Then it's too late."
A lot of lines get crossed in Portland, where four couples experience love and loss.
Harry often visits the Jitters coffee shop owned by Bradley Smith (Greg Kinnear in quietly engaging mode). When a sweaty female softball player makes a move on Bradley's wife Kathryn (Selma Blair) right under Bradley's nose, only perceptive Harry notices.
Bradley's only employee, a young, recovering addict named Oscar (Toby Hemingway), falls in love the second he sees the sexy Chloe (Alexa Davalos) walk through the door.
Meanwhile, Bradley moves on from his Ross Geller experience and starts dating a super hottie real estate agent named Diana (Radha Mitchell). Harry returns home at night to his faithful wife Esther (Jane Alexander).
Romance appears to be alive and well in Portland, but we all know what fools these mortals be, don't we?
Harry blames himself for the death of his son. Diana can't break off her torrid affair with married David (Billy Burke), and Oscar's old man, who goes by "Bat" (a perfectly menacing Fred Ward), threatens to knife Chloe just for the fun of it.
"Feast of Love" is a dizzying collision of styles. On one hand, it's an old-fashioned, classically constructed drama where thunderstorms cue us for trouble and actors get sufficient time to explore their characters.
On the other hand, it boldly showcases the nude and buffed Mitchell and Burke in the frankest, most explicit scenes in recent R-rated memory. Chloe and Oscar also expose their warm forms while shooting a homemade porn tape that they hope will earn them desperately needed money. (This plot point, ripe for further exploration, is abruptly dropped.)
The appeal of "Feast" extends much further than prurient. It's a delight to see old pros Freeman and Alexander gently masticate the scenery. Kinnear excels at projecting the vulnerable good guy.
At his lowest point, Kinnear's Bradley contemplates suicide, or at least lopping off a finger or two. Harry tries to buoy him with words of wisdom. "Try focusing on simple pleasures!" he suggests.
"Feast of Love" has just enough of those to make this visit to Portland worthwhile.
"Feast of Love"
2 1/2 stars out of four
Opens today
Starring As
Morgan Freeman Harry Stevenson
Greg Kinnear Bradley Smith
Radha Mitchell Diana
Billy Burke David Watson
With Selma Blair, Toby Hemingway, Alexa Davalos, Fred Ward and Jane Alexander .
Written by Allison Burnett; based on the novel by Charles Baxter. Produced by Tom Rosenberg, Gary Lucchesi and Richard S. Wright. Directed by Robert Benton. An MGM release. Rated R (nudity, sexual situations, language). Running time: 102 minutes.