Big Eden (2000)

Well beyond the limits of credulity

I'm not sure what the intentions of the film maker were but clearly we were supposed to have our heartstrings touched by the happy ending. As others have noted, the initial premise of a NYC gay artist returning to his small town home might have provided interesting dynamics and conflicts to be explored, but instead the story revolves around the slapstick caricature of an improbable Montana town where everyone is not only gay-friendly, but intimately involved in getting the queers together, even though the queer boys themselves remain strangely uptight or full of unresolved emotional trauma about their gayness. I would have to say the most interesting part of the movie was figuring out that there was nothing substantial behind all the puzzling and apparently irrational behavior, particularly that of the gay native american, other than said unresolved conflicts, which of course made no sense considering the whole town was unimaginably gay friendly including the rednecks. Also, there is really nothing to explain why the main gay character is supposed to be so irresistible, not only to the two gay high school friends but to everyone else as well. Since it really can't be described as "absurdist" in its presentation, the utter incredibility of the story makes it seem simply hokey. I found only one scene had any real emotional impact, which was when the lead character lets his tears flow as grandpa let's him know he's aware on his grandson's orientation - that did ring true. On the whole though, I'd have to say this movie was, while not unwatchable, not very good either. July 16, 2008

Big Eden is a BIG accomplishment in human storytelling.

Although I saw "Big Eden" for the first time over 12 months ago, it is a film which resonates - long, long after the closing credits have rolled. I fell in love with everything about this film. It is a piece of beautiful storytelling captured through an extraordinary ensemble cast of characters who bring home the qualities so vital and true in human relationships. The themes are universal, but the fact that this film may appeal to people who appreciate the LGBT genre only makes me want to applaud even more. Bravo, for the sensitive screenplay - and Bravo for such insightful direction. If you hunger for beautiful stories, please place "Big Eden" at the top of your list. May 11, 2008

I had higher expectations

Unfortunately, I expected more about the movie. Scenery is great and actors' performances are good. The plot could be better worked. April 26, 2008

The perfect gay fairy tale, wonderfully told

I'd heard about this movie for years, and finally rented it for myself.

The premise is a fable, in that the main character returns to the (wonderful) Montana small-town he grew up in and none of the people there are bothered that he's gay. In fact, they rise to the occasion of matchmaking and encouraging the greater good of romance.

Who could resist the idea of having the freedom to simply be yourself, and to have people see it for love instead of always fixating on it as something to be judged (or worse, stopped)?

The story unfolds slowly (some may find it too slow), and it starts off a little roughly due to Henry Hart's manager being played by someone who is acting with a capital "A" every moment she's onscreen. Once Henry (Arye Gross) arrives in his hometown, the good parts quickly become evident.

Louise Fletcher, best known for her villainous portrayals, is so warm and real here as an old family friend. Henry's ailing grandfather, Sam (George Coe), makes it clear why Henry came back to help him recuperate. There is so much love in that relationship, very warm and genuine and not sappy or overwrought. Henry is clearly at ease taking care of his grandfather and living back in his old home again, because it really IS home and always was.

The town's General Store has a wonderful collection of coots (not all of them old) hanging around, a Greek Chorus for the emotions and plot developments in the film.

And then there's Pike (Eric Schweig), the taciturn Native American man who owns the all-purpose General Store. The viewer cannot help but become smitten with Pike, which for me is an important underlying part of this story.

It isn't obvious at first that Pike owns the store instead of merely working there, because Pike is almost pathologically shy. He has trouble with people he doesn't know well, people who get too personal, and people (period) in large quantities. He quickly gets pressured into delivering meals to Sam and Henry (because Henry is apparently too inept to cook even basics), which the Widow Thayer will cook. When her cooking turns out to be regularly "heart-unhealthy" and also simply _bad_, Pike takes it upon himself to learn cooking and delivers his own meals instead of hers.

But being Pike... he can't bring himself to take credit for what he's doing. Anything that brings attention upon himself is to be avoided. For much of the movie, he talks more to his dog than to other people.

Why is this character compelling, then? To the people around him, Pike might come off as abrupt and maybe even rude, but they KNOW him. They know how he is, and they accept that-- they see beyond it to the reality of what's underneath the behavior that tries so hard to keep people at a distance.

In a way, how these townspeople deal with Pike is like an echo of the larger theme of love and acceptance that the movie brings forth. The terseness (and tendency to literally run away when uncomfortable) are Pike's surface; they focus instead on what's underneath. The same is true for Henry: his being gay means only that the right match for him will be another man. But the desire to _find_ him that match is evident. Henry's never been "attached," and his hometown thinks it's time he found someone special to be with.

This is a wonderful romance, with so many terrific performances all around. The Montana scenery is just gorgeous (a Western Eden if there ever was one).

And though Henry is an artist, there isn't a gay stereotype anywhere within the Big Sky horizon of this film. It's incredibly refreshing to have a gay story where the characters are just regular people. Although the ultra-accepting small-town-America society here is a wonderful fantasy, the gay characters are very much more _real_ than what is usually shown onscreen.

This is a really, really good film, and I recommend it both as a gay romance and a warm mainstream drama. March 29, 2008

Better than Brokeback

Warning! This movie is not perfect, but it is a fictional story so just go with it. I have only two complaints. One is the lack of chemistry between Henry and Pike. Hardly a deal-breaker, but it would have been nice to see just a little more.
The other complaint is that LONG kissing scene at the end. Here is how I would have shot that scene:

I would have used a wider angle so that you could see the supportive and approving looks from the other couples dancing. After all, the other characters wanted the two to end up together. I would then have the couple kiss and immeadiately fade to black while still kissing.
The long kissing scene seemed to diminish the romance. It almost looked like they were trying to eat each others face.

Other than these two minor complaints, I loved this movie. I wish Brokeback Moutain was half as good as this movie. That movie got so much press and exposure and portayed homosexuality as tragic. Big Eden showed us that two men can fall in love much the same way a man and women can.
February 7, 2008

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