Food of Love (2002)

Acclaimed Spanish Director Ventura Pons’ first English language film is a beautiful and faithful adaptation of David Leavitt'Ss novel "The Page Turner." Paul is a promising young pianist, who is hired to be a page turner for his idol, Richard Kennington. They meet again while Paul is on vacation with his mother in Barcelona. Thus begins a love affair that moves from Spain to New York, complicated by Paul's mother and Richard’s agent/lover.

Glad I didn't read these reviews before I watched the movie!

I don't normally watch gay-themed movies because the few I have seen were mostly dreadful. This was recommended by a straight lady friend who loved it and assured me I would too. She was right. There was tenderness and reality on multiple levels. The travelogue scenery deserves special acclaim. At my advanced age I have known people who grew from a life much like this young man's to a later life not distinctly different from the older characters.

I didn't see much distortion of reality. The most exquisite part was the acting by the young man. I forgot this was filmed in a room with camerasFood of Loveand film teams and sound technicians. I was riveted by the young man's hunger, pain, ambition, and optimism. The situations presented were subdued compared to what they might have been. I saw authentic conflict, credible inter-action, and more restraint that we should expect. It was, at times, almost matter-of-fact.

In the end i was grateful there wasn't a sugar-coated ending. However, I would love to see a sequel where we see a satisfying career for the young pianist that may lack the glamor he hoped for but include a rewarding life and someone to care for who cares as much for him. Is that asking too much?

While I'm waiting, I'll watch the movie again and look for the first tour operator to offer vacations to this region, based on the sites in the film. Sorry to say that, although I have been to Barcelona several times to catch cruises, I've never before been tempted to explore the rest of that part of Spain. (I've always been more of a Madrid/Malaga kind o' guy.) The new movie, "Vicky Cristina Barcelona" also features this region gloriously. Someone at the Spanish Tourist Office is doing a good job of promotion! September 11, 2008

One Night Stand

I checked out this film because I'd just watched Allan Corduner in The White Countess and also really enjoyed De-Lovely. Allan plays Mansourian who is the manager of the main character Richard Kennington. Corduner gives an excellent performance, telling in the DVD special features how much he enjoyed the role. Richard Kennington is a concert pianist with engagements around the world and is played by Paul Rhys. Rhys recently played the Eqyptian Pharoah in "The Ten Commandments" (2006). As Kennington, he's rather unsympathetic. The best moment in the film is after Paul tells Richard that he loves him and we see the pianist looking through the blinds as the young man leaves the hotel. There was a nice bittersweet feel to the moment. Otherwise, Kennington does come across as taking advantage of a young man, although the dialogue says otherwise. Kevin Bishop has the lead as Paul Porterfield. Bishop starred as Tom in a film with Marrianne Faithfull called "Irina Palm" about a woman who can please people with her hands. I could see him doing a lot of emotions in the film, but I never felt like they hung together in a way that seemed to let me really know this 18-year old man. His anger with his mother made him equally as unsympathetic as Pennington, perhaps redeemed by the final moments of the film as mother and son look at stars on the ceiling of Paul's apartment. British stage actress Juliet Stevenson who played Evie in Being Julia plays the mother as an emotional scatterbrain. It was hard for me to accept her as a real person. There is one nice cameo by Sue Flack who plays a brassy mother at the support group for mothers of gay children. Spanish director Ventura Pons wrote the screenplay based on a book "The Page Turner" by David Levitt. I can't say that the film gave me any reason to search out the story. Overall, this was a fairly unsympathetic portrayal, although the film was recognized at several film festivals. The film is the cinematic equivalent of a one-night stand. Enjoy! August 22, 2008

I'd Rather Starve

I suppose that I shouldn't be too hard on this movie because it did cause quite a stir of emotions on my part. I know an artist will tell you that if his or her painting causes ANY type of reaction--good or bad--then they have been successful. It's when you look at their art and feel nothing that they know they've failed.

"Food of Love" (based on the novel "The Page Turner" [which I have not read]) supposedly deals with the love story between an 18-year old fan and his 39-year old piano idol. However, director Ventura Pons managed to make this movie completely void of any emotion except lust. Paul (the student) did no more than stalk his idol. And the adults in this movie (save the mother) did nothing but take advantage of their status: everyone slept with anything they could get their hands on with no remorse for their actions, then lied to one another to keep their "relationships" intact. This movie didn't show one facet of love--much less what loves embodies. All that was here was a bunch of leacherous old men preying upon younger students as they (pardon the expression) dangled a carrot in their faces.

"Food of Love" had many problems. First, director Ventura Pons (who is Spanish), managed to cast just about all English actors and actresses to portray Americans. Isn't it nice to know that Pons sees American mothers as whimpering, pill-popping messes who can't do a thing for themselves? Secondly, Paul (the son) is turned into the total embodiement of a spoiled smart-mouthed punk who you just wanna' slap--repeatedly. He is portrayed as an uncaring, unsympathetic troglodyte when it comes to his mother, telling her repeatedly "stop crying; you cannot cry." And he had about as many morales as a hooker at a Shriner's convention. He was nothing more than a status f****r, and I felt no more for him that I did for the call-boy that came to visit Richard's lover while he was away. At least the call-boy was up front about why he was there. Paul had no problem sleeping with older men to better his career, but still treated his mother as if all his problems were her fault.

I have seen very few gay movies that have ever portrayed true love, and this one has kept the record intact. Everybody sleeps with everybody and consequences be damned. This movie made me ill and if relationships such as these are the "food of love," then I'd rather starve. June 2, 2008

Come out, come out, wherever you are!

This is an excellent film, with fine acting. It's a very human story about assumptions and the disasters that can follow by leaping before you look...

In a homophobic society, and yes, America is that, it can be very dangerous for anyone to make decisions and act based on assumptions, which each of the main characters does in this film. It is a film which every gay person should see, as well as anyone who cares about someone, young or old, who is questioning her/his sexual identity.

The usual cliches are used, which is the very reason it should be seen. As a gay man who wanted to be seduced by his high school teacher, I know that his kindness in helping me come to terms with my sexuality was a gift that could have cost him dearly. But he dared to show me the love I needed, and it was a major turning point for me.

It took time, but eventually I managed to come out of the closet, and today I am an openly gay musician; but the horrible self-loathing that members of any stigmatized group can feel, be it sexual, racial, religious, or anyone, in fact, who is different than the norm, brought me to the point that, at age 19, I wanted to kill myself.

Do yourself a favor and watch this film. It could change your attitudes about same-sex love, and the added wisdom you carry away could very well be a life-saver for someone you love who is in need of support, rather than judgment. All people should have the freedom to live an honest and happy life.

Out and proud doesn't mean that we are proud of being Gay. It means we are proud of who we are in the world and are willing to risk a great deal to help others who may be struggling with their sexuality, whatever it is, to embrace their lives and live them to the fullest.

Whoever you are: If you are contributing to your society, don't let your sexuality stand in the way of feeling good. Be whoever you really are, and be proud. May 11, 2008

Love or Lust?

I will say this film was better than I thought it would be, enough to keep me interested in watching it. There were definite flaws in it that bemused me as I thought how can the filmmakers not have seen these flaws. Many of it is with some of the acting, it was so unconvincing that it was almost embarrassing. I bumped my stars from three to four because I found the story rather interesting, and watchable, plus kudos to Kevin Bishop, the young actor who plays Paul who has to carry this film on his own, not to mention having to go head to head with some mediocre talent, with the exception of Juliet Stevenson who plays his mother in an over the top way, but good chemistry between them there. The casting of the three older men couldn't have been more repulsive, they seemed so creepy and predatory, I can't understand how someone of Paul's intelligence would give them the time of day. Although it is not a question of Paul not being able to fall in love with someone of that age group, but they could've picked some much more attractive and debonair men who don't come off as predatory, unless that was supposed to be the point. Paul is the youngest of the group and yet he seems to be the one that's the most together being led on by these atrocious older men who have no regard for him that isn't superficial. Overall, a watchable and interesting tale about love and perhaps lust. November 7, 2007

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