drew-15194

The actors are certainly proficient. The plot is decent, though too long and rambling. And the setting is adequate. But just adequate is not what this film could have been.

Its religious theme could have been great. The hypocrisy could have been revealing. The absurdities could have been witty. Instead this film misses out on all its great potential.

The writing is as dry as sawdust. The secondary characters are cardboard cut-outs. The emotional ties to the characters are quite rare, when we should feel something for all of them. In the end, it feels phoned in and phony, despite the best efforts of the actors to bring it alive.

Joyce and Will have a wonderful moment midway through the episode. You really can feel Joyce's love and concern as his mom, while at the same time feel his pain and frustration. The way E1 shows Will's 'encounter' as a young boy, its almost as if he was sexually molested, and this scene between mom and son borrows that same energy - the fear of revelation. Winona shows why she has always been a star: her big luminous eyes say so much - love, fear, protection - while she says very little. Both actors are riveting. And bonus note: when they show frustration over not knowing whats happening, they're speaking for us, the audience.

This film did an excellent job dealing with the challenge of a 'straight' man who loves both a girl and a guy. All three actors are superb and truly authentic in their roles. The director too is very skilled for using editing and scene breaks to signify the confusion the 'straight' man experiences, and forcing the audience to experience confusion as well. Tension builds as you wonder what will happen to these rich characters that you care about.