Wednesday, June 18, 2008

My Husband, My Wife

Author(s): Josh P.
Location: Chicago, IL

“My Husband, My Wife"

Written and Directed by Bill Condon
Produced by Michael London, Bill Condon and Jonathan Demme
Music by Thomas Newman
Cinematography by Rodrigo Prieto
Edited by Virginia Katz

Principal Cast:

Edward Norton (Phil Davis)
Ewan McGregor (Bobby Henderson)
Peter Sarsgaard (Rick Davis)
Kate Winslet (Madeline Davis)
Maria Bello (Gwyneth Saul)
Uma Thurman (Pat Holbrook)
Sissy Spacek (Helen Saul)
Tom Wilkinson (Robert Saul)
Maggie Gyllenhaal (Alice Mannigan)
Patrick Wilson (John Mannigan)
Freddy Rodriguez (José Filentez)
Gael Garcia Bernal (Alberto Havanza)
Topher Grace (Jimmy Katz)
Ian McKellen (Father MacNee)

Tagline: "Where do we turn when the law gets in the way of love?"

Synopsis: The controversial idea of same-sex marriage has been on the political and social issues of America for a long time. Recently, in the state of Massachusetts, the union between those of the same sex has just been legalized, but not without strong opposition. In the city of Boston, we see three stories that revolve around different individuals coping with this new situation.

Phil Davis (Norton) runs a local convenient store that he took over after the death of his parents. Phil is already in a civil union with his partner Bobby (McGregor), but Bobby feels the need to take their relationship further. He wants to get married very passionately, buy Phil is still undecided. His coming out has never been easily accepted by the family; his estranged brother (Sarsgaard) blames him for their father’s death and barley keeps in contact with him as it is. Phil really loves Bobby and wants their relationship to flourish as much as possible. However, he doesn’t want it to hurt his family anymore than it already has.

Gwyneth Saul (Bello) and Pat Holbrook (Thurman) are already planning their wedding day and have been excited ever since day one. They have two adopted sons and are eagerly waiting when they will be legally married. Their situation is a bit different in the respect that all their family members are glad for them to be getting married. Gwyneth’s mother and father (Spacek, Wilkinson) have been supportive by making wedding plans, and Pat’s sister and brother-in-law (Gyllenhaal, Wilson) have been giving them support as well. Gwyneth and Pat still draw some looks on the streets while attending protests, but they still plan on carrying out their marriage.

José Filentez (Rodriguez) is a devout Catholic who is studying to becoming a fully ordained minister. While he still retains a strict code to the church, he still keeps in contact with his friend since high school (Garcia Bernal), even though he knows he is gay. However, their friendship is tested when Alberto says he plans to consider marrying his boyfriend (Grace). José is facing a typical confliction of faith versus friendship. In the background, Father MacNee (McKellen) has already given his opinions, but José still has an internal conflict to deal with.

All of these characters are brought together during one faithful twelve hour period. At a local gay bar, a big celebration is taking place where gay community of Boston is celebrating for the huge victory in same-sex marriage. Among the guests are Phil, Bobby, Gwyneth, Pat, Alberto and Jimmy. All seems to be going well until, suddenly, an explosion is ignited within the bar. It is not until the early hours in the morning when the families start identifying the fatalities. Both Alberto and Jimmy perished in the explosion, along with Pat and Bobby. The final moments of the film show a mass funeral service that honors those that perished and serves as a reminder, both literally and figuratively, at how far we’ve come and how much more work we need to do.

What the press would say:

A touching and emotional portrait is what many critics across the country are saying. Bill Condon, whose work as a writer has been honored in the past, delivers a powerful punch in his story. Condon proves that his masterful role as a director can be just as great as his penning of a screenplay. He provides that simple yet magnificent direction that flows through every frame and, combined with his marvelous screenplay which comments on the social issues he knows very well, manages to bring out all the emotion and intensity of the story and characters. The cast is also a marvelous addition to this film and, being an ensemble piece, treats all of its players as supporting characters. Norton shows a large range of depth as a man wanting to please both his community and family, and he works well opposite McGregor. Bello also is great as a strong advocate for her character’s cause. We really believe in her as she and Thurman march out on the streets and protest against the injustice they believe is being created. Freddy Rodriguez also flexes his acting muscles as a man who is facing the difficult struggle of choosing between faith and friendship. We feel his struggle and really connect with him. Even Ian McKellen has an ironic role as a homophobic priest. Everyone in the ensemble is great, but these select few are standouts. All of these characters also create a stronger emotional connection through the film’s tragic ending. However, through Condon’s direction and script, we take away the message that hate still exists as this issue is covered. Bombs may not be still used, but a long road still lies ahead of us when dealing with this issue and finally finding a peaceful resolution. It won’t come soon, but Condon gives us some kind of window to look through and a mirror to see where we are now. The campaign consideration:

Best Picture
Best Director: Bill Condon
Best Supporting Actor: Edward Norton
Best Supporting Actor: Freddy Rodriguez
Best Supporting Actress: Maria Bello
Best Original Screenplay: Bill Condon
Best Film Editing
Best Original Score

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