When Love Comes

Garth Maxwell co-wrote and directed this 1998 New Zealand film and despite some rough edges in the production process and in areas of weak scripting and format, the message of repairing our individual perception problems in order to be open to acknowledge and embrace love when it comes along is a story worth telling. In the case of this film, it is three stories worth telling! Mark (Dean O'Gorman) is a wannabe songwriter, poet, druggie, and hedonist who has problems with intimacy (we are unsure whether he is comfortable with his sexuality, whether he has been a hustler to support his nebulous lifestyle...). He is introduced to us by his 'pals' - two lesbian performers Fig (Nancy Brunning) and Sally (Sophia Hawthorne) - in a narrative way and who proceed to tell us Mark's history as it has developed in their eyes (this is a bit stagy and awkward, but it gets the story rolling). Mark is the heartthrob of Stephen (Simon Prast), an older, more mature man than Mark who tries to lead him into a productive life. Into town comes New Zealand's most popular singer Katie Keen (Rena Owen) who has come home from a long stay in Los Angeles where her career has been on the skids. She is no longer young, no longer has engagements, and is in need of her closest friend Stephen's consolation.

Katie must confront her age and her career state, Stephen must move on his deep feelings for Mark, Mark must get off the wild life and focus on what matters, and Fig and Sally need to get their amateur status boosted. The cycle of these needs is magnified when the five go to a beach house and Katie's 'boyfriend' Eddie (Simon Westaway) shows up with some surprise news that changes Katie's life, allows Stephen and Mark to confront their blocks, and provides an opportunity for Fig and Sally they least expected.

The cast is for the most part very strong. There are moments of rather bad music performance that could have been edited without diminishing the story, and there are some script techniques that get in the way. But by and large this is a feel good movie that deals with relationships of all types and offers light to people who think they are incapable of love. Maxwell is saying to be ready when love comes along!

There's been a spate of relationship based films out of New Zealand over the last few years; unfortunately, this is not one of the better ones. The narrative seems to have no real drive or spark to it - a fading 70's singer (Rena Owen) returns to New Zealand after a small-time singer career in America, hooks up with an old friend (the dreaded Simon Prast), who happens to be in a relationship with an angsty, drunken, awful young man (Dean O'Gorman), who writes lyrics for Hawthorne's and Brunning's band. But big deal! Much of the acting in this film is pretty terrible, too (with the exception of Nancy Brunning - good as usual, and Sophia Hawthorne, who is plenty fun, gorgeous and energetic). Rena Owen is pretty average, which is something I've never seen before. But in all, the characters are pretty hard-to-believe, and there is the usual dose of corn and cheese which has become a bit too common in NZ cinema. And Prast's performance is DREADFUL!

I went to see this film with my partner - she disliked it a whole lot more than what I did, and used words like '...waste of money...could have given it to some other filmmaker...'. All of which, I think, is pretty fair.

I didn't know much about this movie when I bought it on DVD the other day. I didn't know any of the actors in it nor did I know the director, so I guess it's fair to say that "The clean slate" was in use.

The movies opening was not very reassuring, as I normally don't like the present day narrator style, where the narrator is guiding us through an otherwise chronological story that is being played out in the past. But in a matter of minutes I had forgotten all about that, and just enjoyed this romantic drama. I liked the way everything was told in a straightforward way, not trying to only hint at things, but simply stating the facts. I liked that the feelings portrayed were so tangible and real that I had no problem relating to them. But there is no doubt in my mind that what really carries the movie through is the actors headed by Rena Owen and Dean O'Gorman who gave stunning and very moving performances. I also really enjoyed the music, and especially the song "Another You" struck a nerve with me.

So in conclusion I would have to say that to me "When Love Comes" was a very pleasant surprise.

Stephen (Simon Prast) is a New Zealand gay man pushing 30 (from the wrong side) who has loved and lost in his life. He apparently has some modest financial success but not a lot of fulfillment.

Katie (Rena Owen) is a singer who had several number one songs in the 70's but who is now past her peak. She has accepted a large advance for a new TV pilot (thanks to the efforts of her married lover) but has no inspiration, no ideas and no energy to go on.

Katie and Stephen have been best friends for decades. Together they are both world weary but still hopeful and exhibit the kind of camaraderie that a decades long friendship allows.

When Katie returns from L.A. at the movie's beginning, Stephen has his own problems. He has fallen in love with Mark, (Dean O'Gorman) a former rent boy, who is unable to return his affection. Mark is totally unconvinced of any self worth and can't believe or accept that Stephen is in love with him.

Mark's also involved with Fig and Sally,( Nancy Brunning and Sophia Hawthorne) two girls in a band for which he writes the lyrics. While Fig has eyes only for Sally, Sally enjoys sleeping with men, including Mark. Whether or not Mark has problems with his gayness I'll leave to your judgment, to me his problems seemed more basic than that.

Getting to know these characters as they get to know themselves and as they work through their immediate problems is what makes this a great indie film. If you prefer action-packed movies with loads of special effects, go see something else. This is a small but significant film with honest characters who have personalities. It's also refreshing that the gay characters are accepted as people and aren't `marked for Death/Tragedy' as in so many movies.

While I'm generally at all in favor of any film that could be considered artistic, I genuinely enjoyed this one. All of the cast (okay, Eddie didn't grab me... but he also didn't really *do* or *say* anything) was brilliant. The dialogue was fun, the acting was top-notch. Even when the story faltered (and it did drag a couple of times), I feel that the people involved more than made up for it. The only actor I knew going into the piece was Dean O'Gorman, and I was pleased and impressed with his performance. Definitely nice to see him doing something serious (my first exposure being from Young Hercules). I highly recommend the film to anybody in the mood for something a bit unusual and a little slower-paced.