Loverboy

I read this book and saw the film at the Hamptons International Film Festival (10/2005). This is a complex and nuanced story about a single mother's obsessive love for her only child. The story explores the psychology of this obsession and the sometimes sublime, sometimes tragic effects it has on the lives of both mother and son. It is a wonderful adaptation of a novel by Victoria Redel (Greywolf 2001, Harcourt 2002 in paperback) that I imagine would present some challenges given its non-linear time frame and the careful parsing of its secret twists and turns. The acting is superb and the characters portrayed are funny, endearing, and multifaceted. Marissa Tomei and Kevin Bacon are hilarious as the 70's era, sexed up, deliriously in love and sadly neglectful parents. Kyra Sedgwick is brilliant as she confidently captures the complex subtleties of her character, making it easy for the audience to empathize with what would otherwise be, and at times is a difficult and disturbing obsessiveness. Other performances by Sandra Bullock as the sultry and insightful neighbor, Oliver Platt as the nervous and nerdy school administrator, and Matt Dillon as the love interest you can't help but root for, all contribute to what is a very entertaining and meaningful film.

Kevin Bacon directs this bizarre story adapted by Hannah Shakespeare from Victoria Redel's novel about maternal obsession providing his wife Kyra Sedgwick with a role to spotlight just how fine an actress she truly is. The story is disturbing but vitally interesting. There are problems with the film, the most annoying one being that the dialogue is practically inaudible due to the miking and, more so, due to the musical score which covers all the lines to the point of making the movie seem like a silent movie with music from the pit! Such a shame, because it SEEMS like this is a good script with a lot to say.

Emily (Kyra Sedgwick) is damaged goods, a woman neglected as a child who is determined to have a baby and raise it on her own, lavishing the child with all the affection and attention she desperately missed. After numerous attempts to get pregnant from any available man, she finally succeeds impregnation with Campbell Scott and gives birth to Paul (Dominic Scott Kay) who becomes her entire reason for living. She sequesters Paul form the world, gives him everything a child could want - except association with peers. Her obsession grows to the point of mental illness and the results are devastating. Along the way Emily and Paul encounter people who seek to intervene in their lives: these people are played with great style by cameo roles of Sandra Bullock, Oliver Platt, Kevin Bacon, Marisa Tomei, Matt Dillon, Blair Brown and even some of the Bacon's own children! It is a star cast obviously committed to Kevin Bacon's vision of this star vehicle for Sedgwick.

The pacing, cinematography, and acting are all first rate. If only the ugly and senseless music hadn't submerged the dialogue (oddly enough the score was written by Michael Bacon!), this would be an Oscar contender.

I wasn't sure what I was getting into when I first started watching this, as it seems to launch into a sort of twisted edgy comedy at first, but as this film progresses, this story and the situations become very serious, compelling . . . and sad.

The ending is particularly gripping, certainly not what would be expected from the beginning of this film. Everyone does a very fine job of professional acting at its best, but in this work, Kyra Sedgwick really shines.

I don't think there is any other actress that I could think of who could possibly have delivered the embodiment of the Emily character more perfectly . . . she really shines in this role.

The story itself can be a bit hard to go along with if you have had a parental / family experience with certain neurotic or other difficult psychological challenges. I have, and in some ways could really identify with various aspects of this story and its characters.

This is not a light hearted film, despite its somewhat comedic beginning, but it is very well done.

I liked it, as a fine example of the craft of acting, and for a truly unique story worthy of note.

If not for his lead role in "Footloose", Kevin Bacon might be most well-known for the actor linking game that bares his name. Even though he's headed up a cast on a number of occasions, he remains one of the most recognizable and chameleon-like character actors of his generation.

His strengths for conveying characters through great subtlety and resistance have translated well behind the camera as well. He directs his real life wife, Kyra Sedgwick, in "Loverboy". In it she plays a complicated, but surprisingly elusive woman whose childhood neglect has left her hellbent on creating a different life for her own child. Unfortunately her efforts to conceive and parent are fraught with overzealousness and obsessive behavior. The internal struggle and harrowing sadness is well presented through her impressive, nuanced performance as well as Bacon's visual canvas that in many ways recreates the films of the early-seventies. This is a gentle, yet moody film that is well-conceived and emotionally daring.

I can't say I'm very surprised by the rating this great movie gets, nor am I shocked to see some moronic comments on how the storyline is "horrible" or "gross". The topic and development of the story are controversial and sensitive to say the least and it's a sad reality that people just can't get pass their judgemental posturing and try to see things from another point of view.

Kyra Sedgwick carries the movie on her shoulders from start to finish. Not only does she give poetry and the right amount of quirkiness to a character that could have been nightmarish otherwise but she really manages to convey the love her character feels for her son effortlessly so much so that the transition to her psychotic obsession is seamless. Even if the plot is made in such a way that it's impossible for you to empathize with her, you certainly feel for her.

The direction is remarkable and adds to the magic of the world Emily creates for her son. Bacon did a great job of going back and forth in time without being confusing, which was a major challenge with the script and the editing works perfectly at revealing Emily's character and story bit by bit without divulging more than necessary and all the while framing what's important to understand her behavior.

It's never tacky, nor judgemental, nor is it complacent. It's a story of love and how far it can go. Recommended.