Fair Haven

Not a big budget movie (like most gay-themed movies), but what budget there was, was well employed. The narrative unfolds with internalized shame coming to terms with inexorable homosexual desire. It deals with the topical issue of conversion therapy, and the moral responsibility of a gay male to his own truth, and to a female who he might try to deny that truth with. It deals with the critical questions of duty to oneself, duty to family, and duty to tradition. Recommended

Sensitive coming of age story around a father and son coming to terms with the loss of a wife/mother while the son struggles to live true to himself in a bible-belt small town. The cast are all brilliant, it may be low-budget, but that doesn't matter, true artists bring their characters to life and this crew don't dissappoint. 5stars.

The story is very engaging and very believable. The two leads are fantastic, and I hope they will appear in a lot more films!

When Fair Haven came to my attention at first I thought it was going to be about the ill effects of conversion therapy. But that was only part of it. What it really is about is gay life or the lack thereof in small town America.

Young Michael Grant has just returned home after an extended stay with Gregory Harrison who is a man advertising he can cure the gay disease. His father Tom Wopat who has not yet gotten over the loss of his wife and Grant's mother is a distant figure carrying on the responsibility of running the family farm which has been in his family for generations in Red State America and he wants his son to carry on. Grant however here and in real life is a pianist and he wants to go to a school to study music.

This gay thing they both hope is history because Wopat spent enough money on this place he found on line. One who is glad to see Grant is Josh Green who was Grant's lover and whom it is whispered about. But as per what he's been told he angrily pushes Green away. But I think you can safely assume that will not be permanent.

Harrison does very well in a part that could have been satirized and stereotyped. In his flashback counseling sessions, Harrison has some degrees on his wall, but most prominent is that cross right in the center. He cannot think outside the box his religion has him in. In a group counseling session he tells of the absolute impossibility of romantic love between a same gender pair. We're put here on earth to pro-create and romance is only for heterosexuals. This notion is at the heart of the opponents of conversion therapy ban. And since it is not sanctioned in the only written authority that they recognize, the Bible, ergo it is wrong and a sin. Evidence before their eyes notwithstanding.

Fair Haven is more about how life is in small town America for gays. Rule of thumb I've found is that LGBT people for about 99% leave small towns and go to cities just to find a community. Farther away you are from a big city the lonelier you are if you are gay. Poor Green who has been less discreet also gets beaten up by some unknown rednecks. That event also triggers Grant into making him realize he was born this way.

In the end Wopat shows he's not the bad guy we initially think he is. What the future holds for Grant and Green we don't know. But that very speculation partly makes Fair Haven a great film. The rest is a realistic portrayal of small town America not stereotyped at all.

For some reason, I had a hard time getting into this movie. I would watch a few minutes then stop and did this a couple of times before finally deciding to give it a chance a few weeks after my first trial. Obviously the subject matter doesn't make this an entertainment film and I guess I had to be in the proper mood to let it flow properly.

Once I started to care about the characters it made for an interesting journey although the story is not the strong point. I didn't particularly like the back and forth between the conversion therapy scenes with the lead boy and his return home and felt like the flashbacks were distracting. But the one thing that kept me going was the acting which is stronger than I anticipated.

Michael Grant (as James Grant ironically) is by far the best thing here and his acting is very strong and believable. The supporting actors are also good especially Josh Green as Charlie Green and I have to mention that the 2 boys having the same last name as their characters can't be just a coincidence but it doesn't add or detract from the plot.

I also found the ending satisfying which is why I gave this a strong 7 stars even though this is by no means a great movie but the subject matter is handled with sensitivity and efficiently enough to make this venture a film to recommend. Obviously, if you are looking for a feel good flick this is not for you but if you feel like diving into a difficult subject handled with care, you may actually enjoy it.