Despidiendo mi vida

Only one thing saves The Event from being a total loss; Olympia Dukakis! When she is on screen, the warmth of her being and the grace of her acting temporarily convince you that this is a good movie. She plays a pivotal character and she packs an arsenal of subtle and powerful emotion!

Unfortunately, there are many, many minutes of film dealing with the other characters, most of whom have a faceless, gray presence that gets annoyingly boring. They are not helped by an episodic, way too long screenplay and episodic and short-on-creativity directing. The climax of the film is genuinely moving (thanks mostly to Dukakis), but it takes so long to get there that you feel cheated that you didn't care more for these characters during the balance of the film. The little coda after the climax is unconvincing and unsatisfying.

Lots of unnecessary pop songs intrude along the way. Parker Posey is the only other actress to induce any sparks. If you can wade through the slow spots, its worth seeing for Dukakis; but barely.

I was fortunate enough to see this film at the Sundance Film Festival, and while I was ostensibly in Park City for skiing, this film will stand out in my memory as the high point of the trip. Poignant, heartfelt, authentic, beautifully acted, outstanding direction, incredible script - I could go on...

When the director of the film came out to address the audience before the screening, he commented about all the love that went into this film. This "touchy-feely" stuff tends to make me a bit uneasy, but in fact, every frame of this picture showed that love.

This film is so utterly honest with it's subject - a gay man dying of AIDS, post 9/11 - that you wonder how a film like "Philadelphia" is still regarded in such high esteem. As a gay man, I felt "Philadelphia" was fraudulent - unreal - pure Hollywood sap. (I won't ever forget the scene when Hank's character, covered with KS lesions, is handed a newborn baby to cuddle. Yeah, that'd happen...)

If you want the real thing, check out this amazing, wonderful film - we now just have to pray this masterpiece finds a distributor.

The auditorium I saw this film in at Sundance probably held 1500 people. There wasn't a dry eye in the house.

Thom Fitzgerald has done a wonderful job directing this film. By twenty minutes into the movie I cared about the characters. There's nothing pretentious or annoying about this movie, however the ending shocked me totally. I was not prepared for the ending. I heard sniffles when the credits rolled and when I walked out on to the sidewalk after leaving the theatre I felt stunned. I had no idea that local actor Walter Borden was in the movie -- a definite added attraction. But I don't want to say who does a better job in acting than others as I totally believe the movie is superb just the way it is.

This is a movie I would prefer to attend alone so no one will talk to me throughout the film. Without sounding like an owl, the ending shocked the pants off me. I thought I figured it out, but was w-a-y off. Thom Fitzgerald: take a bow.

This is not the kind of thing that attracts me: simple drama. Straight ahead, grinding humanity.

Why would people invest in watching something like this? For engagement, I suppose.

There's engagement in the story, for sure, if you need it. But there is a higher level of engagement in knowing that these players are pouring out their hearts for us.

Sarah Polley is extraordinary, just extraordinary. Olympia has a grace that matters. Parker is less open than usual until the end.

Coming to the event, the man's sister and mother talk about Shirley McLain's performance in "Tears of Endearment." The whole movie revolves around that line, that notion.

The thing is constructed so that there is a movie within the movie — a movie of the event. Something clever.

Ted's Evaluation -- 2 of 3: Has some interesting elements.

i heard of the movie by chance and caught it while it played (it was only here for a week). i had to go by myself because no one else would go with me. but i did, and i'm glad i did. what an amazing movie. it moved me in ways i never believed possible. i went because of don. i knew little of the plot. an old couple left mid-way through the movie. why? it was hard to watch. it was a hard concept to swallow. i cared about the characters from the start. when the sister reacted to her brother's news of his infection it hit me harder than a bus could have. that's the reaction i would have had.

it was a hard topic to deal with, but it was done so properly and it ws very beautiful. the acting, the filming, the writing, it drew emotion out of people.

it really is a must see. i can't wait for it to be released for home-viewing. bravo