A Perfect Ending

I found a Perfect Ending to be a powerful examination of the question posed to any of us when we receive a terminal diagnosis, or we are left crippled after an accident. Each of us reacts differently when we learn that our lives are foreshortened, when we discover we may never achieve those goals we had dreamed about.

A Perfect Ending is the story of how one woman reacts when she has a devastating prognosis. The way she sets about to achieve one very deep desire, and all the consequences of her actions form the main plot of this film.

It is the story of two women, wounded deeply by events in their own lives who are healed by the passionate love they experience for one another. The love scenes are so perfectly shot that there is never an element of voyeurism, instead they become the essence of gentle reaching out we have all known in our relationships. As a person living with a terminal illness myself, this film had me both weeping and laughing at different times at the manner in which this story is played out. Thank you Nicole.

This film is a sheer delight! Brilliant in it's capacity to draw you into the journey of the story as it unfolds. It is a film with so many messages any woman ( or man) need to explore and assess if they are being and experiencing all they were made for. Or, are they being who they are expected to be and missing true passion and wholeness. Barbara Niven is at her best as the lead in this film and portrays "Rebecca" in such a multi-dimensional way that you are emotionally right there with her as her life is transforming. The chemistry between her and her co-star, Jessica Clark ("Paris") is rich and moving. Soul Kiss Films has delivered a film worthy of the "big screen" everywhere!

First off let me start by saying that I am not a writer, so please forgive my poor attempt at a review. As I patiently sat waiting for the screening of A Perfect Ending, I thought to myself, this is going to be a great movie. I did not expect to see a movie that would awaken all of my emotions and touch my soul. Nicole Conn takes you on an emotional journey that makes you laugh, cry and want to jump up applaud and scream YES!!!! Barbara Niven and Jessica Clark were perfectly cast for this movie. Their chemistry on camera is off the charts, blond and beautiful and dark and exotic. Nicole Conn and Marina Rice-Bader hit the nail on the head when they picked these two women for their lead roles. This film is a must see for both women and men, so if you have a chance to see it at a festival near you please attend and let your soul be nourished.

This is not a "must see" film. It is also not a "piece of crap". Obviously, this film is somewhat polarizing to produce the disparate reviews it has received here. And just as obviously, some of the people who watched this film have an anti-gay bias that makes one wonder "why the hell were they watching this film?"

There are aspects of the film that I liked. And many I did not. I do not want to be too dismissive of "A Perfect Ending" because I feel the writer/director invested a lot of care in this film and tried to produce a beautiful product.

Many of the things I found off-putting were intentional. For example, the editing that was sometimes choppy. The music that, in places, was designed to create an air of the mysterious and sacred. These are artistic choices that sometimes did not work for me. Often, they took me outside the film, especially since the pace was slow. The pace itself could have been brisker in parts.

Also, Jessica Clark (who plays the escort Paris) spoke with such a slow, deliberate pace it was distracting. It reminds me of Nichole Kidman in "Eyes Wide Shut", but Ms. Kidman's character was under the influence when she spoke that way.

Lastly, I found the sexual politics of the film annoying. Often they are inserted where it does not serve the story.

All in all, this is an average film by a filmmaker who could probably produce a much better product.

I anxiously awaited this movie's release on DVD as those who had seen it at Sundance gave it such good to great reviews. Unfortunately, however, after having seen it for myself now, I do not share the earlier reviewers' glowing opinions. The premise of the movie is really good and I could tell it could have been a very good movie. I felt it took too many "meetings" before the main character stopped running out and the awkwardness to fade. Both main actresses are attractive and are suited to their characters, but the escort seemed to be trying too hard to be mysterious and alluring. First,her lower voice and slow speaking cadence was sexy and intriguing, but then you notice she speaks that way through the entire movie. It rendered the "sexy" a little "unsexy" and kind of annoying after a while. You don't see enough of the two women together to understand the 'relationship' that supposedly develops between them. I was left feeling like too much of the story must have been left on the editing room floor and was replaced by the film-maker's attempt at artsy and meaningful up-close vignettes of inanimate objects or a characters struggles. I am disappointed in this movie. I had such high hopes.