The Event

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 came to this film via Thom Fitzgerald's earlier work, the mostly comic pseudo-documentary "Beefcake," so I was unprepared for the many-layered drama of "The Event." There have been a lot of films about gay men with AIDS, most of which are earnest and predictable, but "The Event" is definitely surprising in its story. It is easy to identify with the various points of view in the film, and that raises the viewer's stakes considerably. And what an indie dream of a cast! I viewed this DVD via NETFLIX which inexplicably -- considering their trove of Grade Z films about gay people -- doesn't stock "Beefcake." Thom Fitzgerald doesn't do the same old same old -- for which, hats off and Thanks!

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.

Gay guy Matt has died from AIDS and Asst. D.A. Posey suspects something other than natural causes. In spite of these mysterious overtones, "The Event" spends most of it's time being a gay guy dying flick which deals with coming out to mom, visiting doc's, hanging with gay friends, talking about options, taking drug "cocktails", creeping symptoms, emotional contortions, philosophizing about life/death, etc. in a kind of muddled Mulligan stew of gay/straight family/friend relationship stuff via flashback. The ill focused story manages to pull itself together in the end and gives everyone in the audience (who is left) ample time to relish in the hopeful woe of the moment...and then ends all over again. Kinda sappy, full of stereotypes, quite disjointed, and poorly scripted, "The Event" has it's moments though they apparently went unnoticed by GLAAD. The bare bones DVD I watched also had no CC or subtitles or special features. Recommended for gays and anyone who have the stomach for another AIDS flick. (B-)

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