Fair Haven

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.

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

A simple and straightforward low-budget film like this one, made on location within a short time span, can excel on its own when a good script is backed up by accomplished actors whose talent shines through each and every scene. That talent is accentuated when main characters like the psychologist, the father, and the two leads in this film are effectively cast against type, managing to heighten dramatic impact over and above a modest narrative. Although there are moments that drag on a bit long, and flashbacks can be confusing, I find no fault with the overall production. Look for Harrison to be a smug reactionary, Wopat a downbeat parent, Green to be serious and deep, and Grant to show unexpected real musical ability. A big win all around.

Very few low budget gay-themed films have both good acting and a good script. This film has both. As others have said, it would have been nice to see how the two guys made it in the city as well as the father after selling the farm. Maybe they could do a sequel or get cast and writers together for another movie on a different subject. Anyway, fantastic job by all involved,

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.