Uma Segunda Chance

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.

Fair Haven provides a moving account of a father and son coming to terms with a family loss, and the struggle of trying to reconnect after this tragedy. It offers an honest and moving account of the son's readjustment to rural life after having spent time away, and the challenge of the father in rebuilding a close and loving relationship with his son. Both the directing and writing of the film deserve specific praise. The audience is able to be taken along the emotional journey between father and son at a well thought out pace, with each chapter of their relationship unfolding without ever feeling rushed and portrayed by some strong performances from Michael Grant and Tom Wopat. The cinematography also deserves recognition, with the lush greenery of the Vermont farmland adding to the film's sense of 'real-life' authenticity. Fair Haven is a great example of all the best elements of indie film making,telling an important story of a topic that deserves more awareness and doing so with compassion without ever bordering into stereotypes.

Like the title says, this movie isn't perfect because there's a lot of "stuff" going on that can't all be tackled in 90 minutes. Of course, that doesn't necessarily mean that the film needed to be longer.

Viewer may be left asking for some more backstory on a couple of things, and one of the most critical plot-lines of the movie isn't really referenced or confronted very much outside of flashbacks. I understand that may have been intentional, however I don't think it was successful.

With that said, the positive outweighs the negatives big time with this film. It really is a genuine love story with great chemistry between Michael Grant, who plays James; and Josh Green, who plays Charlie. There are moments in the film that captivate you a bit, because of how genuinely you can tell that one cares for the other despite rough times.

The personal struggles of the father are also well-acted, with a number of subtleties that come through really well for a middle-aged, depressed man dealing with the crumbling of everything he knows.

This movie is one of those gay coming-of-age films that really will warm your heart because of the acting. Definitely worth your time.

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.

Really enjoyed this film, it was simple and uncomplicated, and showcased some of the real issues that face people in rural communities. Well done Tom Malloy. A special mention to Josh Green, whose expressions conveyed so much without dialog.