Far From Heaven (2002)

Far From Heaven

Call No: PN1997.F296 2003

I knew little to nothing about what the film Far from Heaven was going to be about, though from the trailer I could gather enough of a plot together in my own head. The plot I conjured up was fairly straightforward and very common. Having now seen the film, I was pleasantly surprised that this film does not convey your typical story. It is far more complicated, more moving, and more thought provoking than that. Though this isn’t a film for everyone, it is a good example of a film moving past typical expectations while still not wanting to risk everything and become too controversial. It is a compliment to and enhancement of All That Heaven Allows, the film it is inspired by.

Cathy Whitaker is a perfect wife, mother and friend. She supports her husband, helps her children in every way possible, and is often cited as an inspiration to others in the society pages. But her perfect life is shattered without warning by the actions of her husband Frank. Trying to keep some semblance of a life intact and fighting to keep both her secrets and her sanity, she finds comfort in her friendship with her gardener Raymond Deagan. Tensions rise and women begin to gossip, and it’s only a matter of time before Cathy faces decisions that could jeopardize the lives of everyone she cares about.

The film deals with two major conflicts in the film, and either issue could have easily been the sole subject of the film. The remarkable thing is that neither conflict overpowers the other one, nor does the presence of both overwhelm or overcomplicate the story. The pacing of the plot allows for both conflicts to be addressed, faced, figured out and followed through. This isn’t necessarily synonymous with a happy ending for either conflict, but it’s the exceptional pacing of the writing that allows the story to flow easily and without feeling any jerkiness of jumping from one conflict to the other.

Moore and Haysbert are exceptional as Cathy and Raymond

The performances here are beyond top notch. Julianne Moore’s Kathy is the perfect housewife: polite, welcoming and respectful. What I liked most about the film was that it didn’t follow the typical formula of presenting her as a woman who doesn’t know anything and is about to be educated. She is educated, but she is also a well-informed character who tries to stand behind her beliefs as best she can. She’s human and she falters, but the learning isn’t done through self-reflection so much as it is through her interactions with the two important men in her life. 

Dennis Quaid is exceptional as Frank, so much so that I’m surprised he didn’t receive some kind of nomination. The highlight for me (and one of the reasons I wanted to watch the film) was for Dennis Haysbert. Known to most as President Palmer from 24 (the greatest president from the series), Haysbert brings a different kind of presence to the film. He’s kind, considerate, intelligent, educated and poetic. For me, it’s his performance that sets the standard that everyone else should aspire to achieve in this film. He is a natural in his role, as though it was written just for him.

As I mentioned, this film isn’t for everyone. But if you’re looking for a movie to deconstruct, this film has a number of different layers to it and things to watch for. It’s sentimental without being schmaltzy, something hard to achieve in films nowadays.