Last night (coincidentally on June 18, birthday of Kevin Bishop) I saw `Food of Love' at the Houston Gay and Lesbian Film Festival. I was disappointed, as the film did not live up to the potential of the premise. What could have been a masterfully told story of coming of age and first love ended up being an unfocused and overwrought muddle. I would give this movie the subtitle, `How not to treat an 18-year-old that's infatuated with you'.
Kevin Bishop could have brilliantly played the vulnerable and sheltered Paul, but his delivery was wooden and flat and reminded me of Burt Ward in the old Batman television series. About halfway through I realized that he was forcing an American accent, confirmed by his pronunciation of a word or two in the argument with his mother in the final minutes of the film. I hope that this was a product of the direction and dialogue coaching, as he appears to have considerable potential as an actor, but was unfortunately not used well here.
The performance of Paul Rhys was also not up to expectation. I spent the first half of the film wondering if Richard had feelings for Paul, or if he was just a nasty old lecher (like Joseph) that simply wanted to shag an 18-year-old. Perhaps it was that he wore more makeup than Michael Jackson that confused me. The second half I was simply annoyed that either the character was so unconcerned with the welfare of a young person that obviously had feelings for him, or that the actor was simply bored with the production at this point.
Juliet Stevens did give an interesting performance as Pamela, however the depth of her résumé makes me wonder if the unbelievable outbursts of hysterics were hers or at the prompting of the director. I was impressed by her moments of vulnerability but the manic fits detracted from her overall delivery. She presented an excellent American accent; it makes me wonder why she was not asked to help Kevin with his.
My most serious issues are with the script. (Spoiler warning) It fell into using too many coincidental plot devices that at the end I had simply failed to believe it any more. It was absurd that Richard did not return (his manager/mentor/significant-other) Joseph's multiple calls and faxes that were found a week later in the desk drawer (and Paul was seen putting them on and not in the desk). I'm also very disturbed that a first year student at Julliard would move in with a `sugar-daddy' nearly 3 times his age before the first semester is over, while still pining away for another. That this is a few floors below the apartment of the on-again/off-again husband of the object of his affection is too much of a coincidence in a city the size of New York.
The character development is also a serious problem. Pamela needs to get therapy immediately and join PFLAG rather than hanging around that self-help group. Paul is obviously unhappy in the extreme but continues in the relationship with Alden, while clearly looking for something else. Of the others I cannot decide whom I dislike more intensely. Richard and Joseph are both two-faced, self-absorbed individuals who take advantage of this young man's innocence and naivete for their own gratification without regard for the consequences involved. Such individuals truly deserve each other and should be restricted from contact with anyone else. If I had found most gay men to be this despicable I would have become a monk. Even Alden treats this beautiful, sensitive and obviously talented young man as a `trophy boyfriend', an ornament to his own ego rather than someone special to be a partner with.
However I do wonder if the writer intended to imply that the abhorrent treatment of Paul by these people was the cause of the eventual downturn in his performance on the piano. If so, then I am disappointed that this implication was so obscure as that most people would miss it and my contempt for the other characters increases greatly.
I was also rather disappointed in the plot twist where Paul does allow Joseph to seduce him basically for the cost of concert tickets and an old LP. It indicates that he realizes the relationship with Alden is a sham, and basically puts himself on the same level with the $200 hustler earlier in the film. I completely lost any respect for Paul at that point.
The final scenes seemed empty and unfulfilling. The argument was too passionate and harsh, more emotion than either has shown in the entire film. When they finally do resolve their issues, how can it possibly be too late to find a hotel? This is New York! They have a telephone! Although it is needed to set up the final scene, it is completely unbelievable! And although it is nice that he does achieve a rapport with his mother (and she does relate one of the oldest stories with a vaguely gay theme), it ends without full resolution of the issues or the characters futures.
Kevin Bishop could have brilliantly played the vulnerable and sheltered Paul, but his delivery was wooden and flat and reminded me of Burt Ward in the old Batman television series. About halfway through I realized that he was forcing an American accent, confirmed by his pronunciation of a word or two in the argument with his mother in the final minutes of the film. I hope that this was a product of the direction and dialogue coaching, as he appears to have considerable potential as an actor, but was unfortunately not used well here.
The performance of Paul Rhys was also not up to expectation. I spent the first half of the film wondering if Richard had feelings for Paul, or if he was just a nasty old lecher (like Joseph) that simply wanted to shag an 18-year-old. Perhaps it was that he wore more makeup than Michael Jackson that confused me. The second half I was simply annoyed that either the character was so unconcerned with the welfare of a young person that obviously had feelings for him, or that the actor was simply bored with the production at this point.
Juliet Stevens did give an interesting performance as Pamela, however the depth of her résumé makes me wonder if the unbelievable outbursts of hysterics were hers or at the prompting of the director. I was impressed by her moments of vulnerability but the manic fits detracted from her overall delivery. She presented an excellent American accent; it makes me wonder why she was not asked to help Kevin with his.
My most serious issues are with the script. (Spoiler warning) It fell into using too many coincidental plot devices that at the end I had simply failed to believe it any more. It was absurd that Richard did not return (his manager/mentor/significant-other) Joseph's multiple calls and faxes that were found a week later in the desk drawer (and Paul was seen putting them on and not in the desk). I'm also very disturbed that a first year student at Julliard would move in with a `sugar-daddy' nearly 3 times his age before the first semester is over, while still pining away for another. That this is a few floors below the apartment of the on-again/off-again husband of the object of his affection is too much of a coincidence in a city the size of New York.
The character development is also a serious problem. Pamela needs to get therapy immediately and join PFLAG rather than hanging around that self-help group. Paul is obviously unhappy in the extreme but continues in the relationship with Alden, while clearly looking for something else. Of the others I cannot decide whom I dislike more intensely. Richard and Joseph are both two-faced, self-absorbed individuals who take advantage of this young man's innocence and naivete for their own gratification without regard for the consequences involved. Such individuals truly deserve each other and should be restricted from contact with anyone else. If I had found most gay men to be this despicable I would have become a monk. Even Alden treats this beautiful, sensitive and obviously talented young man as a `trophy boyfriend', an ornament to his own ego rather than someone special to be a partner with.
However I do wonder if the writer intended to imply that the abhorrent treatment of Paul by these people was the cause of the eventual downturn in his performance on the piano. If so, then I am disappointed that this implication was so obscure as that most people would miss it and my contempt for the other characters increases greatly.
I was also rather disappointed in the plot twist where Paul does allow Joseph to seduce him basically for the cost of concert tickets and an old LP. It indicates that he realizes the relationship with Alden is a sham, and basically puts himself on the same level with the $200 hustler earlier in the film. I completely lost any respect for Paul at that point.
The final scenes seemed empty and unfulfilling. The argument was too passionate and harsh, more emotion than either has shown in the entire film. When they finally do resolve their issues, how can it possibly be too late to find a hotel? This is New York! They have a telephone! Although it is needed to set up the final scene, it is completely unbelievable! And although it is nice that he does achieve a rapport with his mother (and she does relate one of the oldest stories with a vaguely gay theme), it ends without full resolution of the issues or the characters futures.