The apple of and older man's eye. |
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I really miss the '90s. It was a truly great decade for film. In particular, 1999 proved to be a banner year. Check out this list of memorable movies: FIGHT CLUB, THE MATRIX, THE SIXTH SENSE, MAGNOLIA, AMERICAN BEAUTY, BEING JOHN MALKOVICH, OFFICE SPACE. Pretty impressive, eh? There were so many excellent films, several were easily overlooked. I could probably dedicate this column to just 1999 and never run out of films to review, but I won't. Instead, I'll just discuss one of my faves, starring a pair of very talented actors.
GUINIVERE - 1999
I've always like Stephen Rea and Sarah Polley. Both actors rose to prominence during the '90s and continue to carve a niche today. Rea's claim to fame was 1992's controversial THE CRYING GAME. His stellar performance earned him a deserved Oscar nod and introduced him to American audiences. Polley, a successful child actress, shed her girlish image in 1997 when she appeared in director Atom Egoyan's brilliant THE SWEET HEREAFTER. Her portrayal of a crippled young woman received worthy praise and turned her into a sought after actress. 
The perfect couple? |
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Both Rea and Polley put their skills on display in this May-December romance aptly titled, GUINIVERE.
Polley plays Harper Sloane, a timid girl from an affluent family, reluctantly heading for Harvard Law School. Her predetermined life course is altered greatly once she meets an aging Bohemian photographer named Connie (Rea). Connie, a notorious womanizer, brings Harper into is home and bed, in order to help usher her toward womanhood. Connie views Harper as an easy mark, and Harper obliges his every whim. An uncaring family leaves Harper on her own and makes her solely dependent on Connie. Blinded by love, Harper overlooks Connie's many faults, which include alcoholism and a lack of money. As time passes, Connie's grip on Harper loosens. Harper's budding maturity allows her to see the real Connie, which threatens their already unstable relationship.
Writer/Director Audrey Wells unfolds a simple story by allowing her actors to do the heavy lifting. Polley oozes naivete in her performance. Harper's reliance on Connie is totally misguided, but her need to separate from her absentee parents is vital for 
Saying goodbye. |
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her personal growth. Harper needs to come to terms with her own identity before she can move on. Polley's transformation from beginning to end is remarkable. Rea nails Connie on the head. His B-grade charm is transparent to the viewer, but it's easy to recognize why Harper would fall for it. Connie knows the exact buttons to push and while his motives are questionable, he genuinely cares for all his conquests. The onscreen chemistry is odd and mildly creepy, but it's supposed to be. Disapproving eyes aside, Connie and Harper need one another more than they know.
The plot is minimal and the subject matter is hardly groundbreaking, but there is still much appeal to GUINIVERE. Loneliness and the futility of growing older are recurrent themes, as is the desire to achieve true independence. Harper's narration describes Connie as, "the best mistake she ever made." This sentiment encapsulates the film perfectly. Her relationship with Connie was inappropriate and doomed to fail, but the knowledge acquired was invaluable. GUINIVERE is one of those under-the-radar movies that surprisingly stays with you days after you see it.
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| Eye On The Overlooked |
Every other Sunday
A lot of great movies slip through the cracks. I'm here to catch them.
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| Scott Tunstall |
Scott is a freelance writer currently living in the Southeast. He is a film school grad with a love of theory and screenwriting. His tastes vary from obscure niche films to giant Hollywood blockbusters. In other words, he'll watch pretty much anything.
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| Contact |
If you have a comment, question, or suggestion, you can send a message to Scott Tunstall by clicking here.
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