Review of A Home at the End of the World (2004) by Tom H — 07 Dec 2004

There is so much love to be found in the world. And if you doubt that even in the slightest manner, my simple answer is A Home at the End of the World. I do not recall the last time I watched a movie with such a pure, innocent spirit and a character I truly fell in love with. About the only major downside is I wanted this experience to last longer than what the short running time and quick pace provide, and the occasional moments that tragedies are forced upon the hero we come to love.

This is another Adaptation from novelist Michael Cunningham. Some of you will remember that he wrote the novel to The Hours. Yet, A Home at The End of the World is not a monumentally depressing story, but a very bittersweet, hopeful story. Bobby is a boy in high school, who lost all of his family before he even graduates. His best friend Jonathon and his family take him into their home and become his new family. Jonathon eventually moves out and Bobby does eventually. Jonathon lives with his best friend Claire in a small New York apartment during the 1980s. Their relationship is not an easy one. Jon is gay, Claire is straight, and Bobby...he doesn't fit any category.

Its best to pay attention, because if you even blink you might miss something. The movie spans over a series of years in only 96 minutes and the scenes are very tightly paced. In some movies this works well. In this summer block buster, The Bourne Supremacy kept you on the edge of the seat with its quick editing and condensed scenes. Here, I feel A Home at the End of the World is getting a disservice by using it. I honestly do not see the reason in keeping its pace up in a character study film. This actually pronounces the secondary issue I have.

There are a lot of tragic events to be found in A Home at the End of the World, but the movie presses on in a hopeful manner rather than sit around in agony like The Hours. What sticks out though, is just how sometimes there is the inevitable feeling that something bad has to happen. I feel almost naive saying this, because almost anytime you know a movie is a drama, you almost know it has to come. I am not saying it is impossible for someone to lose their whole family. I am saying however, that there at times that one may get the feeling it happens not by the terms or causes and effects, but sometimes out of neccessity.

These aside though, I was otherwise pleasantly impressed by this movie. What initially through me for a loop with the movie was the music. The music is always a happy, rather carefree track consisting mostly of the songs from the 60s and 70s which Bobby grew up in. They were good selections, as Bobby still has the type of mind frame from this age. Some are even catchy especially when singing or dancing along ensue. However, I began to wonder why during the sadder moments, they continued to play happy music. And I realized, they do it because this is how Bobby works. He simply gets back up and moves on. It is also a painful contrast at times to hear happy music during moments of immense pain.

I am a huge Colin Farrell fan, and seeing him in such a role I was slightly reluctant to believe he was right for this role. I mean, this guy is the newest badass in hollywood. Though I have not seen a great deal of excellent movies this year, Colin Farrell has given the best performance I have seen all year. I could not believe just what a gentle, and child-like essence he captures so perfectly. While the rest of the cast is capable, Colin Farrell is honestly center stage with talent. I dare say he deserves an oscar nomination, which I doubt he will receive with all the late oscar-hopefuls. Though, it is always possible considering the great performances he has done this year in this film, Intermission, and Alexander. But we all know the flop that was Alexander.

I honestly do not remember the last time I have ever felt for a character as much as I did here. Jonathon's mother says in one moment during the movie "Your an angel" and I thought to myself that its a bit of an understatement. I have a personal saying behind every great man there is hardship, and behind every bad man, is a hardship. Bobby never lost his child innocnece in a sense. He seems to truly thrive and find inner peace in himself by seeing others happy and together. When you smile, he smiles. When you frown, he does everything to take the frown away. Take for instance in a moment when him and Jonathon as children are caught smoking weed. The mother feels a bit betrayed by her son, and Bobby senses the mother feels out of place with her teenage son. So he offers her some, and though she is reluctant, she does try it, and Bobby even offers to dance with her. He reminds her that there is no reason to be afraid of anything. I found myself nearly in tears at Bobby's limitless capacity of love.

A Home at the End of the World easily outweighs some of the downsides it has. It really is a tragedy that this movie did so poorly at the box office because it deserves a lot more recogonition. It seems many people passed it up assuming it is only of "gay interests." This film does not study sexuality greatly, but more the difficult relationships and a man wanting to give all he has to someone, anyone. If everybody knew someone even half way like Bobby, we would have no reason to be sad in life.