Review of Far from Heaven (2002) by Iain S — 16 Mar 2009
Todd Haynes homages the work of director Douglas Sirk in this tale of a 1950s housewife who turns for solace to her black gardener when she discovers a shocking secret about her husband. Unfortunately, the director spends too much time trying to replicate the look of Sirk's work for this to be truly engaging.
The production values are ravishing - the old-fashioned credits, the technicolour set design, the costumes and the formal clipped dialogue convincingly transport you back to post-war white picket fence suburban America.
Unfortunately none of this is hung upon a story of much import, leaving you with the overall impression that Haynes found the technical challenge of replicating 1950s America more interesting than the story itself.
An unfortunate triumph of style over content.
This review of Far from Heaven (2002) was written by Iain S on 16 Mar 2009.
Far from Heaven has generally received very positive reviews.
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