Genres

Visitors Review

Moira MacDonald 2012-05-24 07:25:57

It's a worthy effort, even as it does fall short; a good meal but hardly a feast.

Robin Clifford 2012-05-23 19:55:25

...wrought with two-dimensional characters saddled with not very believable situations. I should care about these people and do not.

2012-05-21 16:42:10

Is this movie about a different book?

I just read all the "wonderful" reviews of this movie. Maybe the reviewers didn't read the book. Well, I did. The book is based on a picture Bradley Smith painted: "The Feast of Love" which is hung in his coffee shop, Jitters. It is crucial to the story line. It tells us a lot about Bradley and his failed loves. The story takes place in Ann Arbor, Michigan, not Portland, Oregon. Was the setting too midwestern for the director and producer? There are so many discrepancies in the movie: Aaron does not die, but remains missing in the end and both Jewish parents, Harry and Ethel Ginsberg must live with that sad outcome. The brilliance of the book stems from the fact that Charles Baxter (Charlie) is interviewing and asking each of the characters to tell their story. I guess, if the book didn't exist it would be an okay, maybe even a sort of good movie. But the book does exist. My only hope is that Charles Baxter had nothing to do with the screenplay. I was looking forward to the movie. It was a disappointment.

Susan Walker 2012-05-21 06:42:18

Director Robert Benton finds an emotional through line in a format that might have easily broken down into a series of disconnected anecdotes with little to nourish us.

Emanuel Levy 2012-05-16 22:14:48

Benton's sensitive helming and amiable cast headed by Morgan Freeman can't save the melodrama from tedium, resulting in a mediocre film that doesn't quite achieve its goal of examining love in all its various forms and complexities.

Michael Rechtshaffen 2012-05-16 17:22:03

While things occasionally get a little soapy around the edges, the encroaching melodrama is masterfully held at bay by [Morgan] Freeman, whose scenes with [Jane] Alexander are exceptionally moving.

2012-05-14 13:45:32

Harmless But Average

This review is from: Feast of Love (DVD) Feast of Love features a series of amorous encounters cenetered around an Oregon coffee shop called Jitters, owned and operated by Bradley Smith, played by Greg Kinnear. The film provides a fairly luminous galaxy of stars such as Kinnear, Morgan Freeman and Jane Alexander the chance to play roles at which they excel: Kinnear as the amiable, aw-shucks but clueless lead role, Freeman as the sage dispenser of wisdom dispensed to other characters through dialogue and to the audience through voiceovers, Alexander as the loving but saddened nurturer, and so on. Trouble is, the script doesn't offer them the chance to do much beyond what we already know they can do. The movie doesn't set out to achieve much. It's like watching your favorite ballplayer hit a home run in a game your favorite team doesn't win. Nice, but the end result is disappointing. Feast of Love is clearly a rental, not a purchase.

Cole Smithey 2012-05-14 03:46:52

"The Feast of Love" is a hodgepodge of sentimentality that's neither funny nor tragic. It's just bland.

Matt Brunson 2012-05-13 22:11:58

Sprawling, messy, yet occasionally affecting.

2012-05-13 13:09:09

A pleasant romance

I have read that this was a difficult book to adapt for the screen since the book was written from many points of view. I think Benton did a good job, as it seems to flow effortlessly from one character to the next, tied together by Morgan Freeman's narration. This romance is a story of love and loss, and is somewhat predictable and contrived.... but it still provides a couple of hours of viewing enjoyment. Some of it is depressing, as it depicts the ups and downs of love, but it also has moments of great tenderness. I also thought the acting was very good and look forward to seeing some of the new (to me) faces in other roles in the future.

2012-05-12 17:47:10

Slick, Superficial, But a Great Cast!

I enjoyed Robert Benton's generational romance, "Feast of Love", but I couldn't help wondering, while watching it, on what planet this story takes place...every woman who appears is gorgeous, and ready to hop into bed, houses to buy are affordable, even for kids (and very easy to find), college professors earn enough to take sabbaticals that never end, and can sit in coffee shops forever...and, with the exception of a nearly caricatured abusive father (Fred Ward, in a thankless role), everybody is just so darn nice that the bad things that happen always leads to something wonderful. In the postcard-perfect Portland of the story, addiction only happens off-camera, lesbian women seducing wives away from husbands are okay, affairs with married men are acceptable, making a home-made pornographic film isn't any big deal, even self-mutilation is a potential way to make a love connection! Benton makes this all work, but I WAS scratching my head...While Greg Kinnear's coffee shop owner is so bland and out-of-touch that it was hard to warm up to him (his big comic scene, bribing his nephew to get a dog back that he no longer needed, and the boy had bonded with, seemed not only unfunny, but out-of-character), Morgan Freeman is rock-solid as a professor dealing with the loss of a son by passively observing the lives around him. He is complimented by Jane Alexander's wise portrayal of his wife, and their scenes together are the most richly dramatic of the film.The best roles of the film are the women's; Alexa Davalos, as a free spirit who bonds with a doomed ex-addict (Toby Hemingway), overcomes the "so beautiful that she can't be real" initial reaction to her, to become the 'heart' of the story, demonstrating a courage and depth that is refreshing to see in a young actress. Equally impressive is Radha Mitchell, as a Realtor who marries Kinnear just to snub her married boyfriend (Billy Burke). In a role that included dramatic confrontations while nude, she never seemed artificial, and offered a remarkable depth to what could have been a cold-hearted portrayal. Both Davalos and Mitchell have several nude scenes, so if you have young children, you may want to wait on airing this until they are in bed.As I said, "Feast of Love" is enjoyable, if not really believable...I think it works best as a great 'date' movie, to snuggle up to, with someone you love!

Betsy H 2012-05-12 13:40:03

Feast of Love (No Spoilers)

I read all of the reviews on Feast of Love before I saw the movie last night. As some have already said, there have been mixed reviews. If you are hoping to see a romantic chick-flick, then this movie is not for you. Rather, I found it to be for those of us who have experienced the trials, pain, and sometimes heartache that love brings. This is a very realistic look on life-- there is no sugar-coating. There are some pretty intense sex scenes, so be prepared. However, if you can get past that and see the message that is being presented then you will see the value of this movie. I thoroughly enjoyed the movie, and would recommend it to a more mature adult audience who would be able to handle the sex scenes. But overall, this is a good, honest movie with very profound moments. The characters have absolutely touching lines at times because they're real and raw and true. Go see this movie with an open mind, you'll be glad you did.

2012-05-08 19:01:26

"Feast" Needs Some More Courses

Once again Morgan Freeman plays the wise, old sage in the cast. At this point, he has played a similar variation of this role so many times I think he should get a patent. Anytime someone wants this type of character in their film, they should only get Freeman to play the role, or pay him a royalty.That said, Professor Stevenson, the narrator and guide through "Feast of Love", Robert Benton's ("Nobody's Fool") newest film is an interesting character. His narration while helpful is also problematic, serving to draw us out of the film and remind us of how episodic the story is, constantly reminding us of the book the film is based on.Stevenson seems to have a lot of time on his hands and roams the Portland, Oregon neighborhood where he and his wife (Jane Alexander) live. He spends time at the local coffee shop, Jitters, owned by Bradley (Greg Kinnear) and staffed by Oscar (Toby Hemmingway). Stevenson watches as Bradley and Oscar fall in love, break-up and then fall in love again. As their circle of people grows, Stevenson becomes a member of this larger group. He returns home each day to relate the day's events to his wife. Stevenson is on a leave from the local university and seems determined to delay his return, as he deals with the grief of his adult son's death.I wouldn't mind Stevenson's wise words and his sage advice nearly as much if he only discussed these moments with people. When Freeman starts to narrate the character's thoughts and feelings, he becomes too obtrusive into our interaction with the film. Also, these moments of narration are used to try to hide the episodic nature of the story. As soon as he relates an event in Bradley's live, we see an event in Oscar's life, and back and forth.Freeman is, as always, good. It's just too bad his performance is so familiar. Bradley, played by Greg Kinnear, is a bit too clueless to be likable. Initially, our interest is held as Stevenson wisely observes his relationship with his wife, Kathryn (Selma Blair). Just finished with a softball game, the Professor joins the younger couple at a local bar where Kathryn talks with Jenny (Stanza Katic), one of the players from the other female team. They form a friendship and Jenny recognizes Kathryn is interested in becoming more than just friends. Bradley is so clueless; he doesn't realize there is a problem until Kathryn is walking out of their house. Of course, Stevenson knows right away and tells his wife about what Bradley will soon discover.Bradley decides to move, for a change of pace. His realtor, Diana (Radha Mitchell) shows him a house right next to Stevenson and he decides to take it. He also falls in love with Diana, who is a bit hurt her boyfriend, David (Billy Burke) won't leave his wife, relegating their relationship to torrid meetings in hotel rooms during lunch.Oscar (Toby Hemingway), a young, blond, spiky haired guy with tattoos, seems to really enjoy his job at Jitters. One day, Chloe (Alexa Davalos) walks in looking for a job. He immediately agrees they need the help and Bradley gets the hint. Soon, Oscar and Chloe are in love and their story is, by far, the most romantic. But it also has a few plot contrivances more suited to an afternoon soap opera.It seems odd to me that Stevenson and his wife, Esther (Alexander) don't interact with the other characters in the film more frequently, making them seem a bit disconnected, further reinforcing the strange feel of the narration. About halfway through, Esther and the Professor have wine with Bradley and Diana and start to participate with the others, making the film seem a little more real.Benton is a very good director and he achieves a lot of visual moments that really speak volumes about the relationship between these characters. When Esther walks into her husband's home office, she notices he is working on his computer. "This is a welcome sight," she says. She soon learns he is writing a letter to the dean of his school extending his leave indefinitely. This is upsetting to her, but rather than start screaming, she pauses a moment and leaves the office, slamming the door. Stevenson pauses, without looking at the door. This is a telling moment, accurately reflecting the depth and length of their relationship.Stevenson and Esther do a lot of observing when they are with the younger couples. Over their wine, the younger couple says things causing the older couple to pause. Later, they discuss the events amongst themselves. If they did this once or twice, it would be amusing and even interesting, but because it happens often, it seems as though this couple are supposed to be our guide into the lives of these characters. That's fine, too. But because they sit and watch so much, it makes them passive observers. Since we are sitting and watching a film, we are already a passive observer. What makes a film great is when you feel you are part of the story, the action, and the character's lives.Fred Ward plays Bat, Oscar's abusive father. He only has a couple of scenes and in each he is drunk and over the top, so he fits the bill. But because he has no development, his character seems odd and since he really has no overall place in the story, his appearances only briefly make Oscar apprehensive. He really adds nothing to the story.These complaints aside, the story about Oscar and Chloe really saves the film. From the moments Oscar spots Chloe, you can see the hunger in his eyes. As their relationship progresses, you believe they have each found their soul mate and are deeply in love. We learn things about their past and watch some of the decisions they make and this helps to make them more real. It doesn't hurt that Toby Hemingway and Alexa Davalos are both very good looking and create a lot of onscreen chemistry."Feast of Love" is clearly designed as a portrait of three different generations in love, and it works to a certain degree. But the strange choice of narrative device does nothing but serve to take us out of the film, make us a passive observer, and consistently remind us of the book the film was adapted from. Rather then embracing the characters and their lives, it seems as though the filmmakers want to keep us at arm's length from them.

Jeffrey Westhoff 2012-05-08 09:53:56

Has just enough honesty and heart to redeem it.

Tina 2012-05-08 11:10:12

pretty good movie

I really enjoyed this film. I am a huge Morgan Freeman fan. I think he did an excellent job as well as Greg Kinnear. I went to see this film mainly because one of my best friends is the pitcher in the softball game and I really just wanted to see her. I really did enjoy the film as well. Leaves with a lot to think about as far as how life works.

Christian Toto 2012-05-08 06:53:21

Feast of Love will fill you up with trite dialogue and sappy plot contrivances.

2012-05-03 13:47:41

A film that stays with you long afterwards.

This review is from: Feast of Love (DVD) This is, simply put, one of the most beautiful movies I have ever seen. The honesty and depth of the characters and the actors is amazing. The characters are multi-dimensional and feel real. Even the Morgan Freeman character has flaws and weaknesses and, with the exception of Chloe's father, even the "bad" characters are redeemed. And I appreciate that the love scenes are shown as they would actually happen in real life and not the sanitized way they are shown in most Hollywood movies. The real messages of this film to me are; 1)people can't control who they love or don't love and, 2)life changing events can happen right in front of you that you don't even see. Thinking about your own life in these ways can be profoundly transforming.

Bill Gibron 2012-05-03 02:05:19

If Feast of Love was indeed a food, it would be a purposeless pan pizza decorated with every topping on the melodrama menu and extra schmaltz inserted into the talky, twice baked crust.

mjcat002 2012-04-25 09:22:56

A++++++++++++++++++ Feast of Love

No matter what critics and others say, this was a view of Love in life that very few movies have ever been able to see or touch. Yes Morgan Freeman is the reason I picked up this movie. I am not young or old just in between. I have experienced enough life to know the writer of Feast of Love has gripped many realities of love and life, the unique thing about this movie is the way it was expressed. I found this to be excellent, heartfelt, experienced, intelligent, and beyond. To put it simply, it was not just a tissue box, it required more than one paper towel. If you knew me, that means I was moved farther than most movies about life and love. If I were a critic I would rate this Superb!! A++++++++++++++++++. Thanks to all involved in this creation. Overall grade A+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Jim Lane 2012-04-24 17:36:29

...the movie grows sweetly affecting.