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Far from Heaven

Starring: Julianne Moore, Dennis Quaid, Dennis Haysbert
Director: Todd Haynes
Genre: Drama
Year: 2002
Rating: 4 / 5

Far From Heaven is a rare movie in today’s crowded marketplace in that it actually expects – or rather, demands – a certain something from its audience. Writer-director Todd Haynes requires that we set aside out current beliefs and notions and travel with him to a “simpler” time that really was not so simple after all. His portrait of suburban life in the 1950s tackles issues that are as real today as they were then, even if Hollywood refused to acknowledge them at the time. Chief among them are interracial romance and homosexuality, taboo subjects that Haynes deftly addresses in his gripping narrative. His sure hand helps to ensure that Far From Heaven is a powerful film that does not provide any easy answers.

Frank (Dennis Quaid) and Kathy Whitaker (Julianne Moore) are the picture of idealized suburban lifestyle, with Frank mastering a successful professional career and Kathy happy and content as a mother and homemaker. Regulars on the Hartford society pages, Frank and Kathy – Mr. and Mrs. Magnatech – are the picture of perfection. Unfortunately, their lives are not so perfect, as soon becomes apparent. In addition to a burgeoning problem with alcohol, Frank is beginning to question his sexuality. Of course, at the time, homosexuality was viewed quite differently, to the point that Frank begins to see a doctor about “curing” this affliction. Frank has trouble accepting who he is, as society would have no place for him, leading him to continue to hide from his true self.

At the same time, Kathy finds herself increasingly drawn to Raymond Deagan (Dennis Haysbert), her African-American gardener. Unlike what we see in most films today, Kathy’s attraction to Raymond is not of a sexual nature, but, rather, she is drawn to his goodness and kindness. She feels she can only be herself and talk about her innermost thoughts while in Raymond’s company. Alas, her “civilized” friends, who pay lip service to equal rights, do not take kindly to one of their own consorting with a “Negro.” As Kathy’s friendship with Raymond grows and Frank’s self-denial continues, the very fabric of the Whitakers’ lives is slowly torn to pieces.

Todd Haynes weaves a compelling tale in Far From Heaven, but his most significant achievement is in conveying the feelings and sensibilities of another era in a way that is not lost on the viewer. Rather than giving his audience a knowing wink about how we all “used to think,” he allows us to be absorbed into a world that is all too real – for it is real. Julianne Moore gives an Oscar-worthy performance as a doting wife whose life is suddenly turned upside-down, only to find that her story may not have a happy ending. Dennis Quaid and Dennis Haysbert provide strong supporting work as the two men in her life, one judgmental in his condemnation of his wife’s behavior and the other reluctantly resigned to the ways of the world. These three actors propel Todd Haynes’s tale to the level of the truly masterful.

Cast:

Certification: Rated PG-13 for language.
Running Time: 107 minutes.

Additional Info: Internet Movie Database
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