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Fair Haven

Now this is how you can make a very ordinary and simple story, gripping for an audience. The treatment, direction and emotions is what it matters when a viewer watches a film. You have to be able to empathise with the characters ad feel their pain and angst and happiness and other emotions and only then, in my opinion, you can justify the money that you spend on a film. I am not saying that this is a great film by any means but it is an excellent example of staying focused on the core issue without getting unnecessarily dramatic or anything.

We meet James, a 19 year old young teenage boy, who is just returning home after being part of a religious reparative therapy called ex-gay conversion therapy. He comes home believing that he has been “cured” of his same-sex desire. He hopes to go to college soon but after his mother’s death, his father is struggling with money and cannot afford to send him to college. After a spat, James decide to go to community college and help him at his orchard. One day the encounter with ex-boyfriend Charlie starts changing things. James, who thought, he has been cured is confused again. In an attempt to control his desires, he starts dating the preacher’s daughter Suzy. Charlie and James start to hang out together and be civil with each other and in Charlie, James again find a confidant with whom he can speak whats exactly in his mind. Finally James gives in and decides that Charlie is the right person for him. Suzy and his father both find out about this. James is in distress and he decides to move out of his father’s home, move away somewhere with Charlie and start a new life. Thankfully, his father comes around, decides to try to support James for what he is and what he wants in life and will always be there for his son.

The title of the movie comes from the name of the orchard that James’ father’s run. It really has no bearing to the movie itself. James acted really really well. The internal emotional struggle that he goes through is amazing. Right from being angry at his father for everything and trying to control his emotions; then trying to figure out what’s this fling with Suzy and finally with Charlie, on how can he control and hide his real feelings for Charlie. His emotions, at some points, start getting very unidirectional but it does convey his inner feelings. The recurring overhead shots of James in his childhood bedroom convey this feeling brilliantly. Actor playing his father also does really well in the character that he is supposed to be. Charlie is real cute and in the very few scenes that he and James have together; they both show excellent chemistry with one another. You can feel their love for one another. In an otherwise normal film, the only over the top thing, was Suzy’s parents. Their dialogues were overly enthusiastic and somehow didn’t fit in to the overall pace and sound of the film. The other negative in my opinion is the father’s sudden change of mind.

Its a beautiful captivating story, that touches the audience without being preachy. A simple, sweet and graceful film; that you wouldn't regret watching. (7/10)

Comments

luigi43 said…
I loved this simply and nice movie. The more I get older , the more " and they lived happily since ever"I'm looking for in a "themed" movie and I've found it in Fair Haven. Am I that naive? Very recommended.
Golu said…
you are not naive. But I think that a lot of times, it depends on what mood you are in for you to enjoy watching a particular film. I saw this entire film with a date holing him in my arms, cuddling and then seeing the film. Of course, I enjoyed it a lot more :)
luigi43 said…
The best way to enjoy a movie. :-)))
Unknown said…
I watched this film myself and didn't the father (played by Tom Wopatt from the Dukes of Hazard) tell James that he had to use money from James's college fund to make ends meet at the orchard? Essentially the man, who's business is failing, stole from his son which paints the dad as a dishonest Christian to being with. The action of taking James money is also a control tactic to prevent his son from leaving Fair Haven and going off to college where the young man will encounter openly homosexual men for sure. Control freaks do this type of thing and it puts a great strain on their relationship since James feels betrayed by his own dad. I know that the pray-away-the-gay camps in the US are pretty expensive as well and maybe the parents sending James to the camp he was sent to, spent more money on that and lost a lot of the funds needed to modernize the orchard and turn it organic.
Golu said…
keep your thoughts coming in. I am liking your viewpoints!
Filipa said…
I liked the father-son relationship and James realising what he wants and getting back together with Charlie, I thought introducing Suzy was a bit cliche, the female character who has to unncessarily play the beard trope.
Golu said…
Even with a new treatment of the story, I guess, sometimes makers try to stick with a few cliches. But still overall a wonderful film.
Golu said…
Even with a new treatment of the story, I guess, sometimes makers try to stick with a few cliches. But still overall a wonderful film.
K4rli said…
Hey, this was an immensely sweet and heart-felt film.

The writing was okay but more-than-that because of the performances we cared. Wow! Michael Grant gave so much depth to James, my gosh! Yet never melodramatic. You could feel his struggle. And everyone seemed to bring their best too. Yes, Tom Wopat from Dukes of Hazard played his dad, he was really good as was Gregory Harrison as the "Doctor". And Michael's chemistry with Josh Green's Charlie felt really natural like there was a history there.

Thanks for putting this one on here. I hope many will discover and share this imperfect but kind of beautiful one.

k
Golu said…
I hope so too.
Whenever I watch a nice little cute film, I really wish that more and more people would watch and appreciate. Unfortunately there are tons of films that go unnoticed and eventually fade away despite being good.

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