The Dying Gaul


Synopsis
A gay screen writer whose partner recently died is given an opportunity to make a million dollars off his gay-themed script, but only if he makes it a straight couple and not a gay couple. When Robert (Peter Sarsgaard) accepts the money, he ends up compromising more than his work as he enters into a love triangle with his bisexual boss, Jeffrey (Campbell Scott) and his wife Elaine (Patricia Clarkson). (R, 2006)


Observations
The first thing I liked about this movie was the exposition. It was through without being heavy-handed, or blunt; without using monologues or voice-overs. That’s a tricky thing to do and director Craig Lucas (his feature film) manages it with ease. Sarsgaard amazes me as an actor again and again. He can play creepy (Flight Plan), redneck-gay-basher (Boys Don’t Cry), crazy military man (Jarhead), and keen investigator (Shattered Glass). He will win an Oscar in the next five years.

There are two cinema things that I hate and unfortunately this film has both: a weird split shot sex scenes (a la Munich) and a pretentious title. But those were not enough to take away from the stellar acting and superb dialogue. Many have criticized the uses of IM and e-mail in this film. My justification for suspending my disbelief (example: talking to your dead lover over IM) was that people do funny things when money, sex, grief, and compromised principles are involved.

This movie didn’t go anywhere near where I thought it would. It is reminiscent of a Greek/Shakespearean tragedy. It was hubris on the part of the screenwriter, Robert, to think that he could sell his soul and bastardize the beautiful script he had created and believed in and not be affected to the core of his being.

If you’re looking for an intelligent bisexual love triangle tragedy, take 90 minutes and watch this.

Rating:
Amazon's entry for The Dying Gaul