Your entry is admirably thoughtful and I agree with most of your points. The fact the characters of this film elicit such degrees of discussion is an indication that it is a pretty damned good picture.
I don’t know if you ever heard the commentary track of the DVD for this movie, with director Jonah Markowitz, Trevor Wright and Brad Rowe, but it provides a few clues and is quite interesting.
In the scene with Zach and Tori watching a movie, Trevor Wright said that this would be a chance to make out with Katie Walder a little. But he was told, “No, that’s not what we want, exactly.” I’ve never thought this scene really works because Zach gives Tori a fairly deep kiss but she become perturbed that she is being ignored which Wright tries to indicate by returning to the bowl of popcorn. This scene would only work if Zach just gave a her a fast kiss on the cheek instead.
As Zach and Shaun are walking back from the beach in that great reverse tracking shot, Zach mentions that he had read Shaun’s first book and liked it. But when Shaun says, “I didn’t know you knew that about me,” Zach looks away and tries to change the subject. Zach knows Shaun is gay. but is not sure about himself or as he later says to Shaun in their breakup scene, “I’m not sure if this is what I want.”
In the scene where Zach and Shaun first kiss, Trevor Wright says that director Markowitz had slipped him a note saying that he should close his eyes as Shaun puts his hand on his shoulder and starts to move in and that his eyes should remain closed until after the last kiss when Zach turns back toward the camera and opens his eyes. At this moment his expression is a combination of satisfaction and confusion, which he expresses with his eyes. This is a good time to mention that Trevor Wright’s facial and eye expressions are marvelous for this film. Why he hasn’t become more active in films is a mystery to me. Wright also says in the commentary that he was a little surprised when Rowe slipped him a little tongue to which Rowe said, “Well, it seemed like a good idea.” with Markowitz saying, “I told him to.”
The breakup scene between Zach and Shaun in the car seems forced, with both of them saying quite cruel and inconsiderate things to each other, particularly in light of the warmth of the dinner scene at Shaun’s home and the affection expressed only a little earlier. On the other hand, the scene between Zach and Gabe in the closed diner is extremely good and is superbly played by both of them. With the hug Gabe gives to Zach as he leaves, he is in effect saying, “I don’t care that you’re gay. I love you as my friend and nothing is going to change that.” This is why this scene is so touching and can easily draw tears. But still, after Gabe exits, Zach turns toward the camera with a pained and unsettled expression on his face.
In the scene when Zach shows up at Shaun’s home and apologizes you can clearly see that there are tears just forming in Wright's eyes. Of course, the film as a whole is designed to make the audience, gay or not, become more and more attached to Zach almost without realizing it. In the final scene between Zach and Tori, when Zach becomes a little emotional saying, “I always wanted to be everything to you” (a heartbreaking line, because he knows now that he never can be), Trevor Wright, on the commentary track, is a little choked up and barely audibly says, “This is so hard to watch” and Brad Rowe, chuckling a little says, “Just hit home with you?” Trevor answers, “I don’t know.” And yes you’re correct: the line, to Tori “You’re the only reason I wish I wasn’t” says it all. He is gay and he knows it and he will have to take the bad with the good. The affection the audience has for Zach grows throughout the film and makes them wish they actually knew someone like him. Trevor Wright and a wonderful supporting cast convey this to the audience very effectively. In the scene of Jeanne’s departure, Zach turning back and taking Shaun’s hand in his only reinforces this feeling.
The very final scene of Zach, Brad and Cody playing on the beach was apparently added sometime later. You can see that they both have longer hair. The original ending was to be with Zach, Shaun and Cody standing together as Jeanne is leaving with Shaun’s hands on both Zach and Cody’s shoulders with Shaun turning to Zach saying “Are you ready?” and a final close-up on Zach and then a blackout. That to me was a better ending then the little add-on. We would have been left with slightly ambiguous feelings of what their futures might be just as the conclusion of “Maurice,” another brilliant film of a gay love story with a “happy” ending, conveys.
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Oblivion14
12 years ago
Dude, you just pointed out my favorite scenes: Zach driving home smiling, the talk with Gabe, and the talk with Tori. :D I love the way the movie says so much without having to actually say it. There are layers to the story. If this was a book, it "shows rather than tell", letting the audience derive their own conclusions.
As emotional as Brokeback Mountain was, I didn't feel the same chemistry there as I did here. And Rowe and Wright are straight, which really shows how great the acting was. The supporting cast were also exactly as they should be. I have sisters, and Holmes as Jeanne played the part of an annoying sister perfectly, lol. I feel the same way with them sometimes, have had huge fights with them, but they're family, and I couldn't hate them even with all their faults (and mine) in the same way that Zach couldn't just leave Jeanne and get on with his life. Walder as Tori was heartbreaking, in that unrequited love is quite a common occurrence in girl bestfriends of attractive gay guys. Gabe is the image of loyalty, yet still conveys the fact that he is perfectly aware that he is richer than his bestfriend and wished he wasn't (the slightly awkward last minute exhortation for Zach to visit him in college).
Come on, film people, make more movies like this!
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