visually stunning, but lacks chemistry

Rating: 4/10 (2 February 2006)

Jake Gyllenhaal saves this movie: without him there would be no chemistry and no real heart. While a visually beautiful movie (I would expect nothing less of Ang Lee), it seems controversial for the sake of being controversial. I never felt the spark that apparently has earned Heathe Ledger an Oscar Nomination for this role...it seemed the whole time that he was uncomfortable in the emotional mantle of homosexuality and his downward life spiral is nothing but depressing.
The redeeming qualities of this film lie in the supporting roles, like Gyllenhaal & Hatheway & Williams. With such a young and 'hip' cast it's no surprise that the film has been successful in theaters, but I know I personally went expecting something more after all the rave reviews. If you want a touching story of gay love, opt for Ol Parker's more modern romantic comedy, "Imagine Me & You."