Let's be honest

Rating: 6/10 (10 December 2006)

Ang Lee's a fine director. Any intelligent person knows this. The photography was great, dialog seemed realistic, the acting...Well, what do you expect when the basic premise was envisioned by a character on South Park? To be fair, I found Ledger to be surprisingly convincing. On the other hand Jake's ridiculous accent, prop comic-looking mustache and "I wish I knew how to quit you" were pathetic. When this movie was released (you're welcome: I didn't say "came out"), it was promoted as a love story and about how people don't understand the community involved. Awfully preachy for a movie that got so many angry at the "hypocritical" religious community. Beyond that, little time was spent showing how the actions of the characters affected their families. The wives take up all of 15 minutes of the movie it seems. Neither is offered an explanation or apology as far as I can tell. They're relegated to shame--whenever someone cheats on someone else whether they're gay or straight it's the same universal idea--for being left behind, not good enough. If the two really loved each other and if it was really a love story, not politically motivated, then it could've been shot as a married hetero couple having an affair...oh but that would've been wrong (which IS true). The wives have to feel shame for trying to change men who are in effect cowards because they refuse to "be who they truly are." It's effective in making you feel for characters involved, but for me it was more for their families. There's a touching scene at the end that has an odd uncomfortable resolution where you'll feel this no matter what. Still, Gyllenhal's out of place acting (the rest of the cast do quite well) and the awkward push for the viewer to accept this as a pure love story are too much to make it anywhere near the masterpiece it's proclaimed to be.