Feast of Love

Plot synopsis:
The movie deals with love and its various incarnations, set within a community of friends in Portland, Oregon. Harry Stevenson provides narration about how love can affect one's life.
=== Bradley ===
Bradley runs a small cafe in Portland. He has been married to his wife Kathryn for 6+ years. However, their marriage becomes strained. Soon enough Kathryn begins a lesbian relationship with a woman, Jenny, whom she meets playing softball, and leaves Bradley. The divorce affects Bradley greatly, but he soon finds love again in Diana, a realtor who also has a past with a married man named David. Though she ends her affair with David to marry Bradley, they ultimately declare they are in love with each other and Diana leaves Bradley, again devastating him. Now twice divorced, Bradley suffers a mini-breakdown and stabs himself in the hand. As he is getting stitched up in the hospital he falls for his doctor, Margit. In the film's conclusion the two are revealed to marry.
=== Oscar and Chloe ===
Oscar is a young man working at Bradley's cafe who soon meets and falls in love with a girl named Chloe. However, Oscar is revealed to be living with his alcoholically abusive father, Bat. When Chloe visits a fortune-teller, she is told that Oscar will die. Chloe, though upset at first, straightens her resolve about her love for Oscar and their future together. Coming home, she urges Oscar to get married to her immediately. At the wedding, Chloe reveals to Harry that she is pregnant, and plans to have another baby right after due to Harry's advice of having "two." In the film's conclusion everybody gathers for an afternoon in the park. While playing football, Oscar collapses; despite an attempt to get him to a hospital, congested traffic interferes, and he dies of a heart defect. Bat attempts to avenge his son's death by harming Chloe but Harry scares him off, and then asks Chloe if he and his wife Esther can 'adopt' her as their own.
=== Diana and David ===
Diana is a successful realtor and has been carrying on an affair with the married David. Though she asks him numerous times to leave his wife of 11 years, Karen, he cannot bring himself to do it. Their relationship becomes even more volatile when Diana begins dating Bradley and falls in love with him. David insists he loves Diana, but is unable to leave his wife. Diana marries Bradley and ends her affair with David. However, their love is later rekindled when Karen discovers her husband was cheating, leaving him. Free at last, David and Diana have an emotional confrontation in the park that ends with a kiss that Bradley sees, fueling their divorce and Bradley stabbing himself. In the film's conclusion Diana and David are shown as a public and functionally happy couple.
=== Harry and Esther ===
Harry and his wife Esther have been married a long time. Harry is a patron at Bradley's cafe and often provides the younger generation with advice on love. However, it is revealed that Harry and Esther are masking their own grief after the death of their adult son, Aaron. Harry reveals the nature of his son's death to Chloe, whom he and Esther grow very close to. Harry has also been struggling with the decision of going back to work as a professor at a university. In the film's conclusion, after Oscar's death, Harry and Esther offer to adopt a now widowed and pregnant Chloe, who tearfully accepts their offer.

Tags: paranormal, flashback, romantic, melodrama, home movie

Review:
Another good story line involved two young broken people who try to accept that life and love can be good.
Played well by Toby Hemingway and a stunning Alexa Davalos, the two lovers have overcome much in their lives and certainly appreciate the bond they have.The best story line in the film is the magic of Morgan Freeman and Jane Alexander, playing the oldest interracial couple I can remember seeing on film.
Two excellent performances.The center of the film is the lovable, clueless, hopeless-romantic played by underrated actor Greg Kinnear.
We see two relationships (Selma Blair and Radha Mitchell) end badly for him, yet he clings to his belief that LOVE is what it's all about.I like how the only kids involved in this real world mess are old enough to make their own decisions.
A well done movie on relationships and their complexity, but without the non-stop action young fans want in films this will likely only get a niche audience in theaters with most folks waiting for the DVD or cable to check this one out..
It did not go overboard in trying to make the viewers cry, like so many dramas tend to do and it managed to mix sad comedy with funny comedy - the way they mix in real life as well.Morgan Freeman is the veritable pillar that holds the whole thing together.
It tells you that most importantly, you need to be honest with yourself, but also you really need to find out what to look for in this great journey of life.I believe Morgan Freeman led a excellent cast of actors, but what I noticed more in the narrative was his distinct voice of reason that Mr. Freeman is so exceptional with in every film he does.
So, if you decide to take my advice and spend a couple hours away from your routine to take in this wonderful little film, try to view it from a perspective that its message of thoughtfulness, courage, and heart might endure long after its over.I also enjoyed some great acting efforts from the always good Greg Kinnear and the Aussie Radha Mitchell, which I think are worth mentioning separately, but the whole cast was good.
It's not like the other love stories, when the guy is heartbroken and the movie shows how miserable he is and than suddenly he finds the girl on his dreams and they live happily ever after.
In life doesn't happen like that, you met a lot more, before the right one and the movie shows it too.I'd never liked so much Morgan Freeman till now.
As with most movies with a huge cast, everyone's connected to one another through the inevitable six degrees of separation, naturally for convenience, but in this aspect, it played to the early monologue and we take on the role of the Greek Gods, who introduced the notion of love and see how each of our human creations scuttle around trying to make sense of it, and through their individual journeys, succeed or fail, laugh or cry, get spurned on to heights unimaginable, or get thrown into the depths of heartbroken despair.Morgan Freeman can almost sleepwalk through any wise, sagely character roles.
His best friend is a coffee joint owner Bradley Thomas (Greg Kinnear), who is just about the most unlucky bloke when it comes to affairs of the heart, with his female engagements being Selma Blair, Radha Mitchell and Erika Marozsan, who enter at different points of his life.
You have the young love at first sight, the tried and tested bonds between the elderly who fear about impending departure from one another through death, you have ugly divorces, and worse, if it's for a member of the same sex, you have adultery and the exploration what makes it worse - knowing that you're cheating on your spouse, or cheating on a potential spouse because you've led them to believe that you're in exclusivity, and of course, parental love and guidance given towards a child.Come to think of it, there're quite a number of negative emotions that get played through the movie, but ultimately, it's still provides a positive effect through the lessons learnt from succinct encounters that the characters go through.
Such as whether you'll find the courage to go through hardship and difficulties with the other half, knowing the consequence of it all, finding little happiness and blessings in your daily life despite setbacks that take a stab through your heart, and what I thought was a very, very apt reminder and an important lesson to be learnt, is to always open your eyes and not be blindsided by love just because of the endorphins that course through your entire body make it seem that you can tolerate shortcomings for the longer term.It's a reminder that in relationships, one has to be first honest with oneself, before seeking out that somebody else.
She gave us an excellent working translation of the book from which this film is based upon.I laughed at many points, cried at even more times and loved as much as the characters loved.
Well I think I will do as Bradley would and choose to taste the sweet and possibly close my eyes to the bitter, allowing me to remember this film for the obvious love that went into each performance and care in selecting every frame filmed!
The scene where Morgan Freeman wanders into the stadium to see two people getting it on actually made me laugh out loud, then I realized the only way to watch this film is to treat is as a joke, laugh and make Mystery Science Theatre 3000 style comments and you will have a good time..
There's Morgan Freeman the "wise old man", who is friends with Greg Kinnear, who is a bit naive when it comes to love despite his bad experiences, which make his character more enjoyable.
What can you say about a film where I didn't know that Selma Blair was Greg Kinnear's wife until Morgan Freeman said who she was, nor could I believe that no one, other than Freeman was picking up that she was falling in love with another woman, we're no more than ten minutes in and already I have having trouble accepting what I was seeing.
This film features a very impressive and talented cast with wonderful (and some very brave) performances by nearly everyone on screen (particularly from Alexa Davalos, Radha Mitchell and Billy Burke).
Morgan Freeman and Greg Kinnear were great as usual, and the cast of younger actors were unexpectedly good.
(I love the dogs!) Casting Morgan Freeman made the movie extra watchable but the original character wasn't quite as perfect.
Feast of Love is a satisfying movie about real life.
This movie contains absolutely no surprises.Morgan Freeman turns in a masterly performance as (no surprise) the world-wise gentlemen with a big heart.
For me, Freeman carried "Feast" and was the only bright spot.Greg Kinnear -- and I'm normally fan -- phoned in his performance as the good soul who still believes in loves but can't find the right woman.
The first "love-feast" in the film just sort of drops off the radar screen, after making one wish to know more about how that relationship went.
If you think things like places and people matter, you may find fault with this film..
Distinctly the director shows a lack of taste as far as the settings, props and the actors are concerned; half the time it looked like a documentary film, bad print quality and all, with cut scenes lacking continuity.
Apart from his lines, nobody says anything really worth hearing.It surprising that "a meaning of life" storyline comes from an American stable  not many would take it as a movie and go watch it, but it has its own good moments.
In a rather harsh way, you are shown the meaning of like, love and lust  the three things that rule life; from happiness to misery in three words, in that order (incidentally, the alphabetical order as well).If you're hungry for a really good movie, then this is definitely not the feast that you will look forward to.
And when film buffs begin to believe that the meaningful movies only come from foreign sources, out pops the DVD release of a jewel like this film, a story so well written (Allison Burnett), directed (Robert Benton), and acted by a gifted cast to show under scrutiny that it is the equal of the best of the 'sensitive films'.Based on a novel by Charles Baxter (and adapted by Allison Burnett, another extraordinary writer of his own novels CHRISTOPHER: A TALE OF SEDUCTION and THE HOUSE BEAUTIFUL), the story takes place in Portland, Oregon and examines the lives and love stories of myriad characters, each of whom is connected in some way to the father confessor of the town, one elderly professor Harry Stevenson (Morgan Freeman) who not only narrates the threads of the people's lives that round out this film, but also plays a significant role as a father of an only son who died in the recent past from a heroin overdose, a man bruised and experienced in the vagaries of life, supported by his wife Esther (Jane Alexander), both of whom cope with their loss by extending their love to young people.Bradley Thomas (Greg Kinnear) is an artist and an optimist who own Jitters, a coffee shop, and is married to Kathryn (Selma Blair) who loves sports...and leaves him for a woman who awakens her lesbian longings.
Searching for a place to live after his marriage fails, he meets real estate agent Diana (Rhadha Mitchell) who despite the fact that she is having an extended love affair with married David (Billy Burke), a relationship consisting solely of 'nooners' with wine and sex, sees the rare vulnerable goodness in Bradley and once again Bradley is in love, headed toward marriage.
And just when the playing field of love seems even, a major tragedy occurs which bonds all of the players surrounding the wise Harry and Esther and the resolution of all of the aspects of the feast of love come round.What makes this film so very successful is the gentle manner in which it is written and directed and acted.
At the core of this movie is the story of three couples and their loves, losses, toils and tears.Morgan Freeman and Jane Alexander play the older, wiser couple who are suffering a heartbreak which is revealed about 1/3 of the way through the movie.
Couple their interesting story with the fine acting that these pro's deliver and you'd have a great movie.Greg Kinnear and X are the second "middle-aged" couple.
On scene involves Greg Kinnear and his new wife Radha Mitchell (who just ended a long affair with a married man, but kept his shirt).
Rushed to the hospital by wise and kindly Morgan Freeman who continuously admonishes him to stop telling people he did it himself, Greg falls in love with the Doctor who stitches him up.
What was amazing was the Doctor falls in love with the crazy guy who just chopped his finger off.Oh and the movie had way too much nudity.
"Feast of love" (a book-adapted movie) is more pensive, and at times sad, although there is of course the lighter side.
The movie starts with Morgan Freeman playing a retired philosophy professor, sleepless in Portland (close enough to Seattle), walks pensively from his house, with voice over of his thoughts, something to the effect of: The Greek gods were bored, invented humans, still bored, invented love (which was not boring), tried it themselves and invented laughter so they could stand it.
In the second story we witness how a young couple meet (played by Toby Hemingway and Alexa Blair) , fall in love and dream about a wonderful future when they, leaving their poverty behind, build a beautiful family with lots of kids.
In a way, this movie suffers in not fitting neatly into a niche (as "Love actually" does) and therefore not pleasing some people.
Harry is friends with Bradley (Greg Kinnear), a man who deeply needs to love but is so oblivious to the people he loves he doesn't notice his first wife (Selma Blair) is a lesbian and his second wife is an adulterous bitch.
But then the movie focuses on Bradley's first wife and her yearning for a love she doesn't have.
But when supposedly traumatic personal events don't have any emotional consequences, they don't have any emotional significance either.As for Feast of Love's good pointsMorgan Freeman gives another fine performance and, yes, he does narrate parts of the movie.
And Selma Blair, Rhada Mitchell and Alexa Davalos all look quite good naked, although there are moments when the movie is so gratuitously showing off their female forms that the only thing missing is a blinking neon sign that says "Nudes!
The last thing I took away from this film is that "there is a lid for every pot"...you may not find the right person the first time around, or even the second time around, but if you don't give up on love, some day you might find that one special person that was meant for you.Most of the above is pretty sappy, and I'm not generally a sappy person, but these are some of the feelings this movie brought out in me.
I would not want to see this type of movie on a consistent basis, but once in awhile I find it refreshing to focus on human nature and how we are all fumbling through life with our own problems and ways of dealing with them.Morgan Freeman and Jane Alexander were superb as the older couple profiled and I truly enjoyed Greg Kinnear as the guy that refused to give up on love.
Each new lover is rationalised as being one's sole "soul mate", until romance fails and, propelled by hope, lonely hearts go out into the world again with fishing rods in tow.Unintentionally cheesy, but unconventionally grim behind its Hollywood glitz, "Feast of Love" stars Greg Kinnear, Radha Mitchell and Selma Blair.5/10 – Worth one viewing.
It almost sounds comical but it is only that the unfortunate idea of tragedy saves this movie from being a disaster.Morgan Freeman and Jane Alexander play an inter-racially married couple whose doctor son has recently died of an overdose.
One of the two main characters, Bradley (Kinnear), is a kind and open sort who has no luck at love.
The other main character,Harry (Freeman) is nursing his grief over his own tragic loss of an only son.Another track follows the young couple, Oscar and Chloe (Toby Hemingway and the stunning Alexa Davalos), who marry and are happy until tragedy strikes them as well.
It is the kind of movie where you do not want it to end because Benton has made these people friends, who you care about.Good script, with very few holes.
There are other occasional scenes where the movie comes to life, like scenes between Diana and David--getting to know those two would also have proved interesting.
i thought it showed three amazingly realistic portrayals of how life can be when in love...three different types of love even...having a B.S. in Counseling Psychology i recognized sternberg's triangular love theory here...morgan freeman's companionate love, chloe and Oscar's consummate love and greg kinnear's characters fatuous love and then empty love...i have looked at IMDb.com for years but never felt compelled to join until i read the criticisms written for this movie, especially the ones calling it garbage and protesting that a love like chloe and Oscar's could not exist.
i loved the way morgan freeman appeared to know everything while greg kinnear seemed to know nothing and at the end of the movie, it was greg who schooled morgan.why did you all seem to miss this?
The simple question presented is whether 'love' is just nature's trick to get us to have children, or is 'LOVE' among two people the real purpose in life, that makes it ultimately worth living.Towards this theme the story looks at a number of couples.
Two other key 'love' characters are Radha Mitchell as real estate agent Diana and Erika Marozsán as physician Margaret Vekashi.After the movie was over my wife commented, "I liked it but was all that nudity necessary?" Which made me wonder, is any nudity necessary in film?
Part of the problem is Greg Kinnear, who ever since "As Good as it Gets" cant shake the gay image, but kidding aside really he plays yet another lost puppy dog cliché "good guy" with pal Morgan Freeman trying to give sagely advice while facing his own past mess.
More like "Feast of Lust", with a little real "love" at the end.
only good thing about this movie was Bradley because i connected with him and i feel like him most of the time, though maybe not quite as nice lol.
Morgan freeman was good as always but the movie itself didn't really have any kind of message.
In fact it felt more like the Kate Winslet movie "Little Children" which told the story of 2 couples living in Massachussets.
Morgan Freeman rarely makes a bad movie although not sure what he was thinking when he played "God".
Greg Kinnear is likable.But truly it's the feeling of community mixed in with believable relationships that makes Feast of Love a winner for me.
For the love of God, do not watch this movie.
Morgan Freeman does a great job at being a creepy old man who ends the movie by asking one of the main character's to come be his "little girl".
This film reminds me of why I generally don't like ensemble movies.
Not that there was anything wrong with any of the stories, but they all just didn't interest me.We start with Bradley (Greg Kinnear) who gets dumped by his lesbian wife and begins a relationship with a real estate agent.