| DE-LOVELY |
 2004 - USA / UKDirector: Irwin Winkler - Reviewed by Vickie
In this latest big-screen treatment of his life, though, Porter's homosexuality takes a backseat to the "love story" between him (Kevin Kline) and his wife, Linda (Ashley Judd). Only here, Linda is portrayed as a stunningly beautiful younger woman, presumably because producers felt that audiences wouldn't be interested in seeing Kline woo Judi Dench. The story unfolds as an elderly Cole Porter (Kline, sporting some choice prosthetics) chats with Jonathan Pryce, who's playing someone I can only guess is God (?). Cole and God sit in an empty theater as Cole's life—or, at least, his life from meeting Linda onwards—unfolds before them as a stage musical. I'm not sure why the filmmakers opted for this curious and incredibly distracting device, but I wish they had simply told the story without the constant interjections from God and OldCole. The movie screeched to a halt every time the two of them, like annoying narrators constantly tossing in their two cents, popped onscreen to discuss the proceedings and essentially read the characters' inner monologues aloud. The story, which is actually rather depressing when you think about it, traces Cole's rise to fame and the increasing toll his popularity took on Linda. While it's clear that Cole loves Linda, it's also obvious—even to Linda—that he loves her platonically while she loves him romantically. Linda knows Cole is gay, and knows that he entertains men on the side, but remains committed to him and their union. The film touches upon key points in the duo's lives, including Cole's debilitating horseback-riding accident and Linda's declining health, but smacks them all together in between the aforementioned Cole/God chats and musical numbers. I really wanted to like De-Lovely. I think both Kline and Judd are generally fabulous, and both do some good work here, but they're so mired in the film's messy assembly and seemingly directionless plot that they suffer. I don't feel like I really know anything more about Cole Porter than I did walking into the theater...except for the fact that Linda gave him cigarette holders to commemorate the opening of each of his shows. And, given the other liberties taken with the story, I'm not even sure that little plot gem is true. The contemporary singers belting out classic Porter tunes in the film have been well-documented in the press already, but some of them (Sheryl Crow, I'm looking at you) seem out of their element and clearly dropped into the production for their name value. As I said, the basic plot of the movie is kind of a downer, as we watch Linda patiently adoring a man who's the Will to her Grace, while her life essentially withers away. Did she think she could convert him? Was she happy in her sexless marriage? Who knows, but it sure didn't leave me with a feel-good feeling. It also seemed to me like director Irwin Winkler couldn't decide between making a musical, a biopic or a straight (pun intended) drama and, instead, just mushed the three ideas together. The result is a bumpy, choppy ride that constantly interrupts its flow, thereby ruining any dramatic build-up. Just when the going gets good, the movie stops so we can hear OldCole comment that what we've just watched isn't how it really happened. Huh? Exactly. There are some good moments in the film and, as I said, Kline and Judd deliver when they can, but overall De-Lovely was kind of a disappointment. |
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The life of legendary American songwriter Cole Porter is kind of like a
blueprint for dysfunction—gay, he nonetheless married a wealthy
divorcée 13 years his senior and lived in a marriage of convenience
while engaging in numerous relationships with men on the side.
