THE EVENT
Canada, 2003, 106 minutes, Colour.
Brent Carver, Olympia Dukakis, Jane Leeves, Don Mc Kellar, Sarah Polley, Parker Posey.
Directed by Thom Fitzgerald.
Canadian writer-director Thom Fitzgerald has made several films on gay themes. He is a Canadian gay man (with a Catholic education background which sometimes features in his films). His films include Tom's Midnight Garden and Beefcake.
This film focuses on HIV and AIDS. The central character, played by Brent Carver, is dying of AIDS. The film shows the reaction of his family, lover and friends. There are flashbacks to his past life building up a central character. However, the focus is on the event, a farewell to him which, in fact, is the prelude to a mercy killing. The film focuses on the reaction of the different members of his family and his friends to his imminent death, to the decision to kill him, the loss of nerve of some of the people as they move towards killing him and the decision made by his mother to actually end his life, with great grief.
The film has an interesting gallery of character performers including Jane Leeves (from Frasier), regular Canadian director and actor Don Mc Kellar as well as Canadian Sarah Polly. The Americans in the cast include Parker Posey, who has appeared in many independent films. Olympia Dukakis portrays the mother.
The film is very compassionate towards people with AIDS, the terminal illness and suffering that they endure. It is also a plea for mercy killing, for a ceremony to celebrate a person's life as well as move to release them from their pain. In this way, the film is, of course, highly controversial.
1. The work of Tom Fitzgerald, his perspectives and activity on issues of sexual orientation, gay culture, camp culture, AIDS and its continuing into the 21st century?
2. A New York story, the cityscapes of New York, the contrast with New Jersey? Musical score, the range of songs corresponding to the action and characters, sentiment?
3. The structure of the film: Matt's death, Nicki and her experience of her father's death, going to the DA, his entrusting her with the inquiry, the search, the interviews? The flashbacks? The significance of the dates during 2000 and 2001? Matt and the progress of his illness, relationships, family, decisions? The confessions to Nicki? The flashbacks to the truth?
4. The theme that AIDS is not over in the 21st century? The need for care, the role of doctors, friends, medication and therapy? Mother and daughter giving out leaflets at the end?
5. The issue of suicide: the emotional impact, the intellectual understanding of the issues, the law? Nicki and her questions about her father, telling her mother about his request, her mother's reaction? AIDS sufferers and their decisions to go out in style, a party with relatives and friends? Matthew and his decision, Brian and his participation, the discussions, the assisted suicide? The role of the police, the law? Physical and medical justification? Moral justification?
6. The title, the party itself, the transition celebration? The reality of what happened and its effect on the people?
7. Nicki and her investigations, personality, relentless and harsh? Discussions with her mother, her brother? Her brother and her persuading him to go to the gay bar, to pal up with Murray, to get the tape? The brother and Murray's attraction, watching the tape, being unmasked, the men kicking him? Nicki and her further involvement, her own personal issues and family, administering the law?
8. The focus on Brian, his work, doctor and clients, his lies to Nicki, the truth? His own sexual orientation, seeing him in relationships? His memories of Matt, the concert and the cello, his love for him? Facing his illness, the members of the group, the decision to arrange the party, his role at the party, with the medication? The various devices to get the pills and drugs? During the death scene, sitting on the bed, handing Matt over to his mother? His confession to Nicki, going to jail? His being released, the discussions with Nicki at the end, her apology?
9. Matt and his family, the Jewish family in New Jersey, as a little boy, his relationship with his two sisters? His mother's love for him, the episode of his coming out and her memories of his doing the make-up for his prom partner? His sisters and their knowing about his orientation? His closeness to his sister's children, playing with them, with the Barbie dolls, helping them to understand his orientation by playing with the dolls? His being ill, his way of handling it, his activities? The clinical aspects of his illness, soiling the bed, his mother washing him? The build-up to the party, his speaking on the video? The injections, his vomiting up the pills? His being smothered by his mother?
10. His mother, her life and style, relationship with her family? The interviews with Nicki, the flashbacks and her memories, her love for him, caring for him, no matter what his orientation? Her being at the party, the farewell, his vomiting up the pills, her holding his nose and smothering him? She and her daughter on the Staten Island ferry and their distribution of the ashes? At the end with her daughter and the leaflets?
11. Matt's sister, the audition for the commercial, her laughing? Her presence with Matt, friendship? The other sister, her horror, family, the police and the investigation, her resentment of not being at the party? The phone call to her mother? Her relationship with her children, her angers?
12. The psychologist and her explanation of her life, the lesbian marriage? Her clients, her therapy? Coming to see Matt's sister's children, wanting them to be open about death, their directness? Her weeping with Matt and inability to help?
13. The other friends, the caterers, the issues of drugs, the man not taking drugs? Their catering at the party?
14. Murray, the drag queen, calling the police? His weeping? Nicki's brother going to the show, the singing from The Mikado? His being attracted to the policeman, showing him the tape, the chance for the audience to see the tape of the party? His anger at the truth, getting the group to bash and kick the brother?
15. The scenes of the party, the attempt at death with dignity, each of the participants and their action, on tape, the farewell? Their agreeing that this was the best thing to do or not?
16. The film as a case of special pleading, death with dignity, assisted suicide - the ramifications, emotional, intellectual and moral?
