A HOME AT THE END OF THE WORLD

US, 2004, 95 minutes, Colour.
Colin Farrell, Robyn Wright Penn, Dallas Roberts, Sissy Spacek, Matt Frewer.
Directed by Michael Mayer.

A Home at the End of the World is based on a novel by Michael Cunningham, best known for writing The Hours. He has adapted his novel for the screen.

The film is set in Cleveland, Ohio, in the late 60s and the early to mid-70s and then makes a transition to New York City in the 80s. It is a period of openness, drug experimentation, sexual freedom, even in cities in the Midwest.

The film focuses on an average family, living in Cleveland. However, it is touched by tragedies. The story is about two young boys. Erik Smith is very good as the young Bobby, who befriends the rather ordinary-looking, braces on teeth, Jonathan. They become friends, Bobby spending a lot of time at Jonathan’s home, especially in the company of his mother, played by Sissy Spacek.

As time goes on, Jonathan goes to New York City to study while Bobby stays as a baker in Cleveland. Ultimately, he too has to go to New York City.

A particular theme of the film is sexuality, especially the relationship between the two boys. It might seem at first that it is simply sexual experimentation between the two. As it emerges, both have a homosexual orientation, Jonathan (Dallas Roberts) living the life of the gay culture of New York City and ultimately contracting AIDS (although this theme is quietly underplayed). Bobby (Colin Farrell) is not sure of his identity and is challenged when their flatmate Robin Wright Penn wants to have a child by him. His experience is bisexual: loving the young woman, loving the child, but devoted to Jonathan.

The film is very sympathetic with its characters and has a very interesting performance by Colin Farrell, playing rather against type as a quiet and uncertain young man. (He went on to portray Alexander the Great after this film.) Robin Wright-Penn? gives a vivacious performance as the eccentric young woman. Sissy Spacek is very sympathetic as the mother and has a number of wise contributions to make.

The film is modest, with a short running time, yet in many of its moments it is very touching.

1. The work of Michael Cunningham, his novels, screenplays, reputation? Adapting his own novel? His own memoirs?

2.The 1960s, Cleveland, ordinary home life, schools, the cemetery? The 1970s, the homes, high school? The 1980s, New York, the village, the clubs and apartments? Going through the countryside, Woodstock? The country town, the house and the fields, the building of the café? Realistic memories?

3.The re-creation of the period, costumes, hairstyles, styles of living, colours…? The music, the range of songs from the period?

4.Bobby and his relationship with Carleton, the opening, hearing the sounds in the room, Carleton and his girlfriend and the sex? Carleton reassuring his brother? At the cemetery, trying the LSD, Bobby on the tombstone, feeling like flying? The party, his being forced to go to bed, watching his brother, his brother on the LSD, rushing through the glass and dying? The effect on his parents? His mother’s grief and her death? The father living on, Bobby finding him dead in his bed?

5.The transition to high school, Bobby and his love for music, his taking drugs, the friendship with Jonathan, introducing him to the drugs, at the cemetery? At Jonathan’s home, smoking pot, Alice catching them, Bobby and his persuasiveness, Alice trying it out, their dancing – and Alice continuing to smoke pot? In the bed, the sexual activity, in the car? Alice catching them? Bobby’s talking to Alice, thinking it was better that he leave? The death of his father? Alice and her husband taking him in, his becoming a son in the household? Alice teaching him how to bake as a way of doing a simple thing to overcome grief? Bobby and his being a small-town boy, imitating the olders? The question of his sexual identity?

6.Jonathan, his teeth, his friendship with Bobby, Bobby seeking him out, the drugs, smoking pot, the shock at his mother and her smoking? The friendship, his making the sexual advance, in the car, shocked when his mother caught them? His wanting to get out of the town?

7.Alice, the ordinary middle-class wife, nice, caring for her son and husband, the temptation to smoke the pot, the effect on her, dancing, her continuing to smoke? Her relationship with her husband? Her adopting Bobby? The death of her husband after the move to Arizona? The funeral, her grief, shared with Jonathan, his return home, jealous of his mother, his outburst and her response? The visit to the men and Clare? The discussion with Clare about the world closing in, the possibilities for a different life? Jonathan’s father, his talking to Bobby, urging him to leave the town, talking with Jonathan? His death, the grief, Alice bringing his ashes – and their eventually scattering them on the snowy hill?

8.Bobby not going to Arizona, telephoning Jonathan, his arrival in New York, the first encounter with Clare, her seeming very exotic? Liking her? The restaurant, the clubs, his dancing, his love for music? Playing the music, sharing with Clare? Jonathan’s lifestyle? Clare wanting to be pregnant, her coming to his room, the effect, his falling in love with her – yet his love for Jonathan? Jonathan’s jealousy, anger, going to Arizona?

9.Bobby and the transformation by Clare, cutting his hair, looking more respectable? At work? Sharing life with Clare, joy in New York? Going to Arizona, the death of Jonathan’s father, the discussions with Alice, Jonathan’s anger with Bobby? Clare and her very strong talk, talking plainly to Jonathan? The bond between the three?

10.The drive home, the passing through Woodstock, Bobby and admiration for Clare’s being there, her saying it was just mud? Seeing the house, Clare buying it, doing it up, Jonathan wanting different colours? Bobby finding the deserted premises, doing it up, the café? Jonathan’s work there, the waiter and popular, Bobby cooking? A success?

11.Life in the house, the birth of the baby, the bonds between the three, the baby having two fathers? Sharing the workload, spoiling the little girl?

12.Clare’s life, wanting the city, Alice’s visit and the discussions, her expectations, wanting more ordinary life, changing, realising this, asking Bobby to come with her, his not being able to? Her going? Ever coming back? The house belonging to her daughter?

13.Jonathan, his partners, lifestyle in New York? His concern about AIDS, Bobby continually reassuring him? The two of them staying, scattering the ashes, his getting Bobby to promise that he would scatter his ashes there?

14.Bobby standing outside the house, going into the house, the two separate lights on? Bobby’s character, values, live, love, friendship, sexual identity? Kissing Jonathan, loving him? With Clare? The significance of the title and Bobby at home?