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Last night, Oct. 12, I went to my third film of the Portland Lesbian & Gay Film Festival: The Event (IMDB).
The Event is a suicide party --- something I've been fortunate enough to avoid by not knowing anyone who's had one, but apparently is not uncommon among AIDS victims. I know if I had AIDS and the "cocktails" were not working, I would be having such a party. I consider it torture to force anyone to live (if one can call it that) through some of the things people have to when their body is failing them (whether because of AIDS, old age, or other reasons).
It's My Party has already dealt with the subject of the parties and the issue of commitment of disease-free partners, but this movie is focussed more on the assisted suicide aspect. It starts with the body being taken from the apartment after the party, and then is told as flashbacks while a NYPD detective (played by Parker Posey) investigates the death, as there have been a string of sudden deaths among AIDS patients of a particular doctor. She's also dealing with the recent death of her own father. Through her investigation, we learn of the events leading up to the party, from Matt's learning he has AIDS, through The Event, and a little of the survivors feelings afterwards.
I had mixed feelings going into this movie; I expected it to be on the depressing side, but as you may have noticed above, I have strong feelings on the assisted suicide issue, and I have yet to see a movie with Olympia Dukakis (Matt's mother) that was not good. The surprising part was that this movie is unexpectedly funny. Definitely black humor, but there was a lot of humor scattered through it that helped lighten it up considerably. The ending is necessarily emotional, especially if you've been to such a party yourself --- there were a number of people crying in the audience, but I did not feel it was a depressing movie.
I think John Ashcroft should see it (who's trying to get Oregon's Assisted Suicide law squashed), and if that didn't do it, he should have to spend some time with the people he's forcing to live against their will.
But I digress again... the movie will squick some people in a couple of
places --- the movie doesn't hold back on the realities of life and death,
but I do think it's a movie well worth seeing and give it an 8 out of 10.
Posted by abatie at October 13, 2003 05:51 PM