Bette Henritze, Celia Weston, Dennis Haysbert

In 1950s Connecticut, a housewife faces a marital crisis and mounting racial tensions in the outside world.

Flixster Users

78% liked it

17,694 ratings

Critics

91% liked it

184 critics

PG-13, 1 hr. 46 min.

Directed by: Todd Haynes

Release Date: April 1, 2003

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DVD Release Date: April 1, 2003

Stats: 932 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (932)


  • October 14, 2009
    "What imprisons desires of the heart?"

    In 1950s Connecticut, a housewife faces a marital crisis and mounting racial tensions in the outside world.

    REVIEW

    Filmmaker Todd Haynes' valentine to 195...( read more)0s melodramatic maestro auteur Douglas Sirk outdoes himself in grand style in the depiction of a Connecticut family's sudden downward spiral circa 1957 focusing on Cathy Whitaker (Moore in a sterling performance of Oscar caliber), a happy homemaker doting on her family and tv sales exec husband Frank (Quaid at his career best) who are both living lives of lies that threaten to destroy their seemingly blissful carefree existence in their all-too-knowing community. Haysbert as the local greens keeper hired by Cathy is also compellingly excellent in a sublime form of acting as the seemingly lone black man in a town of intolerance prickling beneath its calm demeanor. The exquisitely rich cinematography and production design by Edward Lachman and Mark Friedberg, respectively, convey the bristling darkness at the corners of paradise via suburbia with its rich autumnal palette suggesting a metaphor for the film as a whole: color changes everything. Kudos to elder statesman musical composer Elmer Bernstein's heartbreakingly poignant score underscoring the nightmare at hand. One of 2002's best films.
  • June 20, 2009
    Moore did a wonderful job playing a 1950s housewife. I loved the friendship between her character and her gardener, even though it was short-lived.
  • February 14, 2009
    The beginning of this movie was rather boring. I felt I was watching a 'Leave It to Beaver' episode. I do give kudos for the realistic 1950's decor.

    Julianne Moore's character was too prim and proper to be interesting.

    The movie got a little more interesting mid-way. It wa...( read more)s both sad yet interesting to see how interracial friendships and homosexuality were treated back in the late 50's.
  • December 1, 2008
    It was about this point in time where all the Julianne Moore movies started to look similar.
  • June 5, 2008
    A marvellous film tackling such issues as racism and homophobia in the 1950's. I don't know what to say about Julianne Moore words cant describe her acting in this film, Moore plays a 1950's housewife whose world is turned upside down with the discovery of her husbands(brilliantl...( read more)y played by Quaid) 'sickness'; her husband is gay, trying to cope with this sickness she embarks on a close friendship with her gardeners son Dennis Haysbert. Their friendship is frowned upon by the neighbours ,inter racial friendships are not encouraged. The sets and costumes are beautiful to watch and Todd Haynes blends old melodramatic cinema with a more modern style to create a true piece of art. Beautiful film, just wish I had caught it earlier than I did
  • November 21, 2009
    A mesmerizing movie that cleverly pays homage to movies of the 1950s.
  • November 8, 2009
    Wow! What to say about this film? It was very unique, and beautifully awesome. The imagry throughout the movie is stunning! The acting, lighting, music and just everything about this movie works. It is a pleasure to view, and the story! Oh the story...it's so full of honest...( read more) struggles, and how we try to save face amongst those around us. It reminds us of the problems that were present in 1957, and on perhaps a lesser level, but I believe still very much around us today. If you think we don't still have these same problems, then you need to read the paper or the internet. Don't rely on your nightly news to tell you everything about the world you live in. This movie is fantastic! Such a pleasant surprise.

    A new addition to my faves list!
  • October 24, 2009
    (2003 Director: Todd Haynes) Director Todd Haynes handles a delicate subject that never used to appear on screen: homosexuality or bisexuality. Very successful top appliance salesman Dennis Quaid leads a double life. Successful businessman and family man stars to rock the boa...( read more)t in his 2 kids 2 car garage suburban paradise.
  • October 22, 2009
    So I was mad while watching this film that reminds us of how stupid racism was a few decades before. Let's think it was completely overcome, but that would be not entirely true. I would also like to think homosexuality is seen different than it was portrayed in the film, but it s...( read more)eems to never change.
    Great cinematography and music score, and of course Julianne Moore's brilliant performance.
  • October 10, 2009
    Somehwat dissapointed me, I found the acting to be rather good, the tone and some of the issues presented were good but the film failed to really move me.

Critic Reviews


November 15, 2002
Moira MacDonald, Seattle Times

A ravishingly beautiful film. full review

November 15, 2002
Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle

If it's ultimately a failure -- and I think it is -- it's still worth seeing, because it's the most ambitious and magnificent failure in recent memory. full review

November 15, 2002
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

Because the film deliberately lacks irony, it has a genuine dramatic impact; it plays like a powerful 1957 drama we've somehow never seen before. full review

November 9, 2002
David Edelstein, Slate

It's so intimate, accessible, and passionate that it makes every other current movie seem anemic. It makes even Sirk seem anemic. full review

November 8, 2002
Liam Lacey, Globe and Mail

Moore, who has a particular genius for communicating compassionate, if not fully conscious characters, makes the pathos believable. full review

November 7, 2002
A.O. Scott, The New York Times

It rediscovers the aching, desiring humanity in a genre -- and a period -- too often subjected to easy parody or ironic appropriation. In a word, it's divine. full review

October 25, 2002
Peter Travers, Rolling Stone

Haynes makes you drunk on movies again, on raw emotion delivered without the cushion of irony. full review

View more Far From Heaven reviews at RottenTomatoes.com

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