thedyinggaul

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	The Dying Gaul

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THE DYING GAUL
(available from the 21st March 2006)

SYNOPSIS

When a smarmy Hollywood executive attempts to buy a script from a young playwright, his
life gets turned upside down in this acerbic and faulty adaptation of Craig Lucas's play.

REVIEW

Playwright Robert Sandrich (Sarsgaard) is down on his luck. He's flat broke and deeply
saddened after losing his lover to AIDS. His future hinges on an autobiographical
screenplay that has gotten the attention of bisexual self-absorbed married studio
development honcho Jeffrey (Scott). After his first studio appointment, Jeffrey comes on to
Robert with no equivication. When Jeffrey offers to purchase the screenplay for a million
dollars, he gives Robert one clear demand in order to make the film more marketable: the
"boyfriend" must be turned into a "girlfriend". Should Robert sell his soul to the devil and
take the cash? Should he have an affair with this movie shark? While grappling with what
to do, Robert gets increasingly close to Jeffrey and his unfulfilled and overly curious wife,
Elaine (played by the magnificent Patricia Clarkson). To divulge more would spoil all the fun.
Let's just say that there's enough jealousy, plot twists and smutty cyber chat to satiate
the purient imagination of our customers.

With plot holes like swiss cheese and a serious lack of credibility on the part of Campbell
Scott, The Dying Gaul is a problmatic film. We want to like the film, but have trouble
wholeheartedly recommending it. Craig Lucas adapted his own play and also directed. The
screenplay appears to be autobiographical as Lucas lost his lover Norman René to AIDS
and sold his heterosexualized screenplay for Prelude to a Kiss to a major studio. This part
of the film rings true (as it probably is true) but it's downhill from there. The highlight of the
film was Patricia Clarkson's performance of perfection. Whenever she appears on screen
the film changes for the better. Peter Sarsgaard, who excells in playing audacious roles
(Boys Don't Cry, Kinsey), is thoroughly convincing and yummy in his heavy-lidded way. The
Malibu beach home in which much of the action takes place is also stunning. And then
there's the hard-to-believe finale...enough said.