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Jeffrey
(1995)
Well, they told me "Jeffrey" was a comedy about a gay
man looking for love in the era of AIDS and I thought,
What? How can you do a comedy about AIDS? What's funny
about AIDS? I forgot how inventive gay people can be.
"Jeffrey" is all that and a bag of chips. This is truly
a hilarious film. Unashamed about it's look at gay romanticism,
sexuality and culture, it's witty, insightful, romantic,
sweet and biting. Just like a gay guy! Of course, the
film can also be thoughtful, reflective and thought-provoking
(also, just like a gay guy).
"Jeffrey" punches all the right buttons at all the
right times. This screen adaptation, scripted by the
original playwright Paul Rudnick, perfectly encapsulates
the story. Rudnick takes the piece off of the stage
and opens it up to the real world. It's hard to believe
it ever was a play when we see it here. The acting is
right on target with several familiar faces turning
up in hilarious roles. The direction is timed perfectly
without being too much or too little. The film is, quite
often, perfection.
Steven Weber of TV's "Wings" plays the titular "Jeffrey."
He's one of the reasons I had to see the film. I couldn't
believe he could pull it off. (He's on "Wings" for chrissakes)!
And while he mugs it up just a tad bit too much at times,
overall he's excellent in the role. We forget his TV
person and accept him as a gay man easily. He's quite
perfect for the role. Ditto with Patrick Stewart as
his flamboyant older Interior Decorator type friend.
Stewart totally abandons his Captain Picard persona
and hams up a performance that is ripe for the curing.
That isn't to say that he goes overboard here. In fact,
the opposite must be said. Stewart is about as subdued
with this role as one can possibly be and still be the
character. He's perfection too.
Other familiar faces pop up in the film in small roles
that always amuse us. Christine Baranski (of TV's "Cybill"),
Sigourney Weaver, Kathy Najimy, Kevin Nealon, Olympia
Dukakis, Robert Klien, Ethan Phillips (Nelix of TV's
"Star Trek: Voyager"), and Peter Bartlett (the butler
Nigel on TV soaper "One Life to Live") all have small
roles. Some are bigger than others but all of them add
delightful dimensions to the sub-text going on here.
Even Nathan Lane, who was (pre-"Birdcage") virtually
unknown at the time, is highly amusing here. In the
wake of his later role, his appearance here doubles
in delight. He's hilarious (as a priest who comes on
to Jeffrey).
The unknowns in the cast who catch our eye are Michael
T. Weiss and Bryan Batt. Both play characters struggling
with HIV and AIDS. Weiss is wonderful playing a rather
straight acting butch guy who is HIV+ and falls for
Jeffrey. His pathos is never bitter, never maudlin,
never contrived. We grow to like him and understand
completely why Jeffrey is drawn to him. Batt, meanwhile,
almost steals the limelight away from Stewart with his
ditzy, chorus boy Darius, who is enjoying his run in
Broadway's "Cats." His delightful charm and humorous
whimsy are captivating. These characters draw us into
Jeffrey's world and help act as the backdrop for his
story. Without them, "Jeffrey" would be meaningless.
Director Christopher Ashley has perfect timing in
handling the humor and the seriousness. His punch-lines
always zing and the comedy almost never misses the mark.
The material is quite touchy and one must handle it
in a precise matter (so much like nitroglycerin is Rudnick's
approach) in order to pull it off successfully and Ashley
does exactly that. In the hands of a lesser talent,
this could be a horrible failure. He also serves the
more serious notes of the piece well by never allowing
them to fall into sentimentality. We never get a real
tear here because the piece is a celebration of life
and love. Tears here are for joy. Also in his favor,
Ashley is adept at mixing stock footage and new shots.
Several scenes are large establishing shots of Stonewall
25, the gay pride celebration of 1994. Ashley mixes
new scenes of close-ups of the characters in with this
and never once draws our minds away from the action.
It blends easily. Ashley, it must be said, hardly ever
fails us during the entire piece.
"Jeffrey" is a difficult film, with it's unusual approach
to comedy and it's romance of two men. There are a couple
of falters but we recover from them almost immediately.
This is how good the piece is: Rudnick and Ashley use
that well-worn device of having Weber, as Jeffrey, talk
to the camera. It is a tactic that I abhor. Here, it
almost works. Weber's charm and the humor of the entire
piece lead us into accepting this as almost realistic.
His asides are that amusing and that delightful. "Jeffrey"
can get away with murder. It's that good.
Note:
Rudnick also acts as a Producer.
Music by Stephen Endelman (with Bob Russell acting
as his co-writer). Several numbers from Broadway musicals
make their way into the show.
David Binder is the shoot coordinator for the Stonewall
25 Rally footage.
Strangely, the tune "Nice Work if You Can Get It"
is sung briefly in the film. This is also the theme
for TV's "Cybill." Baranski is in both pieces.
Review written in 1996 Report Card
Report
Card
Script:
A+
Acting: A+
Cinematography\Lighting: B
Special Effects\Make Up: A
Music: A-
Final
Grade: A
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