The saddest sight for any reviewer is the film which looks like it was only a tiny step away from brilliance. It usually happens with the films that look quite different from mainstream Hollywood. But being different from the mainstream and rising above the quality average of the mainstream are two different things. One of good examples for that could be found in Afterglow, 1997 drama written and directed by Alan Rudolph.
Like most of Alan Rudolph's films, Afterglow has rather unusual set of protagonists. Jeffrey Byron (played by Jonny Lee Miller) is young corporate executive who is almost completely dedicated to his work and ignores his wife Marianne (played by Lara Flynn Boyle). Marianne tries to find solace by having a baby, but Jeffrey refuses to make one and thus forces lonely housewife to seek alternative provider of such services. Lucky Mann (played by Nick Nolte) is handyman whose line of work provides plenty of opportunity for quick extramarital affairs. All this activity is tacitly approved by his wife Phyllis (played by Julie Christie), retired B-film actress who stopped performing her share of marital duties some years ago. Circumstances conspire to ensnare those four people into maelstrom of passion.
Rudolph obviously likes having quirky characters in his films and those sentiments are obviously shared by many respected and talented actors who like appearing in those roles. Some of those great actors also like to use opportunity to remind audience of their existence. Julie Christie, one of the greatest stars of 1960s British and world cinema, triumphantly returns on the screen and more than convincingly plays old woman who kept most of her feminine charms. There are few films where women of Christie's age could make two younger men fighting over her. Christie and Rudolph make this scenario quite believable. Christie's partner Nick Nolte is also very good in the role of manly man burdened by terrible family secret. Their younger colleagues, although good, don't fare that well. Boyle delivers unusual, but not very energetic portrayal of repressed housewife while Miller tries too hard to be total opposite of his Sick Boy character from Trainspotting. The acting is, however, sufficiently good to make audience forget that there isn't much plot or pace in the film. Another thing to make this film more than watchable is François Seguin's production design, which, combined with Montreal locations and Mark Isham's music, creates very good impression. Afterglow could be recommended despite its lack of good plot, but more critical viewers would probably feel sadness over such great talents being so tragically underused.
RATING: 5/10 (++)
(Note: The text in its original form was posted in Usenet newsgroup rec.arts.films.reviews on June 1st 2004)
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