Guinevere

Rank

Middle 40-60% of all time (see others with this rank)

Festival Year

1999 (click here to see all competition films from this year)

Category

Dramatic Competition

Cast

Stephen Rea, Sarah Polley, Jean Smart, Gina Gershon, Jasmine Guy, Carrie Preston

Non-Cast Credits

Audrey Wells, Jonathan King, Brad Weston, Avi Lernor, Trevor Short, Danny Dimbort, Charles Minsky, Dody Dorn, Stephen McCabe, Christophe Beck

Description

Guinevere is a moving portrait of a young woman on the brink of adulthood, and an affirmation of the way one person can change your destiny by teaching you to accept humanity with all its glorious flaws.

Harper Sloane's life is mapped out for her. She comes from a family of San Francisco lawyers and is set to start Harvard Law School in the fall. Never mind that Harper is not so sure she wants to go; her mother is sure enough for both of them. At her older sister's wedding, she meets the hired photographer, Cornelius Fitzpatrick, or "Connie" as he is called in his circle of bohemian friends. Though thirty years her senior, Connie takes an interest in the young Harper, nicknaming her Guinevere. This attention overwhelms her, causing her to veer down a path that will change her life forever.

Audrey Wells is an established screenwriter so the writing in Guinevere is superb, but so is the direction, She culls from her actors lush and fully realized performances. Stephen Rea is astute and complex, one minute the nagging mentor, the next a passionate lover, a perfect foil For Jean Smart, who is sharp as a teck as the controlling mother, full of chagrin. As Harper, Sarah Polley brings genuine star quality to her acting. Her emotions flicker subtly across her face, reflecting every changing experience. Addressing adult themes rarely explored in films today, Guinevere is the perfect example of Au original voice, clear and resonant.

Reviewer

John Cooper (see other films reviewed by the same reviewer)

Film Takes Pace.