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List Price: $7.99 | | Label: Velocity / Thinkfilm
Salesrank: 59616
Released: April 13, 2004 |
| Our Price: $2.38 |
| Used Price: $0.28 |
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MPAA Rating: R (Restricted)
Media: DVD |
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Editorial Review:
Matt Shapiro (DON McKELLAR) is dead, one more victim of AIDS in New York City. But someone in his circle of friends called 911 when Matt died, which means that Assistant District Attorney Nicole "Nick" DeVivo (PARKER POSEY) has to interview witnesses to close the file. But there's a strange hesitancy about Matt Shapiro's family and friends when they talk about his death, and Nick grows suspicious. Did Matt Shapiro die of AIDS? Did he kill himself? Did someone help him? And was he the only victim?
The Event Reviews:
Why was this made! 
2009-11-27 - What a depressing film! So much talent such a bad script. This film did not meet any expectation. Run as fast as you can.
The AIDS & Death Party Rocks On...huh?
2008-06-13 - Since I like to be challenged when I watch a movie (if you don't believe, read my reviews for TWISTER and TRANSFORMERS), I'll frequently check out the films on the Sundance Channel or IFC. And about half of those films are usually about gay issues. Not my taste in movies (or life, for that matter) but sometimes I'll check out a few minutes of a movie and find myself completely fascinated by how disconnected and wrong-headed a movie can be.
Which perfectly describes my reaction to THE EVENT.
The only way I could entertain myself for this movie was to try and fathom the mentality behind it. THE EVENT only makes sense if you see it through the siege mindset of those in the AIDS community. This terrible plague of a disease destroyed a generation of gays but movies like this only muddies the water.
The story unravels the death of an AIDS patient. The problem is that he may have died by another's hand--by the hands of the people who care for him the most. Somewhere in this mess of a "loving" assisted suicide message is a convoluted love/hate/kill dynamic between a gay son and "loving" mother. I wonder if Olympia Dukakis had any idea that she was playing the most sinister mother this side of Angela Lansbury in the original "The Manchurian Candidate." Just look at what she does at the end of the film, all the while talking about all the "love" filling that room.
(I know I'll get flack for this, but every gay guy I've known has some monstrous mommy issues because of their mothers).
The sense of humor was confusing, expressing the gallows humor of living under the shadow of this disease but it leaves the viewer disconnected from any real drama. Placing the story all around 9-11 with absolutely no mention of it was also confusing. (One part of the film says "October 2001" but was clearly shot after a winter snowfall before showing a nice autumn labeled "November 2001").
In one scene, the despondent lover of the victim takes the cremated remains of AIDS victims and trails them through New York City, leading to the city offices. "The real killers." No, not exactly.
This is not a movie for anyone outside of the gay Indie film scene. Its confused messages aside, it's also poorly written and made.
A Pleasant Surprise 
2008-04-27 - It's like Russian Roulette when I pick up a random DVD from the clearance rack just for the excitement of watching a film I've never heard of. I did that today and was pleasantly surprised at what a great film "The Event" was. This moving story which centered around assisted suicide was touching, sad, funny in parts, and relevant. The acting was great, especially by Olympia Dukakis who delivers a quietly understated powerhouse performance, her strongest in years. The weak link of the film was Parker Posey as the District Attorney. I usually love her movies but she was terribly miscast in this film. Had I never seen her earlier performaces I may have believed her, but she is so typecast that it's hard to take her seriously. Overall I would highly recommend this movie, but it's not a film for everyone. The subject matter and theme is grim but the overall production is outstanding. If you like offbeat independent films with great acting and mature subject matter then I would highly recommend you check out "The Event".
Excellent film
2007-08-26 - Olympia Dukakis shines. Make sure you have your tissues with you while watching it.
A Frustrating Disappointment
2006-02-12 - From an outside appearance, this indie drama looks to be casted quiet well with Olympia Dukakis and Parker Posey.
Unfortunately, even their performances lag due to the incredibly bad script writing and incompetent direction, cinematography and editing. As a person who loves good cinema and socially topical subject matters, I have to draw a line at some point and state that not all indie films are great. (Contrary to what I say most of the time.)
This is the kind of film that would be fine if it was part of a first year project for a film student at NYU; the viewer would have lesser expectations. Unfortunately, for the serious subject matter, this production was left in hands of people less capable for extracting the best from the artists involved on every level from writing to acting.
The cast has little with which to work due to what I feel is incompetent directing and lackluster production value of the film. This is a rare case where I would suggest that it would have been far better if managed by a larger Hollywood studio.
There was far too much talent in the cast to be squandered on such a horrible venture. Whomever funded this should seriously reconsider their idea of investments for the future. This was pretty bad from start to finish, which is a huge disappointment since I enjoyed the writer/director's first film The Hanging Gardens and because I've enjoyed several performances by many of the actors in previous projects. This is one of the worst productions I've seen decades.
