Gray Matters
Gray Matters **
Directed by Sue Kramer
Written by Sue Kramer
Starring:
Heather Graham as Gray
Thomas Cavanagh as Sam
Bridget Moynahan as Charlie
Molly Shannon as Carrie
Alan Cumming as Gordy
Sissy Spacek as Sydney
Rachel Shelley as Julia Barlett
96 Minutes(Rated PG-13 for some mature thematic material, sexual content and language. )
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"Gray Matters" is the hundredth gay/lesbian movie to come out in the last few months. I haven't seen the other ones, with the exception of "Puccini for Beginners," but I can assume that it doesn't trend new grounds. It is mostly the script that is at fault here. Heather Graham is delightful as her character-fresh, witty-that nervous paranoid woman that Diane Keaton plays in every role. But "Gray Matters" fails as a story of self discovery and awakening, and is a typical romantic comedy that ends on a happy note even though the main character is still a little upset. And you could say that it is a romantic comedy for the girls AND the guys, because let's be honest with ourselves. Which man WOULDN'T want to see Heather Graham make out with Bridget Moynahan?
"Gray Matters" introduces us to the perfect couple-Gray and Sam. They dance in perfect sync with one another, they live together, they eat the same food, they finish each others sentences. The only problem is is that they are brother and sister, and have been constantly mistaken for a romantic couple to people that are unaware of the blood between them. They are both out of the dating world at the moment, and they decide that they should set each other up. Sam will find a nice man for Gray, and Gray will find a nice woman for Sam. And then at the dog part one morning they meet Charlie, a attractive young woman that Sam has an instant liking for. The three of them go out that night and the next day Sam returns to the apartment with news that him and Charlie and going to Vegas that weekend to get married. Gray is a little shocked by the news, and believes that she is just upset because she is losing her brother to another woman-who wouldn't be a little upset? And then in Vegas, Gray and Charlie go out for a night on the town, where Charlie gets completely drunks, kisses Gray, and then passes out. The next morning she doesn't remember any of it, but Gray certainly does, and what's worse is that she kind of enjoyed it. Gray begins to find herself attracted to women, and even though Sam and Charlie get married, she still wishes that she could be with her. Her shrink says that she's just upset about her brother's marriage, but Gray knows that there is something more here, and she wishes that she could make herself straight again.
Every character in "Gray Matters" has their own part-there is the romantic interest(Charlie), the best friend, the shrink, the scary boss woman that everyone fears, and then the outsider that does love the hero. All of the actors do put their best in, which is somewhat difficult with the material they have been given. I already mentioned that Graham does a good job here, but so does Alan Cumming, as the taxi driver friend that has a thing for Gray. And Molly Shannon offers the best lines in the whole film as the best friend. There is one scene where she questions Gray about what she was never attracted to her, and Shannon plays comedy so well and so natural that it's not even like I'm watching a character anymore. Moynahan does a decent job, but sadly Cavanagh acts like he's still on television. And finally there is Sissy Spacek, and when someone says that a role by Sissy Spacek could have been played by anyone, it is not a good sign for Sissy Spacek. Why she agreed to do such a bit part with such a bland script is beyond me. "Gray Matters" is somewhat entertaining at parts, and the final scene did go in a direction that I wasn't expecting. But a lot of the time the script doesn't get off the ground of a sitcom, and there are situations and moments that seem fresh out of an episode of "Friends." It isn't that this is a bad film, but it is somewhat pointless and not needed at all. Perhaps seeing last year's "Imagine Me and You" would be a better choice-a similar story of discovery that plays a little more sophisticated than "Gray Matters."
Directed by Sue Kramer
Written by Sue Kramer
Starring:
Heather Graham as Gray
Thomas Cavanagh as Sam
Bridget Moynahan as Charlie
Molly Shannon as Carrie
Alan Cumming as Gordy
Sissy Spacek as Sydney
Rachel Shelley as Julia Barlett
96 Minutes(Rated PG-13 for some mature thematic material, sexual content and language. )
------------------------------------
"Gray Matters" is the hundredth gay/lesbian movie to come out in the last few months. I haven't seen the other ones, with the exception of "Puccini for Beginners," but I can assume that it doesn't trend new grounds. It is mostly the script that is at fault here. Heather Graham is delightful as her character-fresh, witty-that nervous paranoid woman that Diane Keaton plays in every role. But "Gray Matters" fails as a story of self discovery and awakening, and is a typical romantic comedy that ends on a happy note even though the main character is still a little upset. And you could say that it is a romantic comedy for the girls AND the guys, because let's be honest with ourselves. Which man WOULDN'T want to see Heather Graham make out with Bridget Moynahan?
"Gray Matters" introduces us to the perfect couple-Gray and Sam. They dance in perfect sync with one another, they live together, they eat the same food, they finish each others sentences. The only problem is is that they are brother and sister, and have been constantly mistaken for a romantic couple to people that are unaware of the blood between them. They are both out of the dating world at the moment, and they decide that they should set each other up. Sam will find a nice man for Gray, and Gray will find a nice woman for Sam. And then at the dog part one morning they meet Charlie, a attractive young woman that Sam has an instant liking for. The three of them go out that night and the next day Sam returns to the apartment with news that him and Charlie and going to Vegas that weekend to get married. Gray is a little shocked by the news, and believes that she is just upset because she is losing her brother to another woman-who wouldn't be a little upset? And then in Vegas, Gray and Charlie go out for a night on the town, where Charlie gets completely drunks, kisses Gray, and then passes out. The next morning she doesn't remember any of it, but Gray certainly does, and what's worse is that she kind of enjoyed it. Gray begins to find herself attracted to women, and even though Sam and Charlie get married, she still wishes that she could be with her. Her shrink says that she's just upset about her brother's marriage, but Gray knows that there is something more here, and she wishes that she could make herself straight again.
Every character in "Gray Matters" has their own part-there is the romantic interest(Charlie), the best friend, the shrink, the scary boss woman that everyone fears, and then the outsider that does love the hero. All of the actors do put their best in, which is somewhat difficult with the material they have been given. I already mentioned that Graham does a good job here, but so does Alan Cumming, as the taxi driver friend that has a thing for Gray. And Molly Shannon offers the best lines in the whole film as the best friend. There is one scene where she questions Gray about what she was never attracted to her, and Shannon plays comedy so well and so natural that it's not even like I'm watching a character anymore. Moynahan does a decent job, but sadly Cavanagh acts like he's still on television. And finally there is Sissy Spacek, and when someone says that a role by Sissy Spacek could have been played by anyone, it is not a good sign for Sissy Spacek. Why she agreed to do such a bit part with such a bland script is beyond me. "Gray Matters" is somewhat entertaining at parts, and the final scene did go in a direction that I wasn't expecting. But a lot of the time the script doesn't get off the ground of a sitcom, and there are situations and moments that seem fresh out of an episode of "Friends." It isn't that this is a bad film, but it is somewhat pointless and not needed at all. Perhaps seeing last year's "Imagine Me and You" would be a better choice-a similar story of discovery that plays a little more sophisticated than "Gray Matters."
posted by Eric at
1:25 AM
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