Second Best (1994)

One of the Most Underrated Films of the 1990s (Ever?)
"Second Best" is not even on DVD. Few have heard of it. Its fans, judging from Amazon.com, are boy-lovers (in the erotic sense), though the film has virtually no sexual content. It's about a middle-aged postmaster (Graham) from Wales who feels the impulse to adopt a son (Jamie) and acts on it.

And WOW WOW WOW. WOW for director Chris Mendes' visuals: the lush Welsh countryside...a boy's breath fogging on a pane of glass as he waits for his prospective father... WOW for the quiet and patience of this movie, the humanism of it, which recalls 1970s films like "Whose Life Is It Anyways?" "Testament," "Breaking Away" and "Ordinary People."

WOW for Chris Cleary Miles turning in the best child acting I've ever seen, easily eclipsing Macaulay Culkin and Elijah Wood and even the talented Haley Joel Osmont. His demanding role as a troubled youth (which involved a lot of screen-time) asked him to be both sweet and manipulative, to make us believe he could fall either way--into goodness or evil, happiness or heartbreak. It asked him to run through quite a gamut of emotions (fear, mischief, sullenness, sadness, joy, impatience, rebellion, anger, affection, etc.) and each is portrayed with utter convincing naturalism.

WOW for William Hurt's performance, perhaps his finest. He is at his best in subtle intelligent humanist fare like "Kiss of the Spiderwoman," "The Doctor," and "Altered States"; I'm not convinced he plays as well in satire ("Broadcast News") or sci-fi ("Dune," "Lost in Space"). Hurt's Graham is someone we all know: The middle-aged single who's pleasant but a little eccentric (dweeby as the kids would say) and who has failed at love by feeling most women are "out of his league."

Both these main characters transform significantly but believably across the film. In fact this film's naturalism is so amazing you feel like you're spying on people rather than viewing a film. This 1994 movie's message about older and younger males bonding by choice in a time of paternal exile in our disintegrating nuclear families grows more relevant with each passing year.

WOW for the great minor characters in "Second Best," including Graham's stroke victim father and the sassy social worker who guides him through the phases of adoption.

WOW that this picture's fan-base encompasses pederasts and more traditional conservative people interested in the subject of adoption. The father-son love the movie depicts is physically affectionate (though non-sexual) enough to appeal to the former and soulfully substantial enough to appeal to the latter. It's audience in fact should be everyone. Where's the DVD? And: Spread the word!

NOTE: The film has a heartwarming ending which it absolutely earns through its realism and believability.

Proudest moments..............
I know that, if I were William Hurt, my proudest moments would be my performance in this little known and largely unheralded film.

And for those like this viewer, whose collection must include films with memorable performances and memorable moments, owning this motion picture is a necessity......despite the fact that it is currently available only on VHS.

PS: Please also note that Chris Cleary Miles' apparently initial screen performance as the troubled youth is near amazing.

Unique Relationship...
Father and Son relationship is always special and different...great movie with great William Hurt. The music and the setting is excellent...if you really want to enjoy it watch this movie atleast three times in a row...