Splendor (1999)

Wow, Now Here's an Important Movie!
Because gosh, you know what America needs? Sexual freedom. I mean, we really only THOUGHT we were liberated, sleeping with anything and everything that takes our fancy--but we weren't. What we NEED to do is to combine the promiscuous experiences, so we can collect venereal diseases and birth children of confused parentage even faster! Splendor shows us just what we're missing as it invites us to liberate ourselves from primitive notions like jealousy and knowing who the hell your father is. Don't let people judge you, man, as long as you're having fun, cos isn't that what it's all about? Me, I'm about promiscuous polyamory! Way to go, Splendor, lead the way!

Araki Examines Contemporary Relationships
SPLENDOR is a quick little film that once again demonstrates writer/director Gregg Araki's talent in making big social comments out of just a little idea. Though this may not be one of his most successful films, it certainly has enough going for it to give it a look.

Narrated by flippant, kooky, slightly irritatingly shallow Veronica (Kathleen Robertson) who also is the main character of the story, we find that Veronica (aka V aka Ron) has been on a dry run for a love life for a long time, and just when she thinks she'll never find her man, up pops Halloween, and with her best friend Mike (Kelly MacDonald) she ventures into a party where she meets not one but two candidates for relationship - Abel (hunky Jonathan Schaech) who is a would be writer and is inept at about everything social and Zed (also hunky Matt Keeslar) who is a drummer whose intellect and socialization skills don't go far beyond his drumsticks. Veronica beds them both, finds them equally attractive and eventually the three become a ménage à trois in the same apartment. The two men, while transiently jealous of each other, ultimately find happiness in Veronica's breadwinning capabilities and both truly love her and each other. Things become strained when Veronica learns she is pregnant!

Meanwhile, Veronica is offered upward mobility by yet another hunk Ernest (Eric Mabius) who represents stability and money whereas Abel and Zed represent only passion. Considering her pregnant life choices she agrees to marry Ernest despite her lack of loving him and all proceeds towards the wedding day when Abel and Zed decide to make changes in the plans.

Schaech, Mabius and Keeslar provide sufficient eye candy to overcome a strained script. Had Veronica been cast differently the story may have had a better impact, but as it is this remains a fun, spunky movie that for Araki fans is a good diversion. Grady Harp, November 05

Araki Examines Contemporary Relationships
SPLENDOR is a quick little film that once again demonstrates writer/director Gregg Araki's talent in making big social comments out of just a little idea. Though this may not be one of his most successful films, it certainly has enough going for it to give it a look.

Narrated by flippant, kooky, slightly irritatingly shallow Veronica (Kathleen Robertson) who also is the main character of the story, we find that Veronica (aka V aka Ron) has been on a dry run for a love life for a long time, and just when she thinks she'll never find her man, up pops Halloween, and with her best friend Mike (Kelly MacDonald) she ventures into a party where she meets not one but two candidates for relationship - Abel (hunky Jonathan Schaech) who is a would be writer and is inept at about everything social and Zed (also hunky Matt Keeslar) who is a drummer whose intellect and socialization skills don't go far beyond his drumsticks. Veronica beds them both, finds them equally attractive and eventually the three become a ménage à trois in the same apartment. The two men, while transiently jealous of each other, ultimately find happiness in Veronica's breadwinning capabilities and both truly love her and each other. Things become strained when Veronica learns she is pregnant!

Meanwhile, Veronica is offered upward mobility by yet another hunk Ernest (Eric Mabius) who represents stability and money whereas Abel and Zed represent only passion. Considering her pregnant life choices she agrees to marry Ernest despite her lack of loving him and all proceeds towards the wedding day when Abel and Zed decide to make changes in the plans.

Schaech, Mabius and Keeslar provide sufficient eye candy to overcome a strained script. Had Veronica been cast differently the story may have had a better impact, but as it is this remains a fun, spunky movie that for Araki fans is a good diversion. Grady Harp, November 05