DVD Review: Big Eden, Small Miracle

男式伊甸園（Big Eden, Small Miracle)，這個和英文名稱及故事內容完全沒有関係的中文名，加上「輕描淡寫」兩三句「簡介」，相信很難會引起消費者的購買意欲。但再看看上面印得又小又難讀的影展史及所得的「觀眾投票獎」，倒不是不仿一試的「萬眾」之選。

本片買的不是導演風格，又沒有型男美女，主角Henry,三十多歲，小肥，開始脫髮;主角所愛墓的兩個男人:第一個Pike, 印第安人，長髮，有肚腩; 第二個Dean:直佬，有兩個仔。Fag Hag? 一個樣貌平平的孕婦Mary和一個老寡婦THAYER。順敘、淺白的敘事手法，最能與觀眾溝道的安排，第五句對白就知道那個是基佬，什么職業，那個是Fag Hag, 片子開始未到十分鐘就知道主角的任務是什么 --- 直接、不做作、簡單易明、温馨不扇情，就是 Big Eden, Small Miracle.

如果沒有「同志電影」這個標籤，而同志电影亦沒有被香港的主流電影所拒朱門外的話。＜男式伊甸園＞將會被列入「合家歡」影院。

但此片就是有那些Nicole Kidman, Julia Roberts 和 Tom Cruise 的电影裡都缺小的東西--一個好的劇本，一個窩心的故事。

本片非常有技考地處理男男之間的愛情問題。Eden是一的住美國西部的小村莊，並沒有主角在紐約的花花世界，「基」這個話題更不是村裡的人會說出口的東西，故事設計在這裡發生，村民對主角及其同志身份的支持及認同都在言語之間及行動之中所表現出來，使得「基」這個東西來得非常自然。但是本片最好看的地方並不是其同志題材，而是主角Henry和其他人的關係，好像和他祖父在沙法上的一段有關「羞恥」的一段對話，寡婦THAYER知道主角性取向後戲劇性轉變，都是因為不俗套的角色而令此片生色不少。而村子裡人和人的關係，更滲出在城市裡從來不會存在的親切感。導演此方面的功力，更可以在本片一開始時那平靜安穩的紐約市中可見到。在本片最後的鏡頭，還可以看見英國電影 的相同處理手法，彷彿看見Jamie和Ste長大後還在一起似的···

看完這部電影，再會去肯定不是生得「青靚白淨」，有六塊腹肌才可擁有愛情，而這個世界上除了愛情，還有更多東西比起每天聽著那些自憐的情歌更重要。

With a Chinese title literally translating as "Eden in a male

form" it is not surprising there has been little local interest to

this film, however it has been very well received on the worldwide

film festival circuit, receiving more than eight audience-vote

awards at different festivals.?While it features no special

style, nor explores any critical issue or even features

main-stream beauties, Big Eden (a small miracle) deserves an

attention.

Main Cast:

Henry - 30s, balding with beer belly

Pike - podgy long haired native American with beer belly

Dean - straight (!!) an ordinary looking, muscular guy with a

beautiful wife and two sons

Fag Hags:

Mary - an ordinary looking pregnant woman,?dominatrix

Thayer - Old widow.

With its passion, simplicity and warm treatment of its theme, Big

Eden serves as a refreshing alternative to the heavily polished

mainstream movies. It has a good story and well developed

characters (that many mainstream movies lack.)?If “Gay

Films?were not being excluded from the film market in Hong Kong,

and were not treated as “alternative?and put beside soft porn in

the stores, “Big Eden?would be categorised under "Family Films"

The film handles the gay relationship in a very subtle way. Big

Eden is a small village in North-western Montana, where being

“GAY”is not as easy as in New York, where Henry has just return

from. People in the village would seldom talk about gay issues.

Instead of bringing up the homosexual issues centre stage as "get

real" (uk, 1999) in an uncomfortable verbal discussion, the film

keeps the sexuality of Henry as an "understood" topic between the

villagers. The gay characters in the film receive tacit support to

their love from the actions and reaction from the people around

them. This subtle treatment of homosexual issues among the

villagers enhances the passion and warmth of the film and

creates harmony between those of different sexualities.

The unusual and off beat cast makes for a refreshing change from

films of a similar style. Highlights are a scene with Henry and

his grandfather talking about shame and the dramatic change in the

widow Thayer once she learns of Henry's sexuality.

The film opens with NYC captured in a quiet and peaceful manner

rarely portrayed on screen.?It closes with a similar treatment to

"Beautiful Thing" (UK 1996), taking me back 10 years to Jamie and

Ste dancing and holding hands on the podium of their housing

estate....