Suffering Man's Charity (2007)

Director:

Alan Cumming

Writer:

Thomas Gallagher (written by)

Genre:

Comedy | Horror

Tagline:

Deadline has a new meaning.

Plot:

Jonathan Vandermark is a music teacher with a weakness for young men with great aspirations and without a pot to piss in. When Sebastian enters his life and takes advantage of John's charity, his life and afterlife will be changed forever.

Plot Keywords:

Music Teacher | Writer | Gay Kiss | Abuse | Underwear

Cast

Alan Cumming	...	John Vandermark
David Boreanaz	...	Sebastian St. Germain
Anne Heche	...	Helen Jacobsen
Karen Black	...	Renee
Whitney Allen	...	Blonde Girl In Bar
Carrie Fisher	...	Reporter
Henry Thomas	...	Eric Rykell
Maria-Elena Laas	...	Liliana
Rachelle Lefevre	...	Elaine
Jane Lynch	...	Ingrid Sorensen
Ermahn Ospina	...	Pedro
Alison Guh	...	Evelyn
Clay Allen	...	Max
Susie Park	...	Max's Wife
Desean Terry	...	Young Caterer

Also Known As:

Ghost Writer (International: English title) (DVD title)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Zuckerman Entertainment

Quotes:

Eric: What is he, a drag queen?

Soundtrack:

Listen To Your Heart

overacting for script just looks like overacting

This film needed some combination of the following : a separate director that was NOT starring in the film, sympathetic characters, multi-dimensional characters, less overacting, a bigger budget, more people involved in the creation, and/or FILM source with good image quality. Any of the listed items could be overcome in different circumstances, but here they are all piled on.

I appreciate that the main character was meant to be someone who acts out his own life in overblown, dramatic excess. I appreciate that this character is intentionally not a likable person. Such things are valid and interesting choices to try, but they are challenges that require a LOT of feedback and careful planning to make a film that works. That seemed absent.

Instead, what we have here is a piece which leaves the impression that the actor (and director), Alan Cumming, does not know how to tone it down.

We only see one side of each character, and none seem to progress or change in any meaningful way. And no, changing address or circumstance does not count -- the characters never seem to learn anything.

All the audience gets is nasty people who never get better as they do things we can not care much about, and doing them in a somewhat absurdist way. Yes, there are some amusing scenarios, but all the negatives overwhelm occasional positives.