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Food of Love

TLA Releasing / Year: 2002

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Duration: 7 days

$3.99

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Synopsis

A 19-year-old piano student has an intense affair with a famed concert pianist while on an Italian holiday with his mother in this funny and literate adaptation of David Leavitt’s novel “The Page Turner.”

3 Reasons To watch this film

Impressive adaptation of the novel on which it is based.
Juliet Stevenson's comedic support.
The erotic intergenerational romance.

Review

Adorable Kevin Bishop plays Paul, a sexually repressed aspiring pianist. One night in San Francisco he is given the opportunity to work as a page turner for his idol, the famed pianist Richard Kennington (Paul Rhys). After the concert, the older man and teenager flirt, but before anything can happen, Paul's neurotic mother Pamela (Juliet Stevenson) intercedes.

Six months later in Barcelona, they meet up again and, despite his meddling mother, Paul and Kennington embark on a passionate affair. Over the course of the next few days, their affair deepens, in spite of (or perhaps because of) their age difference. The recently divorced Pamela, oblivious to the notion that her son is gay, misinterprets Richard's amorous signals, feeling that he is flirting with her (and doesn't see that the attraction is with her son). Adding to the complexity of the affair is Kennington's lover/manager Mansourian (Allan Corduner) who begins to suspect something's up. Rather than deal with the whole embarrassing situation, Richard flees back to New York.

Sometime later, with Paul now a Julliard music student and lover to another middle-aged man, the two meet again. Enlisting a brilliant cast of British actors – including out thespian Corduner – to play his American leads and shooting almost entirely in his native Spain, Pons crossed borders of all sorts this go-around. And Leavitt approved, lauding praise upon the film when it screened at Berlin this year. A marvelous adaptation that is sure to be one of "the" gay films of 2002!

-- Scott Cranin

Product Format Information

Streaming : $3.99

Customer Reviews

Page Turner Snacks and Treats

Essence of Dignity wrote on 03/19/2011:

Food of Love was interesting because of the storyline it offers. Of course it would be easy to say it could have been written this way or acted that way and it would have all turned out better, but that is too superficial. This is a good offering of a film with pretty good acting as it tells the story of one young man's embrace and awareness into his own sexuality, in the middle of a windstorm called "My Mom Is So Nosey & Clingy". Sexual awakening is a common theme in film today and not to give the whole movie away, but I like the way this film plays up the fact the mom and son are attracted to and longing for the touch of the same man. In truth, mom has some understanding issues that she must deal with moreso because the son is somewhat dignified in his stance in life. This film includes some fantastic piano playing moments as well. I enjoyed this film and gave it respect in the form of 2.5 Stars. A few scenes lacked umph here and there, but all the while I needed to see this film all the way through for closure sake. Good Offering Of A Film!

It Could Have Been So Good

Amos Lassen wrote on 02/14/2011:

“Food of Love”
It Could Have Been So Good
Amos Lassen
I really dislike films that have great potential and they because of some unknown reason fall flat. Not that “Food of Love” fell flat but it could have been so much better.
“Food of Love” had the potential to be a beautiful coming-of-age story. All of the elements were there but it somehow lost its focus and became extremely muddled. I wanted so much to like this movie. It basically “lost it” in the way that it showed how not to care for an eighteen year old whose is full of infatuation for an older man.
Paul (Kevin Bishop) is a vulnerable and sheltered teen who has fallen in love with Richard (Paul Rhys). What happens to the two is the meat of the story. Richard gives the impression that he is unconcerned with the young man who is obviously smitten with him. Paul is hopelessly in love with Richard as evidenced by the number of phone calls and by the faxes he sent him. Paul as a student as Julliard then transfer his affections to another older man, a “sugar daddy” who is three times his age but pines over Richard. Paul’s mother is at a loss as to how to deal with the situation and behaves hysterically.
We can only wonder if Paul who had the ability to become a brilliant pianist actually was so distraught over his unrequited love that he turned in only mediocre performances. What is so sad is that Paul allowed the men to use him sexually and believed that they cared for him.
As this sad move comes to a close it was totally uneven and completely unfulfilling. A great deal of emotion was shown at the end of the film—so much so that the film seemed to be just getting going instead of drawing to a close. Paul does manage to come to terms with his mother but only as a broken youth and the movie has no resolution.
The script had virtually no focus whatsoever and thus the movie had no direction. I am sure yet as to whether it is a soap opera or soft core porn. The acting is very, very amateurish and Kevin Bishop as Paul shows no talent aside from having a very pretty rear end.
What is missing most of al is an ending. Pal moves to New York and is disillusioned--THE END. The characters do not seem to know anything about themselves and all they learn in the film is that life is no good and that people can’t be trusted. He movie does not show life—it hides from it.

Not so good

dangerousman wrote on 05/06/2010:

At first, it was hard for me to follow this movie. As I watch it, I have fallen into it. It is good but not great. It is something I will only watch once.

They gotta be crazy!

chuck wrote on 12/15/2008:

I can't understand why a love story of this caliber isn't publicized more. I also can't understand why the price is so low. I have just finished watching this DVD and the haunting feeling of a first love story really hit me between the eyes.

Food of Love Forlorn

Janorm wrote on 03/13/2008:

Pons has produced a truely magnificent work of artisitic cinematogaphy. His adaptions of Leavitt's book is nothing short of miraculous. He has somehow managed to assemble the most perfect set of character acters available and draw their most superb performances. All parents of teenage children could directly benefit from viewing this movie! This a film that you have to have for your Collection! SIMPLY OUTSTANDING!!!

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