The Man from Elysian Fields
Release Date:
October 4, 2002
Limited release
From the director of Dogtown and Some Folks Call It a Sling Blade comes this character-driven feature starring Andy Garcia as Byron Tiller, a writer who is unable to financially support his family when his publisher rejects his most recent novel. While drowning his troubles at a local bar, he meets Luther (Mick Jagger), the head of an exclusive escort service, who recruits the desperate, down-and-out author into the business. He is assigned to be the male escort for Andrea Alcott (Olivia Williams), a beautiful and lonely woman who also just happens to be the wife of one of the most famous writers in the world (James Coburn). Byron becomes involved not only with Andrea, but also with her husband, who is in ill health and has only a little time left to live. He tries to keep his nighttime life a secret from his family, but eventually everything crumbles, leaving the writer to decide what is really most important.
The movie features a fairly strong supporting cast, including Anjelica Huston, Julianna Marguilies, Michael Des Barres, and Xander Berkeley (most recently seen on the television series 24). Overall, The Man from Elysian Fields has received very mixed reviews, which probably doesn't bode well for a picture that's based on script from a guy with no feature-film credits to this point (though he was a writer for both The Golden Girls and Barney Miller).
The Man from Elysian Fields has played at both Sundance and the Toronto International Film Festival, but don't expect to see it released on more than a few screens. It was picked up for North American distribution by IDP Films, which is known primarily for releasing small independent movies such as Rain, The Believer, and Tortilla Soup, though they have expanded their slate somewhat in 2002. This film is a good candidate for additional festivals and top US markets. (Kim Hollis/BOP)
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