`Long Island' Fueled by Performances

In the past, Jason Priestley has played roles, such as the character Brandon on the hit TV show "Beverly Hills 90210," that have propelled him into nationwide teen idolhood. Similarly, Ronnie Bostock, the heart-throb B-movie actor that Priestly plays in Richard Kwietniowski's debut film, Love and Death on Long Island, occupies an equivalent pop-culture status. Ronnie's biggest fan, however, is not the typical hormone-racked female teenager, but rather the established middle-aged English writer, Giles De'Ath, convincingly played by John Hurt. Hurt gives the film his very best, but he can't overcome the 90210-esque acting of Priestley and the movie's stationary storyline.

John Hurt's performance is the driving force of the film. Giles is a relic of a quaint English past; he is mystified by such modern forms of technology as the VCR and maintains a perpetually erudite air. Perhaps, it is a yearning for a freshness and energy in his life that fuels his obsession for the unsuspecting Ronnie. Hurt plays his role both intelligently and ardently; his emotions for Ronnie are poignantly tangible. At first, he appears as a slightly depressed man who after losing his wife a few years back is looking for a new interest in life. His lucky break comes when, instead of buying a ticket for the film adaptation of E.M. Forster's Eternal Moment, he purchases one for a silly teen movie titled Hotpants College II. Giles' attention drifts until he spots the mesmerizing visage of Ronnie Bostock. Ronnie has just been doused with ketchup and lies strewn across a diner counter in a pose that reminds the well-educated Giles of the Pre-Raphaelite painting of the death of Chatterton. From this pivotal point onwards the movie focuses around Gilesi unceasing fixation with Ronnie.

Giles' adolescent-style interest in Ronnie grows rapidly and disturbingly. Some of the best scenes in the movie are the early ones in which Giles explores creative new ways to further his infatuation with Ronnie. Before long, he has accumulated every pop-culture photograph of Ronnie and has stored them an album that he touchingly labels Bostockiana. It is during Giles' intense periods of fantasy, that Hurt's superb acting conveys to us just how deep Giles' emotions extend. John Hurt adopts vacant facial expressions and daydreamy tones of voice that prove this is more than a crush. At one point, when Giles is supposed to give a lecture on some esoteric element of literature, he instead delves into the topic of acting. As he describes what makes a good actor, we see Giles' mental visualizations of Ronnie's various smiles. Hurt skillfully portrays his character's anguish through his earnestly heartfelt stares and contemplative manner of speech.

Kwietniowski's adept directing helps to further portray Giles' feelings for Ronnie. His steady camera and intentional dearth of cutting adds to the determined tone of the movie. We are never shocked by rapid movements of the camera but are instead convinced of a mounting tension through slow but deliberate cutting. Kwietniowski also includes enough dream sequences and slow-motion camera shots to add an eerie quality to the film. An example of his skill is his shot of the first encounter between Ronnie and Giles. The camera focuses on their handshake as Ronnie removes his hand and Giles keep his extended. Where Kwietniowski fails is by not adding other subtexts or parallel storylines; the result is that Love and Death on Long Island is rather one-dimensional.Giles' obsession for Ronnie becomes tiresome andunfulfilling. For each new way that Gilesdiscovers to further his foray into the world ofBostockiana, we begin to lose interest in hisemotions.

What partially saves the film from thisslightly monotonous tone is Kwietniowski'sridiculing of Giles' manners. Consistently, Gilesfumbles in the ways of technology and pop-culture.He mistakes microwaves for VCRs and marvels at acordless telephone. Despite these pleasantadditions of humor, the film still recedes into asort of sameness that saps our enthusiasm. Itdoesn't help that Ronnie Bostock is not nearly asinteresting and seductive as Giles' preoccupationshould demand. Priestley plays his roleadequately, but he doesn't exactly ooze superhumansexuality or personality. In short, Ronnie is notmuch more absorbing than the dumb roles he playsin the movies and on television. Ronnie evennaively asks Giles, "Are you saying, that ifShakespeare were alive today, he'd be doing thingslike Hotpants College?"

In comparison to Hurt's astute acting,Priestley's is fair but unmemorable. He and his90210 buddies might have graduated from college,but he hasn't moved on to the next level ofacting. Ronnie's girlfriend in the movie, Audrey,played by Fiona Loewi, makes her presence known.Not only is she naturally beautiful but she playsher role with an alluring animation. She alsopresents her character with a keeness thatseparates her from the typical airhead. Gilesunderstands that she is an obstacle in his path towinning Ronnie's love. While he still retains hopethat he will succeed, we know his love will remainunrequited.

Love and Death on Long Island is a goodshowcase for John Hurt's talents, the prettyperformance of Fiona Loewi and the budding skillsof director, Richard Kwietniowski. It alsopresents an interesting dilemma about how anelderly man reclaims love and youthfulness, but itlacks a sufficient degree of consistent tensionand energy to make this a must-see

What partially saves the film from thisslightly monotonous tone is Kwietniowski'sridiculing of Giles' manners. Consistently, Gilesfumbles in the ways of technology and pop-culture.He mistakes microwaves for VCRs and marvels at acordless telephone. Despite these pleasantadditions of humor, the film still recedes into asort of sameness that saps our enthusiasm. Itdoesn't help that Ronnie Bostock is not nearly asinteresting and seductive as Giles' preoccupationshould demand. Priestley plays his roleadequately, but he doesn't exactly ooze superhumansexuality or personality. In short, Ronnie is notmuch more absorbing than the dumb roles he playsin the movies and on television. Ronnie evennaively asks Giles, "Are you saying, that ifShakespeare were alive today, he'd be doing thingslike Hotpants College?"

In comparison to Hurt's astute acting,Priestley's is fair but unmemorable. He and his90210 buddies might have graduated from college,but he hasn't moved on to the next level ofacting. Ronnie's girlfriend in the movie, Audrey,played by Fiona Loewi, makes her presence known.Not only is she naturally beautiful but she playsher role with an alluring animation. She alsopresents her character with a keeness thatseparates her from the typical airhead. Gilesunderstands that she is an obstacle in his path towinning Ronnie's love. While he still retains hopethat he will succeed, we know his love will remainunrequited.

Love and Death on Long Island is a goodshowcase for John Hurt's talents, the prettyperformance of Fiona Loewi and the budding skillsof director, Richard Kwietniowski. It alsopresents an interesting dilemma about how anelderly man reclaims love and youthfulness, but itlacks a sufficient degree of consistent tensionand energy to make this a must-see