The Twilight of the Golds (1996) starring Garry Marshall, Faye Dunaway, Jill Bernstein, Mark Shunkey, Jennifer Beals, Brendan Fraser directed by Ross Kagan Marks Movie Review

The Twilight of the Golds (1996)   3/53/53/53/53/5


Brendan Fraser in The Twilight of the Golds (1996)

It's a Boy Thing

The Golds are a typical family who always aspired to better it is why when their daughter Suzanne (Jennifer Beals - Flashdance) married a doctor they were over the moon. When it comes to their son David (Brendan Fraser - Mrs. Winterbourne) things were a bit different as they loved him but as a homosexual they struggled with his lifestyle. Things come to ahead when Suzanne announces she is pregnant and on the urging of her husband has the foetus tested and it is discovered that the baby shares genes with those who are typically homosexual. With Suzanne, her husband and her father considering whether she should have an abortion it makes David feel like an outcast.

Now I am no scientist but I am sure back in 1996 when "The Twilight of the Golds" was released it was impossible to do this sort of gene profiling to the extent that it would be possible to pick up on genetic characterisations in a foetus. But whether it was or wasn't possible it sets up this interesting dilemma and situation and it is the situation which takes precedence. We get to watch the initial conflicted feelings felt by Suzanne when she learns her baby could be gay and then we see how David feels when it is considered whether or not Suzanne should abort her baby because of the likelihood of being gay. And as such it also brings him into conflict with his family and sister who he had always felt close to.

Faye Dunaway and Garry Marshall in The Twilight of the Golds (1996)

Now that makes "The Twilight of the Golds" a thought provoking movie and in being so an interesting one. And at the same time it is a well acted one with each of the cast doing a fantastic job of playing their character types be it Faye Dunaway as a Jewish mother or Brendan Fraser as the homosexual son. But whilst it means we have stereotypes none of them are played over the top keeping them so that they are recognizable but not corny. That is especially the case of Brendan Fraser as David as it is one of the most down to earth portrayals of a homosexual character that I have come across and it allows Fraser to bring the emotional conflict across without it going over the top.

Now having said all that I have to say that "The Twilight of the Golds" is not a great movie, the direction is functionary and whilst thought provoking with various other angles covered such as the role of science and people playing God it does veer towards what feels like artificial optimism. It softens the dramatic aspects of the movie which is a shame because it then stops it from being truly hard hitting.

What this all boils down to is that "The Twilight of the Golds" is a thought provoking movie which is easy to watch and get into. But it does have its flaws and sadly those flaws deduct from the movies power.


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