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  Feast of Love

Starring: Morgan Freeman, Greg Kinnear, Radha Mitchell, Jane Alexander

Directed by: Robert Benton

Produced by: Gary Lucchesi, Tom Rosenberg, Richard Wright

Written by: Allison Burnett

Distributor: Miramax Films, MGM Distribution Company

 

     Robert Benton’s inept Feast of Love is one of those films that probably sounded like a surefire success during its studio pitch-meeting, but ended up a ghastly creation due to the lack of effort put into its making. I admit that I eagerly awaited the picture’s release; the trailers promoting it promised a winning effort from a beloved director (Benton also made the Dustin Hoffman-classic Kramer vs. Kramer). After all, what’s not to adore about the idea behind Feast of Love? On paper and in short clips, the film appears to be a romantic, introspective look at human relationships as told through intersecting stories featuring great performances by veteran actors such as Morgan Freeman and Greg Kinnear. Completed, the genuine article isn’t anything like this. Sure, it’s directed by Benton. Sure, it’s about love, as promised by the title. And sure, Freeman and Kinnear appear onscreen. But there’s no magic here, whatsoever. All Feast of Love has to offer is a screenplay full of moldy love-story clichés and a bunch of talented actors monotonously crooning said screenplay’s unpleasant dialogue in order to make a quick buck. The movie could’ve just easily been shot over two days in a 48-Hour Film Competition as it was in the month that Benton actually took to do so (this figure, of course, does not include the time it took for writer Allison Burnett to adapt the script from Charles Baxter’s novel). It’s that unoriginal. In fact, had Benton simply filmed Kinnear and Freeman improvising conversation without a script, the result probably would’ve been more inspired than Feast of Love. Given its respectable credentials, this picture comes as nothing but a sour, sour disappointment.

 

-Danny Baldwin, Bucket Reviews

Review Published on: 10.2.2007

 

Feast of Love is rated R and runs 102 minutes.


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