I had the privilege of meeting C. Jay Cox, director of one of Mary Kay Place's latest movies, Latter Days at the Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival.
On November 15, 2003, the Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival screened Latter Days. Director C. Jay Cox and actors Wes Ramsey, Steve Sandvoss, and Jacqueline Bisset were all in attendance for a brief Q & A after the film and for an after show party. The festival organizers presented Ms. Bisset with a career achievement award prior to the film. We had planned to attend this screening not knowing that the stars and director would be there. We also ironically didn't even recall that Mary Kay Place was in the movie!
I had the privilege to ask Mr. Cox a question during the Q & A session. I prefaced my question by telling him about the Mary Kay Place Place. Then I commented on how great Mary Kay was in her rather unsympathetic role of the Mormon mother of a gay son. I asked the director how he elicited such a powerful performance from Mary Kay (who usually plays either very even keeled or lovable and mildly goofy characters, such as Pearl Smooter in Sweet Home Alabama, which Mr. Cox wrote as well). He responded by commenting on how the real task was getting her cast in the part. He said that once that had been accomplished, her performance didn't need any eliciting since she simply has that much talent.
He then passed the microphone to Steve Sandvoss who played Mary Kay's character's son. He commented that they got along well right away. He said that Mary Kay looked a lot like his own mother so that he easily could react to her as though she were his mother. He also said that Mary Kay's extensive experience in film was reassuring in their scenes together.
Since this was our first time seeing this movie, it must be said that we thought that Mary Kay's performance is easily worthy of Oscar contention. My partner Charles likened it to Beatrice Straight's brief but emotionally arresting scene in Network, for which she won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress. Both actresses chewed the hell out of their respective character's passionate scenes, however short on screen time.
Please consider this a definite recommendation that you see this movie. It's poignant, funny, surprising, and thought-provoking. Mary Kay is excellent, as usual, and the two leads are well cast and quite good. Ms. Bisset has some great one-liners, too. She is sort of the sage of the film. I particularly like the way that Mr. Cox wrote the character Aaron, the Mormon missionary. Sandvoss plays him quite realistically, and it is clear that he and Cox did their research regarding this role.
The national release date is scheduled for January 30, 2004, in most major markets. Because of the movie's gay theme, it may be relegated to "select theaters," so that you might have to look for this one. It's worth it. If it does not play in your area, the director said that the DVD will be available around the summer of 2004.
Here is a link to the film's official site:
http://www.latterdaysmovie.com
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