Eric Roberts proves once and for all that he is a better actor than his more famous sister in this emotionally draining story.
Nick (Eric Roberts), an artist/house designer, and film director Brandon (Gregory Harrison) are partners who break up soon after Nick finds out he has AIDS. Their eventual separation is shown in tiny scenes in between credits in the opening minutes of the film. Nick moves into another house, taking most of their mutual friends with him, and over a year later he throws a giant two-day party. He invites everyone he knows, from his estranged father to his agent to Brandon, who has not had contact with him in all this time. Nick has taken a turn for the worse, forgetting things, tunnel vision, and poor coordination. So why throw a party? He plans to end his life at the end of the evening.
Director Kleiser, who also wrote this, takes a massive ensemble cast and keeps them reined in enough to be effective, but enough freedom to be entertaining. His approach his very un-Robert Altman, where characters step on each other trying to get his attention. Here, the film is anchored around Roberts and Harrison, and the rest of the cast are friends and family having a hard time saying goodbye. This would make an incredible stage play, easily, but the film itself never gets claustrophobic or boring in its very few sets. Harrison has never been better as Brandon, who is semi-invited by his ex, and pretty much told to leave by everyone who cares about Nick. Roberts plays Nick so well, you know someone who acts just like him. Nick is no saint, Nick and Monty's (Bronson Pinchot) jokes about his upcoming act are in bad taste, and the rest of the cast is ill-at-ease knowing the soon-to-be-departed is stepping away.
As with any good film, knowing the outcome of the story does not ruin the journey getting there. Many actors have cameos, some have few or no lines, relationships and friendships sometimes are not clear, and I thought this filmed party was a lot like real parties in that respect. The overwhelming sadness of the final scenes had me in tears, because, as one character noted, Nick is able to wrap everything up with everyone he knows before he goes. This is not a statement about death with or without dignity, but an honest statement, and one to follow in our daily lives.
This is a powerful film with a powerful message, and it was a long time before I could shake it, and I never will forget it. I definitely recommend this.
