Unlike several major studio productions, in which homosexuality is used either as an issue or as comic relief, PARTING GLANCES takes an inside look at New York's gay community. The pain and joys of love, unspoken cultural rules, and the specter of AIDS are all dealt with in an energetic
manner that balances the story's varying shades of emotion.
Michael (Richard Ganoung) is a pleasant young man about to end a six-year relationship with his live-in lover, Robert (John Bolger). Robert is preparing to leave for Africa, ostensibly to accept an employment opportunity, but also to give himself a little breathing room from Michael's steady
companionship. Before going to a dinner to be hosted by Robert's boss, Cecil (Patrick Tull), and his wife, Michael drops by the apartment of Nick (Steve Buscemi), a cynical New Wave musician who is dying of AIDS. Later, as the evening of farewells continues, Michael becomes more despondent.
The plot is fairly simple, but the affection displayed by PARTING GLANCES's marvelous ensemble makes these everyday events something more than commonplace. At the center of it all is Ganoung, who handles his key role well. Buscemi's performance as the dying musician is another standout.
Writer-director Bill Sherwood shows marvelous talent in his feature debut. He deals with touchy issues in a forthright manner and doesn't allow these events to unfold without a well-aimed sense of humor. Sadly, Sherwood himself succumbed to AIDS complications in early 1990. leave a comment
