The Man From Elysian Fields

Synopsis: Byron Tiller (Andy Garcia), married with one child, has had one novel published. It was well reviewed but he has not been able to make a living as a writer. He meets Luther Fox (Mick Jagger) and begins working at Elysian Fields, an escort agency servicing upmarket women. In the process he meets Andrea Allcott (Olivia Williams) whose wealthy but dying husband (James Coburn) invites him to co-author his next best-selling novel. Byron agrees but can something begun in deceit ever be that good?

I have never read a work of popular fiction, the sort of thing that Colleen McCullough, John Grisham or James Coburn's character, Tobias Alcott, writes but I imagine that they all share an engagingly exotic narrative with an unequivocal moral message acted out by clearly-delineated "interesting" characters. The Man From Elysian Fields is a sort of cinematic equivalent - an easily consumable, but not brainless, yarn about an ordinary-enough joe who falls prey to his fantasies of fame and fortune and eventually finds redemption. In other words, well-made, entertaining stuff to while away your idle hours.

The highlight for me and I'm sure a legion of Jagger fans is Magic Mick's performance, easily the best thing he's done since Performance, not that that's saying much (I quite liked his Ned Kelly I must say). The aging roué is, of course, an ongoing role for Jagger, and it was inspired casting to put him in the Luther Fox (a reference presumably to James Fox, his opposite number in Performance) role. Jagger, here characteristically lithe but as creased as a rhino's scrotum, could have made a hash of it, leering around like a superannuated satyr but he actually invests the role with a believable pathos and his carefully controlled performance is well-suited to a character who has spent his whole life faking enjoyment. James Coburn should also be singled out for an honorable mention. And if you're wondering what Anjelica Huston is doing in a bit part opposite Jagger, as a long-time friend she did it as a favour to him, apparently shooting all their scenes together in one evening. It's tough in the movie industry.

Smoothly-made and visually pleasing (Hickenlooper is best known as co-director of the excellent doco, Hearts of Darkness, about the making of Coppola's Apocalypse Now, he also directed Some Folks Call It A Slingblade, a short film which inspired Billy Bob Thornton's Sling Bade), the downside is the storyline which unfolds with near-derisible facility. Byron meeting Andrea on his first date, who just happens to be married to his career ideal who just happens to need a co-author, despite flagrant absenteeism, his wife doesn't suspect him of shenanigans until the film's 90% over. And so on. But the idea here was clearly to provide some nicely packaged entertainment for a baby-boomer audience not to give us a slice of real life. If you fit that demographic and that's what you're after, chances are you'll enjoy this.

 

 

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