Big Eden

It’s rare that I find something that resonates with me on such a level that I feel compelled to make comparisons to my own life. About six years ago, I had found a film on “The Sundance Channel.” I was enjoying the benefits of DirecTV in Illinois and actually was on the look-out for the occasional gay-themed film (not pornography). As the weeks rolled by I would discover a number of independent films. Some were really awful, some were filled with too much drama, and some were just boring as they were so pushed to the limit that their message would just beat you over the head. Then I discovered “Big Eden.”

“Big Eden” takes its title from a small Montana town where the main character, New York artist Henry Hart (Ayre Gross) was raised by his loving grandfather (George Coe). When word reaches Henry that his grandfather has had a stroke, he abandons his big opening at a New York gallery and takes the next flight home.

Though his dealer (Veanne Cox) is shocked by his decision to leave New York -- she can't imagine that there's life for anyone, much less a gay artist, outside Lower Manhattan -- Henry has much more confidence in middle America. His faith is well placed: from the moment Henry steps off the plane, he becomes the object of a matchmaking frenzy among the Big Edenites.

The local busybody, known to one and all as the Widow Thayer (Nan Martin), initially makes a tactical error and invites a group of single women over to meet Henry, but realizing her error, she effortlessly shifts modalities, producing a roomful of eligible bachelors, some imported from as far away as Missoula.

But Henry has eyes only for Dean (Tim DeKay), the all-American hunk who was his best friend in high school, as well as his first great love. Dean is back in Big Eden himself, now -- his marriage having broken up -- and apparently in a mood to experiment. Henry is so excited that he fails to notice that Pike (Eric Schweig), the huge, handsome but painfully shy American Indian who owns and operates this fictional town's general store, is also strongly drawn to him.

Too introverted to mount an above-ground campaign of seduction, Pike begins preparing elaborate gourmet meals and delivering them to Henry and his grandfather, passing them off as the work of the Widow Thayer.

That in a nutshell is the film “Big Eden.” It has become one of my favorite films of all time.

It also to some extent seems to draw a lot of parallels to my life in terms of my work, my love life or lack thereof and the situations that arise out of the current circumstances I find myself in.

If anyone wanted a real insight to what my life has been like over the last ten years, this film is the one to check out. While it doesn’t deal with unemployment, or personal health issues most of the other material in the film is relevant in one way or another.

People have commented in the past that they just don’t understand me. Find this film on cable or go out and try to rent it. You’ll have a greater insight then you had before. I still haven’t found the happy ending depicted in the film, but I may be closer to it now than ever before.

Until next time,

Dave

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