The Hanging Garden

views updated

The Hanging Garden ★★ 1997 (R)

Bizarre family drama mixes the matter-of-fact and the surreal. Gay 25-year-old Sweet William (Leavins) returns to his rural Nova Scotia home and family after a 10-year absence for the marriage of his sister, Rosemary (Fox). The reunion brings up lots of painful memories and flashes back to the 15-year-old Sweet William (Veinotte), when he was emotionally and physically abused by his psycho father Whiskey Mac (MacNeill). After more crises, the teen hangs himself from a backyard tree. Oh yes, everyone in the present can still see the teen's ghost hanging there, including the adult William. You figure it out. 91m/C VHS, DVD . CA Chris Leavins, Peter MacNeill, Kerry Fox, Seana McKenna, Troy Veinotte, Sarah Polley, Christine Dunsworth, Joel S. Keller, Joan Orenstein; D: Thom Fitzgerald; W: Thom Fitzgerald; C: Daniel Jobin. Genie ‘97: Screenplay, Support. Actor (MacNeill), Support. Actress (McKenna); Toronto-City ‘97: Canadian Feature Film.