You can't beat a good plot and good acting. This is a story about writers, writing, love and love for sale. Andy Garcia and James Coburn play the two writers. A surprise actor, who did quite well, without his guitar, was Mick Jagger. There are a couple of unexpected turns in the plot line, but for the most part, it's a straight-line story and a good one. I don't want to say any more about this film for fear of giving away some of the value in seeing it.

The only complaint I had relates to the sound man not adequately picking up all the important dialogue in scenes with background noise, e.g. traffic, ocean and restaurants.

The Elysian Fields existed in both Greek and Roman mythology. For the Greeks it was a pre-Hellenic paradise, a land of perfect peace and happiness. In the works of Homer, Elysium was a land at the farthest and westernmost edge of the world to which the great heroes were carried, body and soul, and made immortal. There they were free to pursue their favorite activities. . Illnesses were unknown. For the Romans, it was a part of the underworld and a place of reward for the virtuous dead.

2002-12-13