The Dying Gaul (2005)

A bisexual film producer (Campbell Scott) options a film script by a gay writer (Peter Sarsgaard) with the provision that the gay lovers in his script are made heterosexual. They enter an affair although the writer becomes close to the producer's wife (Patricia Clarkson). But when the wife learns of the affair, it leads to a complicated and disturbing tragic path. Based on the play by Craig Lucas (PRELUDE TO A KISS) and directed by him in his directorial film debut. An engrossing and ambitious complicated work but also contrived and borderline pretentious. At its center of his psychological thriller, Lucas has three unlikable characters who do things that make no logical sense except to propel the narrative to its downbeat conclusion. Clarkson is the heart of the film and she's wonderful but Scott is also impressive. On the other hand, Sarsgaard can't resist overacting and he gives an uncomfortably mannered performance. He may as well have unstable tattooed on his forehead yet this Hollywood power couple are entranced with him. Still, with all its flaws (and there are many), this is the kind of original movie making that I wish we saw more of. With Robin Bartlett and Ebon Moss Bachrach.