The Perfect Son
The Perfect Son is a 2000 Canadian drama film written and directed by Leonard Farlinger. The film centres on Ryan and Theo Taylor, estranged brothers reunited by their father's death. Growing up, Ryan was the "perfect son" and Theo was the "black sheep" who struggled with drug addiction. When Ryan reveals that he is dying of AIDS, however, the brothers attempt to repair their relationship while Theo simultaneously tries to win back his ex-girlfriend Sarah.
The film premiered on September 14, 2000 in the Perspectives Canada stream at the 2000 [Toronto International Film Festival|Toronto International Film Festival].
Production
The film was Farlinger's feature directorial debut. He wrote the script based on his own relationship with his older brother Brian Farlinger, who died of AIDS in 1995. He stated that he chose to cast Feore and Cubitt in part because their significantly different performance styles as actors helped to illuminate the film's themes of familial conflict.The film was shot in Toronto in 1999, as the first film produced by Jennifer Jonas's New Real Films.
Critical response
Peter Howell of the Toronto Star wrote that the movie was weak, but salvaged by Feore's and Cubitt's performances, while Katrina Onstad of the National Post called the film frustratingly slow-moving, but wrote that "just when I'd given up on this film -- I felt drowsy -- the final act of The Perfect Son kicked in, honest and emotional."Marke Andrews of the Vancouver Sun reviewed the film more favourably, writing that although the film was not without problems, Farlinger and the lead actors had successfully rescued it from turning into the dreadful TV movie that a film with this premise could have become.