Author: Evan D.
"Patrick"
Directed by: Valerie Faris
Written by: Robert Kuhn and Michael Druker
Produced by: Jim Powers, John Malkovich, and Bruce Cohen
Score: Danny Elfman
Costumes: Nancy Steiner
Production Design: Inbal Weinberg
Cinematography: Antonio Calvache
Film Editing: Pamela Martin
CAST
Gordon - Lee Pace
Patrick - Colin Ford
Steven - Colin Ferrel
Eva - Marisa Tomei
Isabelle - Liana Liberato
Tagline: "mistakes are the growing pains of life."
Synopsis
It's always been Gordon's (Pace) dream to live in a big house in the suburbs with his husband and have a child, and with it, a normal life. That dream is finally being realized as he and his ad-executive husband Steven (Ferrel) have just moved into a three story house in the suburbs of Phoenix, Arizona and are over 6 months into the process of trying to adopt a child from outside the USA. They've painted the nursery a neutral pastel shade of turquoise, bought a crib and a ton of toys, and are just waiting to hear when they'll receive their kid. But on their next regularly scheduled meeting with their adoption agency, Gordon and Steven are told that the agency can't find any country willing to have gay parents adopt. The agency suggests a domestic adoption and the couple agrees to it as long as they'll get their baby.
6 weeks later, Gordon receives a letter from the agency telling him that they have a child for the couple, Patrick age 1.5, and that he will be with them in 3 weeks. Overjoyed, the couple tells everyone they know, including Steven's ex-wife Eva (Tomei) and daughter Isabelle (Liberato) who are a bit shocked that Steven is starting a whole new family, assuming his romance with Gordon was some sort of mid-life crisis. In 3 weeks though, when Patrick (Ford) does arrive, the couple realizes there's been a huge mistake. Patrick is not age 1.5, he's 15 and with a troubled past and criminal record. Thinking that the agency must have sent the wrong child, Steven drives to their headquarters with Patrick and Steven but they've closed early on friday until the following tuesday for the Memorial Day holiday. Thus, Gordon and Steven are stuck with Patrick until tuesday. Patrick initially doesn't dislike Gordon and Steven, thinking they are brothers. However, when he realizes their gay, he taunts them and says he refuses to live with gays, believing the stereotype that all gays are pedophiles. Gordon isn't put off, trying his best to connect with him, but Steven thinks Patrick is dangerous and rude, going as far as to not sleep at night to make sure Patrick doesn't steal anything. Over the next few days, Patrick and Steven continue to be at odds with each other, and by tuesday Steven is more than happy to have Patrick finally leave. Gordon, however, thinks Patrick is actually a good kid, seeing his interactions with Eva and Isabelle when they came to visit, and thinks he just might need a stable home.
When the couple meets with the panel at the agency, they are told that the only mistake was the period that was accidentally put between the "1" and the "5" on the first letter that the couple received. There was never a baby, only 15 year old Patrick. The couple are heartbroken, but Gordon doesn't want Patrick to be put back in the system. Steven is infuriated and gives Gordon an ultimatum, saying it's either Patrick or him. Gordon can't let Patrick be put back in a foster home, and Steven leaves. Patrick and Gordon spend the next few weeks growing closer, and Gordon learns that Patrick is really good with plants and landscaping and the two work together on Gordon's yard. Pretty soon, Patrick is the most in demand commodity in the neighborhood, making Gordon, who once felt ostracized, finally feel more accepted by his neighbors. Gordon decides to petition the adoption board and try to adopt Patrick himself. However, he would have to start the process all over again as his previous approval had been based off of partnership with Steven. The agency tells him that they've found a suitable home for Patrick and that he'll be off Gordon's hands in two weeks.
Upon hearing the news that he is being adopted, Patrick makes it his mission to get Gordon and Steven back together. He convinces Gordon to go along with it, and on the day that Steven is coming to pick up his things, the two make a pizza and play bad country music in hopes that he'll decide to stay. Steven isn't convinced but he decides to stay for dinner and sees how much Patrick has changed since he left, and what a good job Gordon must have done in bringing the good in him out. The next day, Patrick is picked up by his adoptive father, and leaves. However, he won't be gone forever, that's for sure.
Awards Campaign
"Patrick" is the rare film that really does deserve the label 'heartwarming.' Based jointly off of the 2007 play by Michael Druker (who works with Robert Kuhn on this films often funny and very poignant screenplay) and the 2008 Swedish film "Patrik, Age 1.5," "Patrick" is a beautiful and moving film about family, and the inherent optimism of the human heart. Directed by Valerie Faris, "Patrick" is neither a strict comedy or drama, it sits somewhere in the middle, having many funny scenes, but a more dramatic core. Faris has proven her ability at straddling that line while also pulling great performances out of ensembles ("Little Miss Sunshine"), and she does it once again here. Lee Pace (the star of the short lived television series "Pushing Daisies") is wonderful as Gordon, a man who is so good that he sacrifices the love of his life to help a troubled teenager find a home. Pace is complimented by the always reliable Colin Ferrel who plays his husband, the angry and often intoxicated Steven. Ferrel does a great job at making Steven both a horrendous person, but also someone that we can see what Gordon sees in him, making us hope for them to be together. Marisa Tomei and Liana Liberato are fantastic in their roles as Steven's ex-wife and daughter respectively, and both are excellent additions to the cast. But the most gut-wrenching performance comes from Colin Ford ("We Bought A Zoo") who is devastatingly good as Patrick, a homophobe who's really a good kid at heart (with an affinity for gardening) who truly believes that bad things happen wherever he goes. Ford is phenomenal and whenever he shares the screen with Pace, their easy smiles make you root for their eternal happiness. "Patrick" never overtly pushes a specific agenda, but it's sheer existence shows that adoption reform has entered the mainstream's consciousness. The film also features strong tones of how children learn by watching and listening, and how a kid can so easily be warped by a bad home situation. "Patrick" is a small film, but it has a big heart and a real message about what the word "family" really means in modern America. Family isn't just black or white or straight or gay, it's always changing and always growing.
FYC
Best Picture
Best Director - Valerie Faris
Best Adapted Screenplay
Best Actor - Lee Pace
Best Actor - Colin Ford
Best Supporting Actor - Colin Ferrel
Best Supporting Actress - Marisa Tomei
Best Supporting Actress - Liana Liberato
and
all applicable categories
"Patrick"
Directed by: Valerie Faris
Written by: Robert Kuhn and Michael Druker
Produced by: Jim Powers, John Malkovich, and Bruce Cohen
Score: Danny Elfman
Costumes: Nancy Steiner
Production Design: Inbal Weinberg
Cinematography: Antonio Calvache
Film Editing: Pamela Martin
CAST
Gordon - Lee Pace
Patrick - Colin Ford
Steven - Colin Ferrel
Eva - Marisa Tomei
Isabelle - Liana Liberato
Tagline: "mistakes are the growing pains of life."
Synopsis
It's always been Gordon's (Pace) dream to live in a big house in the suburbs with his husband and have a child, and with it, a normal life. That dream is finally being realized as he and his ad-executive husband Steven (Ferrel) have just moved into a three story house in the suburbs of Phoenix, Arizona and are over 6 months into the process of trying to adopt a child from outside the USA. They've painted the nursery a neutral pastel shade of turquoise, bought a crib and a ton of toys, and are just waiting to hear when they'll receive their kid. But on their next regularly scheduled meeting with their adoption agency, Gordon and Steven are told that the agency can't find any country willing to have gay parents adopt. The agency suggests a domestic adoption and the couple agrees to it as long as they'll get their baby.
6 weeks later, Gordon receives a letter from the agency telling him that they have a child for the couple, Patrick age 1.5, and that he will be with them in 3 weeks. Overjoyed, the couple tells everyone they know, including Steven's ex-wife Eva (Tomei) and daughter Isabelle (Liberato) who are a bit shocked that Steven is starting a whole new family, assuming his romance with Gordon was some sort of mid-life crisis. In 3 weeks though, when Patrick (Ford) does arrive, the couple realizes there's been a huge mistake. Patrick is not age 1.5, he's 15 and with a troubled past and criminal record. Thinking that the agency must have sent the wrong child, Steven drives to their headquarters with Patrick and Steven but they've closed early on friday until the following tuesday for the Memorial Day holiday. Thus, Gordon and Steven are stuck with Patrick until tuesday. Patrick initially doesn't dislike Gordon and Steven, thinking they are brothers. However, when he realizes their gay, he taunts them and says he refuses to live with gays, believing the stereotype that all gays are pedophiles. Gordon isn't put off, trying his best to connect with him, but Steven thinks Patrick is dangerous and rude, going as far as to not sleep at night to make sure Patrick doesn't steal anything. Over the next few days, Patrick and Steven continue to be at odds with each other, and by tuesday Steven is more than happy to have Patrick finally leave. Gordon, however, thinks Patrick is actually a good kid, seeing his interactions with Eva and Isabelle when they came to visit, and thinks he just might need a stable home.
When the couple meets with the panel at the agency, they are told that the only mistake was the period that was accidentally put between the "1" and the "5" on the first letter that the couple received. There was never a baby, only 15 year old Patrick. The couple are heartbroken, but Gordon doesn't want Patrick to be put back in the system. Steven is infuriated and gives Gordon an ultimatum, saying it's either Patrick or him. Gordon can't let Patrick be put back in a foster home, and Steven leaves. Patrick and Gordon spend the next few weeks growing closer, and Gordon learns that Patrick is really good with plants and landscaping and the two work together on Gordon's yard. Pretty soon, Patrick is the most in demand commodity in the neighborhood, making Gordon, who once felt ostracized, finally feel more accepted by his neighbors. Gordon decides to petition the adoption board and try to adopt Patrick himself. However, he would have to start the process all over again as his previous approval had been based off of partnership with Steven. The agency tells him that they've found a suitable home for Patrick and that he'll be off Gordon's hands in two weeks.
Upon hearing the news that he is being adopted, Patrick makes it his mission to get Gordon and Steven back together. He convinces Gordon to go along with it, and on the day that Steven is coming to pick up his things, the two make a pizza and play bad country music in hopes that he'll decide to stay. Steven isn't convinced but he decides to stay for dinner and sees how much Patrick has changed since he left, and what a good job Gordon must have done in bringing the good in him out. The next day, Patrick is picked up by his adoptive father, and leaves. However, he won't be gone forever, that's for sure.
Awards Campaign
"Patrick" is the rare film that really does deserve the label 'heartwarming.' Based jointly off of the 2007 play by Michael Druker (who works with Robert Kuhn on this films often funny and very poignant screenplay) and the 2008 Swedish film "Patrik, Age 1.5," "Patrick" is a beautiful and moving film about family, and the inherent optimism of the human heart. Directed by Valerie Faris, "Patrick" is neither a strict comedy or drama, it sits somewhere in the middle, having many funny scenes, but a more dramatic core. Faris has proven her ability at straddling that line while also pulling great performances out of ensembles ("Little Miss Sunshine"), and she does it once again here. Lee Pace (the star of the short lived television series "Pushing Daisies") is wonderful as Gordon, a man who is so good that he sacrifices the love of his life to help a troubled teenager find a home. Pace is complimented by the always reliable Colin Ferrel who plays his husband, the angry and often intoxicated Steven. Ferrel does a great job at making Steven both a horrendous person, but also someone that we can see what Gordon sees in him, making us hope for them to be together. Marisa Tomei and Liana Liberato are fantastic in their roles as Steven's ex-wife and daughter respectively, and both are excellent additions to the cast. But the most gut-wrenching performance comes from Colin Ford ("We Bought A Zoo") who is devastatingly good as Patrick, a homophobe who's really a good kid at heart (with an affinity for gardening) who truly believes that bad things happen wherever he goes. Ford is phenomenal and whenever he shares the screen with Pace, their easy smiles make you root for their eternal happiness. "Patrick" never overtly pushes a specific agenda, but it's sheer existence shows that adoption reform has entered the mainstream's consciousness. The film also features strong tones of how children learn by watching and listening, and how a kid can so easily be warped by a bad home situation. "Patrick" is a small film, but it has a big heart and a real message about what the word "family" really means in modern America. Family isn't just black or white or straight or gay, it's always changing and always growing.
FYC
Best Picture
Best Director - Valerie Faris
Best Adapted Screenplay
Best Actor - Lee Pace
Best Actor - Colin Ford
Best Supporting Actor - Colin Ferrel
Best Supporting Actress - Marisa Tomei
Best Supporting Actress - Liana Liberato
and
all applicable categories