Going All the Way [VHS]

The theme which caught my attention most was that of Sonny's sexual frustrations and afflictions with his parents, whose religious beliefs are a matter in which they still assume he opts to follow, or rather neglect to face the fact that he just may no longer want to, like many individuals emerging a certain age, who'll depart from the past and take their own path to whatever life and career that awaits them. But it's not that Sonny necessarily was growing out of the whole scene of going to church every Sunday morning and saying a prayer before going to sleep. It's more that, as detestation grew within him over the years, he has grown to hate God for never bothering to give a helping hand when needed one to pull him out of all this wretchedness, the misery of waking up each morning knowing that he is trapped inside the same slender, opprobrious body and enduring the same life that seemingly never really has any light shed upon it (. . .) I was utterly moved and empathized such tortured souls, for I am quite similar to this character, thereby this very genuine film opens a tremendous amount of interest for its viewing, for I, every time I watch it, feel as though I was watching myself-resemblance between us is that great. I'm not so much proud to admit of the fact, but it's nice to see a film that doesn't concern the usual farfetched subject matters regarding the most inane things, and one that rather concerns issues which can resemble amongst many others out there, such as myself, for instance. Jeremy Davies was terrific depicting this character, capable of delivering both humor and great poignancy to the screen like the natural that he is.
After having to deal with well over fifty actors whose goal was to obtain the roll of Sonny Burns-which essentially exemplifies how many others relate to this character and would like to express their feelings of rage, if you will, on screen-Jeremy Davies impressed the filmmakers with his uncanny take on the character; his brooding, indistinctly-uttered performance ideally captures Sonny's underlying indignation, confusion, and insecurities (. . .)While this synopsis may seem like the premise of a nineteen-fifties feel-good movie, Going All the Way emphatically subverts in any evoked nostalgic feelings. Its twisting narrative veers from relatively straight-although ennui-laden-jesting boy talk to surreal trips into Sonny's disturbed inner world, culminating in a profound and painful moment of sexual humiliation. So while it may seem as a direct comedy, it really isn't, as such a character's deepest desires disintegrate and are clear that a mere "fantasy" is all they'll conspicuously be. Besides, since when has a film that features graphical scenes of those in the progress of slitting their wrists in an attempt to use such unusual actions as a method of rehabilitation, been humorous by any means? Since when, huh? My advice to you would be to ignore the ostentatious synopsis on the back of both the VHS and DVD package, which bluntly describe the film as a "romantic comedy."


Very Insightful   November 27, 2001
ardent_lover (Brooklyn, New York USA)
1 out of 2 found this review helpful

This film about the friendship of two very different men was extroadinary. My hat's off to the director, Mark Pellington, he will most certainly be one of the top ten directors in Hollywood in the very near future. In fact, I think he's there already. It's a must see film.


A film with real depths to it   June 26, 2002
Fady Ghaly (Calgary, Alberta)
4 out of 5 found this review helpful

The lowdown:

Going All the Way is a touching story about learning to let go, coming to terms with yourself, love, and the power of friendship between two young men whose relationship "is the core of the movie," says MTV Award-winning music video director Mark Pellington, whose debut film shows that he clearly knows what he's doing, and that his talents can be set on more than one profession. Pellington tackles the challenge of presenting two authentic young men who we can relate to, and passes with flying colours.

Jeremy Davies is perfect for these kinds of rolls, where he plays a shy, secretive, insecure young man trapped in a boy's body, who's trying to escape his parent's domination... having played two such intriguing rolls in one year, in Going All the Way and in John Patrick Kelley's equally enchanting and moving (but ultimately a little too broody) The Locusts. And although at war with his parents, he also wants to try and make up for all the lonely years he spent in high school masturbating over fevered fantasies beyond the reach of fulfillment. I mean, sure he's got Buddy (just the name makes me cringe) but she's much too available and overall not the sort of woman out of his skin mags who'll sweep him off his feet. Sonny Burns' life is enough to drive anyone to the rubber room, and you truly share his pain. At times, it may have seemed as though he has finally reached that flight of stairs, merely to once again find himself at the very bottom of where he started, of his ultimate goal... to happiness. Jeremy's brooding, partially-mumbled performance perfectly captures his underlying disarray, insecurities, and anger. The thing that's so unique about him is that, while he'll make you sympathise for his suffering at times, he can be so funny at others, that he'll also make you laugh like there's no tomorrow; not many actors have the capability to do that.

This may not be the film that claimed Ben Affleck to fame (Kevin Smith's Chasing Amy was) but it sure was enough of one to really get him noticed (after that, it was no more playing the vileness bully for this guy, I'll tell ya that right now). The man's very presence commands the screen. You watch him, and he's just so cool and casual, that you feel as though he's not even acting at all; he's an expert. When you observe his character, Gunner Casselman, you basically have to look through his physical features, because that rebellious, tough-guy looking image he's given doesn't really say a lot about him since his visit to Japan. We see him depart from his rowdy old high school buddies in a bar to hang around with little old Sonny (even Sonny himself was surprised, as we were, seconds prior to them leaving the scene, driven to a surreal trip inside his head and learned that he thought he was being made fun of), who he'll drag along to art galleries and also take pictures with since Sonny shared his love of picture taking with him. When I look at Gunner, what I see is a hunk with a heart of gold and a fresh outlook on life, who's really begun to discover himself and whose goal is to go to New York because that's not only where he thinks a future career awaits him but it's also a place where he won't have to deal with his naggy mother and her discrimination against his Jewish girlfriend (and Jews in general). I also perceive that he's quite impressed by Sonny, thinking that, while he scored all those touchdowns and lured the girls with his bod and charm back in his high school years, he was an intellectual, when really he spent those very years masturbating if not watching him with awe.

Aside from the catchy oldies tunes, I really enjoyed the dialogue the two young men shared with one another, which was as absorbing as it is true. Among all, one in particular comes to mind, where Gunner was trying to prove a point that "peach pie is fine, but that's all you get? I mean, morning, noon, and night, peach pie? Breakfast, lunch, dinner, peach pie. Peach pie, day in, day out. Day in, peach pie." Jeremy and Ben were terrific together. As improbable a coalition as their character's had, I thought that they, nonetheless, had perfect chemistry together, and were very enjoyable to watch.

Going All the Way is based upon Dan Wakefield's enormously popular novel (one of my favourites, as a matter of fact). Mark Pellington read it at the early age of thirteen after he discovered it sitting in his father's shelf, and immediately fell in love with it. Sixteen years later, he showed his love with the making of the film, which I thank him for, because it's one of a kind. It's a film with real depths to it, that is of a true depiction of the male mind.


Good if you like Davies and Affleck   July 28, 1999
Golden Girls fan (Alabama, USA)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful

Not one of my most beloved favorites, but it was rather entertaining, funny, and deep, but not a masterpiece. Jeremy Davies is well cast as the returning vet who comes home to an overloving and over bearing mother and a strictly business father, and the girl he left behind. All of them eventually get on his nerves, and finds himself unable to control his sexuality. Ben Affleck is equally good as his buddy but has different views on life. From the looks on his face he looks as if he prefers to have worked with Matt Damon rather than with Davies, but what does that matter? Not for everyone's taste or pleasure, but rather amusing to see, especially if the girls saw Davies in "Saving Private Ryan" and want to see more of him. They should get more than their fill here.