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Amazon.com Based on a flop Broadway play, this film was made for Showtime but given a theatrical release, with not much more success than the stage version. Still, it's an intriguing idea, even if the dramaturgy tends toward the didactic. The jumping-off point here is the scientific discovery that homosexuality is genetic--and that the gene can be detected in prenatal testing. This disrupts the Gold family, where Dad (Garry Marshall) barely tolerates the homosexuality of his son (Brendan Fraser). When pregnant daughter Jennifer Beals, who is married to a geneticist (Jon Tenney), has the test and discovers that her fetus will be gay, she triggers a family debate that pits parents (including mom Faye Dunaway) against son, raising the question of whether they would have aborted Fraser if they'd known he would be gay. Good acting can't overcome heavy-handed dialogue, though Fraser and Marshall are particularly good. --Marshall Fine ... Read more Reviews (18) 
Genetic Research to What End!
This is the story of a close Jewish family who knows that one of their two adult children, their son, David (Brendan Fraser) is gay. Although the parents (Garry Marshall and Faye Dunaway) obviously love both their son and daughter (Jennifer Beals), they are not overly pleased by their son's sexual orientation. In between outright denial, there are some no so subtle indications where their feelings lay. (i.e., the daughter takes a bite out of her brother's cookie and the mother gets momentarily ballistic -- indicating they should not be sharing the cookie in case ... AIDS WORRIES OF COURSE (she never says it outright but the message is crystal clear). The father chimes in that they "can afford for everyone to have their own" cookie in better check of his desire to live in a make-believe world of denial -- yet still supporting his wife's worry; while daughter's doctor-husband comes to everything involving the family, Fraser's partner is not acknowledged or invited, etc.) Yet there is still a sense of love very evident within the family but their is definite tension and disapproval around David's sexuality. All the dancing around the sexuality is explosively shattered when the daughter becomes pregnant and her geneticist husband is talked into having a full genetic screening on the fetus by his boss. He accedes and all is normal EXCEPT -- the kid has a 90% chance of turning out gay. What should they do? The story presents some very realistic challenges to the entire question of what we will do with pre-natal genetic screening as it becomes more and more available and comprehensive that is presently very close to being available. While this kind of research seems fascinating, there is a double edge to it. Will parents abort the unborn until they come up with is their idea of the "perfect" child. (If they find high dispositons toward alcoholism, drug addiction, various diseases (even potentially non-fata, sexual orientation, ADD, eye and hair color or just plain sex -- female vrs. desired male, and on and on...) become screens we place as information available to parents by which they may choose to keep the child or terminate the the pregnancy? Indeed challenging questions! "The Twilight of the Golds" brings this dilemma to life through the story and the decision whether to keep or terminate the pregnancy of the Gold's daughter and son-in-law. Despite the typical family routine of swearing everyone is to secrecy so David won't find out about it while they try to make a decision, as is the case in most families, everyone eventually knows all. David challenges his parents and his sister on even the thought of aborting the child. The result is a severe alientaion between David and the family. Ending could change that but I don't want to give it away.I thought the film was captivating on one hand and frightening on another. This is not a romantic film; I wouldn't suggest it for a date night. Yet, it is a story needing to be told and I believe the cast did a fine job of getting the point across. I applaud those who endeavored to adapt this play and actually produce it -- although for television. This is a film many people should make an effort to see, to really think about, to discuss with others. It is a film appropriate for doctors and lawyers, prospective practitioners in both fields, educators and prospective parents. The issues presented here are real ones that we all need to examine. Good cast, story might have been written moretightly, yet, the points are made. I've watched this film four or five times at this point and can't leave it feeling just a bit more uncomfortable with what comes with knowledge -- responsibility. How we integrate both has always been a tremendous challenge. What may have seemed to be futuristic quasi-science fiction possibility is coming more and more to reality. What do we so with the knowledge -- what is within the scope of our humanness to decide -- to take responsibility for?It's not a downer so don't avoid it based on the challenges it will present you. Overall, the film moves and it avoids becoming morbid. The characters are just too real and engaging and the side-events of life allow us to digest the situation more slowly than being hit over the head with it. See it with friends who will discuss it with you!
Awesome acting; can this be in our future?
Twilight of the Golds is a very well acted story based on the premise that we have the technology to predict not only an unborn baby's sex and eye color but also their tendencies - intelligence; left or right handedness and sexual preference. Brendan Fraser is stellar as the gay brother and future uncle of a sister's Jennifer Beals' unborn potential gay son. Should she have the baby? Should she terminate the pregnancy? Does it make a differncre? Should we know ahead of time what the child should be like? These questions are tackled and the acting is superb. Veteran director/producer Garry Marshall plays the patriach of the movie with a wonderful performance. Faye Dunaway plays his wife in an excellent role for her. Rosie O'Donnell plays a co-worker of Jennifer Beals. A great movie that I reccomend whole heartedly. A great addition to your video or DVD collection.
A fantastic, outstanding film!! did I mention it's good?
The other reviews describe the story line and what I would have to say beyond the basics is how fantastic every aspect of this film is. The acting in top quality, the production quality is excellant and the story is magnificent. It was refreshing to see a movie that is not about HIV, coming out, sexual over activity or hiding who you are. The gay rolls are played with confidence and honor. A top quality roll model for expanding the concepts of what it is to be gay. I give this film the highest marks and strongly recommend it to everyone!! Oscar quality 100% in my humble opinion.
Thought provoking
I thought this movie was very well acted. It dealt with some very touchy issues for most people. When David, played by Brendan Fraser, finds out his sister is carrying a baby who will probably be gay it leaves him questioning his own homosexuality. After asking his parents what they would have done if they had know he was gay and getting a very hurtful response he cuts off all ties with them and his sister.
It poses the question, "does my life have meaning?". Also the issues of genetic testing are explored as well as abortion.
A Good Movie With Good Acting!
Based on the play by Jonathan Tolins, who also wrote the screenplay for this movie, THE TWILIGHT OF THE GOLDS grapples with this ethical question: would you abort a male fetus that science says has a 90% chance of being gay? This is the dilemma facing Jennifer Beals and her doctor husband. To further complicate matters, her only brother-- played by Brandan Fraser--is gay. When forced by Fraser to say how he stands on this heartwrenching situation, his father retorts that Fraser essentially is sick. While such a statement from any parent doesn't make for a good day for any child, gay or straight, there really are no villains here, just decent though at times misguided people struggling to do what they think is right and what they can live with. Such a plot obviously makes for real emotion, and the acting in general is superb althought I thought Faye Dunaway at times did a bit of overacting. Both Fraser and Beals give excellent performances. (The British movie director John Schlesinger has a minor part as a doctor/scientist.)
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Warm Fuzzy Film, Some Funny Moments, Otherwise Forgettable