Rating: NNN
BIG EDEN (Thomas Bezucha) stars Arye Gross as gay New York artist Henry, who returns to his small Montana hometown to take care of his grandfather, who has suffered a stroke. Henry’s unease increases when Dean (Tim DeKay) — the straight guy he had a crush on in high school — turns up and Pike (Eric Schweig), a silent, closeted native man, woos hims with gourmet cooking. Big Eden is a glorified Northern Exposure episode in which a quirky town exudes gay-positive vibes, cheering on opposites Henry and Pike. Writer/director Bezucha’s good-humoured, wishful thinking is very appealing: gay or straight, who wouldn’t want to live in a place where people are unconditionally accepting? 118 minutes. NNN (IR)
