Starring Chris Leavins, Troy Veinotte, Seana McKenna, Sarah Polley, Kerry Fox, Peter MacNeill, Joel S. Keller, Joan Orenstein. Written and Directed by Thom Fitzgerald.
In rural Nova Scotia, a family is celebrating the wedding of their eldest daughter Rosemary (Fox) to childhood friend Fletcher (Keller). The eldest son of the family, Sweet William (Leavins), is returning from Toronto after a 10 year absence, but arrives late and everybody's waiting for him. The main reason for his long absence from home was that he's gay, and his hard drinking and violent father Whiskey Mac (MacNeill) and worried and guilt-inducing mother Iris (McKenna) at the time weren't too impressed. Since William left, his mother has done everything she can to keep the family together, including a new younger sister that William has never met till this day.
Rosemary is a wreck - chain-smoking and drinking before the ceremony because she is not sure she's doing the right thing by marrying Fletcher. As we'll see in flashbacks later on, Fletcher and a very obese Sweet William (Veinette) had their very first sexual encounter together, and were caught in the act, causing a minor scandal in the small town. William's only other friend at the time was Rosemary (Polley), and is there to console him. But despondent from self-loathing and rejection by Fletcher, Sweet William hangs himself from the tree. But then, back in real time, the younger Sweet William is still hanging from the tree, taunting the older Sweet William. This is one device that is unexplained and not particularly helpful to the realistic tone of the rest of the film. There are further family skeletons and events that unfold which force Sweet William to come to terms with his upbringing.
The title of The Hanging Garden refers to the lush garden in the family's back yard, and continual cycle of blooming and dying that the garden goes through. Plus, the names of the entire family refer to breeds of flowers. This is Fitzgerald's first film, and his script bristles with energy and and humour. And the largely unknown cast is excellent. Particularly strong are both versions of Sweet William. Leavins plays him with sympathy and poignancy as a young man damaged by his relationship with his parents. Veinette is excellent as the very obese young man abused by his father with low self-esteem, but very sensitive and loved by others. Fox is excellent as the wise-cracking Rosemary, playing her with abandon and energy. Polley is also fine in the small role as the younger Rosemary. But also noteworthy is MacNeill, who plays an unsympathetic drunken boor, but skillfully illustrates he does love his son, and has missed him since he left for Toronto. Overall, it is an excellent study of family dynamics and dysfunction, and well worth seeing.
