Keith Gordon's Waking the Dead (Part 1 of 2)

It's slow, methodical, economic - it requires some patience because it's a movie with allows itself to breathe, easing slowly into a romantic story on par with Casablanca, a fine companion piece which was also more a story of struggles with idealism than true love. That's what makes the romance in these films all the more powerful and stirring.

Fielding and Sarah go for long walks in the city parks, have coffee in cafes, and cautiously feel each other out. In lesser hands, these very sweet and tender moments of a budding relationship might have played out like a soap opera, since they are nakedly sentimental, but Gordon tells his story with remarkable economy and a refreshingly open honesty, getting believable and natural performances from Crudup and Connelly.

This romance plays out against the backdrop of political change and social activism. They care for each other because they both want to make those changes to better society, but their approaches are wildly different. Fielding wants to change from the inside, administratively, first as a district attorney and, ultimately, as the president. Sarah moves in different circles, with protestors and radicals.

The film could have easily become bogged down in moral postulating, but keeps its message clear and direct - avoiding a lot of dialogue and observing them practicing what other movies simply use talking heads and rhetoric to illustrate. Sarah goes on dangerous missions to Chile and Fielding moves his way through soirees and dinners with the hoi palloi, playing the game.

Gordon is also particularly good at handling the sensual nature of their relationship, which is playful and sweet. When they're debating a hot issue, and Fielding is starting to go off on her, she starts kissing his stomach. "Hey, what are you doing? Stop that - I'm having a moment, here." he says, laughing. "I had a point I was trying to make..."

CONTINUED IN PART 2

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