Search - Unconditional Love on DVD

Virgie B. from WSHNGTN CT HS, OH
Reviewed on 7/26/2011...

i love this movie. it is so funny and heartwarming

1 of 1 member(s) found this review helpful.

DIANE M. (bookaholic) from PARADISE, PA
Reviewed on 11/27/2009...

I happened upon this gem one night on cable tv. I like Kathy Bates, Rupert Everett and Dan Ackroyd so I thought I would give it a try. I am so glad that I did. This movie was so entertaining yet hard to describe. I guess it could be considered a comedy/drama with the emphasis on comedy but it was also part murder mystery too. Oh, you could also add a dash of inspiration and music. The cast was excellent. Kathy Bates and Rupert Everett were at their best. (Everett claims this is his favorite role.) And Meredith Eaton, who is a beautiful dwarf in real life, steals the scenes as Bates' wise-cracking dwarf daughter in law. The story starts out with Kathy Bates being dumped by her husband, Dan Ackroyd and then also finding out that her favorite British male singer(Tom Jones type) has been murdered by a serial killer and she decides to travel to London to go to his funeral. Okay, that is the drama part. After that, the comedy kicks in and it is fun for the rest of the movie. The story is very original with many twists and turns and even more laughs. It is a perfect blend of American and British humor. If you are tired of the comedies that are full of stupid tasteless jokes and gross humor and want something more to entertain you, I recommend this one. It was unpredictable and fascinating.

5 of 5 member(s) found this review helpful.

"Why do birds suddenly appear?"

D. Knouse | vancouver, washington United States | 12/08/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I was trapped!!! I was over at my Mother's house and at the last moment, in a state of absolute resignation, I agreed to watch this movie. Before I came over I heard her relay the brief synopsis of the film over the phone and I was expecting a ridiculous yarn filled with ridiculous characters. It has all that, but it is more often than not surprisingly entertaining. Kathy Bates is the brightest star here and she portrays her "homemaker" character with great subtelty and depth, making her instantly likeable. Rupert Everett shows up about a third of the way into the film and is just one of the many character actors in this film that shine upon arrival. The major flaws appear when the viewer starts thinking too much. In fact, sometimes thinking at all will ruin a scene. For instance(s), there are some great moments when characters break out in song. Even though the scene calls for singing to occur it is still very refreshing amid all the crazy and far-fetched plotting circling around. Kathy Bates sings! She has more than just a pleasant voice. I was often impressed. She carries this film, being the proverbial "heart" of the story, but the entire cast is superb. There are even a few cameo appearances including Barry Manilow and Julie Andrews. This movie is completely unbelievable, but overall, it is a surprising and entertaining film. Recommended."

Unconditional Love for This Movie

Aaron S. Holbritter | Troy, NY | 08/04/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"A common housewife seeks adventure after her husband leaves her. A Dead Pops stars gay lover seeks recogniton after his death. An unlikely trio stalks a serial killer. It may sound like three seperate movies, but P.J. Hogan's (Muriel's Wedding, My Best Friend's Wedding) Unconditional Love is a wonderful mish-mash of a movie that kept me howling.Not everyone will love this movie. In fact, some will downright hate it, but I loved it. It received no theatrical release in the US (except for the Philadelphia Gay and Lesbian film festival) and isn't set for DVD release until October, but the Starz Cable Movie network is now showing it, and boy am I glad. Not everything works in the film. The plots don't always gel, and you spend quite a bit of time trying to make sense of it all. Hogan is a bit self-indulgent, but if you trust him, and let go of your conventional idea of what a good movie should be, you'll have a hell of a lot of fun.Bates is fantastic as a put-upon house wife Grace Beasely, who adores Pop Icon Victor Fox (Jonathan Pryce). Her husband (Dan Akroyd) tells her one morning that he doesn't have enough danger in his life, and he's leaving. Determined to start living herself, and at the urging of her dwarf daughter-in-law Maudey (ilariously portrayed by Meredith Eaton) Grace manages to score a ticket to a taping of his Christmas special. Unfortunately, that morning, Fox is found the victim of the Cross-bow Killer under the streets of Chicago.Grace, pushed to a point of know return, decides to go to England for the singer's funeral. There she meets Dirk (Everet), his Valet and long-time companion. Dirk is holed up in the singers home, which is much in the demand of Victor's three sisters, who want to turn it into a Graceland like tourist shrine. The two form a strange bond, and decide to return to Chicago to find the serial killer and avenge his death, Dirk will claim his rightful in history place as Victor's companion, Grace will get her husband back, and maybe even Maudey will reconcile with her husband.Yeah, that's a lot of movie. And to top it all off, there's Salley Jesse Raphael, Barry Manilow and Dame Julie Andrews to keep you on your toes. Despite all this, Hogan keeps it all going and the laughs coming. We all loved the singing numbers in Hogan's previous films (Abba, Dionne Warwick) and there's plenty of that here. It's off beat, so off beat that it's rhythm is hard to find, but that's all made up for by great performances.Bates is central to this, and in her capable hands, the character of Grace walks a very thin line between pathetic and obnoxious, but gives her enough empathy and humor to make us route for her through it all. Everet again creates a wonderfully complex character that we start out not liking very much, but warm too as he peels back the layers. Lynn Redgrave and Stephanie Beacham are superb as two of Victor Fox's uptight sisters, and I can't say enough womderful things about Eaton. She scores with her fantastic delivery of the line: "Nobody messes with a dwarf in a red raincoat". With Everet and Bates, stalking the serial killer in the bowels of Chicago, the Housewife, Gay guy and Dwarf are a trio to be reckoned with.I'll admit, it doesn't know what kind of movie it wants to be, but so what? It tells a great, funny, poignant, often corny (we're talking Barry Manilow and Julie Andrews here) story about people needing to find fulfillment and meaning in their lives. It all wraps up in sacharine sweet happy ending and a pseudo musical number that had me grinning from ear to ear. It was also great to see again the wonderful country house used in Merchant Ivory's "Howard's End", which serves as Fox's much coveted childhood home.Yes, it has it's it's faults, but I love it anyway. But, after all, isn't that what you would call Unconditional Love?"

A surprise charmer of a film

gac1003 | 10/27/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Life isn't going very well for Grace Beasley. First, her husband Max decides to end their 25-year marriage so that he can live life more dangerously. And, then, her favorite singer Victor Fox is murdered by the Crossbow Killer. Determined to turn her life around, she sets off for England to pay her last respects at Victor's funeral.Events take a unique turn when Grace meets Victor's lover, Dirk Simpson, and Victor's three sisters. Seems they want to evict Dirk from their brother's house, but Dirk insists that Victor left it to him. Grace and Dirk form a quick friendship and get back at the three sisters. Then, Grace convinces Dirk to come back to Chicago with her to find the Crossbow Killer.A little "out there" at times with the plot, this movie is still quite charming and funny. Kathy Bates is both warm and hysterical as Grace. Rupert Everett is equally charming and funny as Dirk Simpson. Even Julie Andrews shows up in two of the best moments in the film. But ,Meredith Eaton steals the movie as Grace's dwarf daughter-in-law Maudey. She's brash and funny and gives one of the best performances I've seen. The only extras on the DVD are a theatrical trailer and a deleted scene. It's still a movie that surprised me with its charm and humor."