A Home At The End of The World is the second adaptation of a novel by the brilliant Michael Cunningham. The first was of course The Hours - I loved both the book and the film with a passion that none of my fellow web-scribes share and occasionally draws me into the crossfire or their jokes. I still maintain that Kidman fully deserved her Oscar and to this day I can stare into the prosthetically altered visage of Virginia Wolf and not see a trace of the actress beneath. Rick Baker could have whipped up a full-on werewolf mask and not have disguised Nicole Kidman any better. Nor could David Hare have more perfectly captured the spirit and subtle emotional nuances of the book.

For A Home At The End of The World, first time writer-director Michael Mayer actually adapts his film from a screenplay that Cunningham himself wrote for his book, and though overall I enjoyed this film, it was certainly far less successful in capturing the resonance and complexities of the novel. Though the two stories are quite dissimilar, Cunningham once again delves into the nature of relationships and how homosexuality affects them. Home is essential a story of an experimental triangular marriage between two men and a woman and in the process demonstrates how traditional emotions, jealousies and human nature play against it, regardless the love, commitment and genuine effort they all invest in it.

The performances are all as solid as you would expect from pros like Sissy Spacek, Robin Wright Penn, Colin Farrell and Dallas Roberts. The story begins in the late sixties as Bobby (Andrew Chalmers as the young version of Colin Farrell's character) gets an early education into the adult ways of the world courtesy of his big brother who introduces the pre-teen to marijuana and acid and sex. During a wild party at Bobby's parents home his brother is killed in an accident and within a year he loses both of his parents. The preternatural charming lad is adopted by the family of a friend (Harris Allen as the younger version of Dallas Roberts character Jonathan). Jonathan is sexually confused at the time and soon expresses his homosexual inclinations toward Bobby and they become awkward young lovers as well as close friends. It is during these early goings that we begin to see the resentment that Jonathan harbors toward his new brother. Though Bobby seeks only acceptance and wants nothing more than to be loved by his new family - his beauty and innocent openness charms Jonathan's parents, even arousing some minor sexual undertones from his mother (Spacek).

Due to his jealousy and the shame he feels after being discovered in a compromising homosexual encounter, by his mother - Jonathan is the first to leave the nest. Finding the ideal environment for his lifestyle in the Soho district of New York, he sates his promiscuous homosexual appetite, while finding a female soulmate in the person of an eccentric artist played by Robin Wright Penn. Their relationship is a vague one, to be sure, switching daily between platonic friendship to occasional sexual encounters.

Meanwhile Bobby is still living with his adoptive parents (Spacek and Matt Frewer) apprehensive as he is about leaving behind the only vestige of family that remains to him. Alas he is summoned to New York to reunite with Jonathan and before you can count to three the triangular relationship is born. I won't spoil it for you by telling you who is truly in love with whom and whose feelings get hurt when and why. I will say that this portion of the movie is crafted with great sensitivity, realistic dialogue and no small amount of smarts.

The threesome soon become pregnant with a girl child (Rebecca) and our brave new trio decides to escape the environs of the big city and find a house to call home up state near Woodstock.. Though this film never manages to equal the emotional impact of The Hours it remains compelling throughout, thanks to plenty of courageous love scenes by all involved, and a big heart that underpins the proceedings from the get go. Farrell is very bold in this role and by turning in such a candid homosexual performance (Alexander pales by comparison) he has pretty much increased the number of people who want to have sex with him to about 70 per cent of the adult population.

There is a bittersweet quality to much of the film, no more so than at the films end, but there is also a lively celebration of life, love and freedom that rings loudly From A Home At The End of The World. One that I would recommend you experience yourself.