Written and directed by Nicole Conn, A Perfect Ending is a fresh, empowering chic flick that starts out with natural humor and evolves into an erotic journey. Conn’s previous LGBT films include Claire of the Moon and Elena Undone.
The story revolves around Rebecca, an uptight 50-ish married socialite with three grown children and an offensive husband. When she confesses to her lesbian girlfriends that she has never known passion or had an orgasm, they set her up with Paris, an exceptionally talented high-class call girl. The erotic journey that results from this encounter is filled with raw, honest passion and intense sensuality. As those components coexist and intertwine, the story unfolds, beautifully integrating reality with dreams and past events.
Barbara Niven, who expertly plays Rebecca, and newcomer Jessica Clark, who portrays Paris, give brilliant performances. They share an elegant chemistry, and the line between actor and role is beautifully blurred. I loved how the December/May affair added so much to the depth of their relationship. There couldn’t have been more lust!
A Perfect Ending also boasts the fabulous Morgan Fairchild as the tough and edgily funny Hollywood madam—who has a peculiar obsession with Barbie dolls—and the talented John Heard as Rebecca’s husband. A great turn by prolific daytime star Rebecca Staab and a cameo from celesbian actress/therapist Cathy DeBuono are also noteworthy.
The plot focuses on two women—from very different worlds—falling in love and dealing with their own personal fears of death and guilt. Yes, there is lot of sex, but it didn’t feel gratuitous. It felt natural, a tough accomplishment for a film about essentially one woman’s affair with a call girl.
“Filming was an intense, challenging, and, ultimately, tremendously rewarding experience,” Clark acknowledges. “I feel so lucky to have been given the opportunity to play Paris and bring her and Rebecca’s story to life.”
That the story is told with such nuance and complexity is pretty remarkable, especially for a film that was produced for under $200,000. Conn’s script and direction make it more artistic. As the sequence of events unfolds, she uses a number of techniques to layer the elements so that every single point links to the whole picture. Her symbolic use of the “White Room” for conflict and endless grief is one such creative device.
Heavily scored, the music is the soul of the movie and orchestrates the scenes. Seamless sound was composed by the duo of Steven Ridley and Bob Fowler, and Fowler’s wife Cathy’s incredible vocals are featured during the love scenes. You want to listen to the music over and over again, and the soundtrack is now available on Amazon and iTunes.
Conn definitely has another winner. A Perfect Ending is one of the best women’s agony and ecstasy films—and everything in between. How many of us wake up and realize that we haven’t really lived? I hope that this film wakes you up if you haven’t realized the life you want.
