rowmorg Being a nobody whose name does not come up in a Google search and a failed writer of bits of TV series, Lasker should have written a much more authoritative portrait of his alter ego, Byron Tiller. Instead there are several basic errors that the director or producer should have avoided in Lasker's script. They have nothing to do with budgetary restrictions. With so many films having been written about writers, by writers, it seems incredible that they should still be produced with fundamental faults that would never be tolerated, for example, in a script about lawyers by a lawyer like John Grisham. First, no failed novel is remaindered after seven years. More like six months. So the film starts out with a false premise. Second, a writer who has produced nothing significant for seven years does not maintain a professional office in downtown Pasadena, even in a second-rate building. He works in his spare room, just like tens of thousands of other writers who consider themselves to be doing quite well. Being able to maintain his own office, he therefore has no motivation to take up a type of work that evidently repels him and the plot loses credibility. The successful writer who later features in the story admits that Tiller "might be right" when Tiller calls him "a genius", and yet the riches enjoyed by genius seldom accord with literary preeminence but with bestsellerdom and the two are linked only rarely, compare e.g. the comparative economic status of J.K.Rowling (incredibly rich) and, say, Terry Southern (incredibly poor), or even John Kennedy Toole who, despairing of ever being published, killed himself before his 'Confederacy of Dunces' won all the prizes. If this film had been more accurate about the literary business, it would have been a better work of art. Incidentally, the odd relationship between the three main characters when they go public was very common in European high society, where rich old men often had young noble wives. It was socially permissible for them to have a young admirer in tow, as long as the niceties were observed. He was called a "cavaliere servente", and another literary notable, George Gordon Lord Byron, played this role for several years in 19th century Tuscany. Another odd literary set-up was the household of Aldous Huxley, where his wife, who was bisexual, would screen his young female admirers horizontally before ushering them into the Presence.

daygc With a ridiculous premise such as that in The Man from Elysian Fields, only superior writing, casting, or special effects (or a miracle) could produce a watchable film, let alone a good one. Sadly, this flop by director George Hickenlooper (whose credits include, uh, . . . well, we're still waiting for something creditable) wasn't rescued by any of these, and we are all just left to wonder why on Earth this film was made.Writer Byron Tiller (Garcia) is a deservedly down-and-out writer who somehow manages to snag a real gem for a wife. Dena Tiller (Julianna Margulies) is pretty, intelligent, long-suffering, attentive, and downright charitable in her marriage to Byron, whose only published work is a (coincidentally?) unbelievable novel entitled Hitler's Child. (I happen to agree with the bookstore patron who, after laughing hysterically at the book's premise - which even Tiller acknowledges is 'ridiculous' - and after realizing she is talking to the author politely asks that he autograph it, then promptly dumps it back in the discount bin after he leaves.)Why Byron decides to turn tricks instead of flipping burgers or going to night school to learn another profession is not clear. The fact that after sleeping with the multiple Pulitzer Prize winner Tobias Alcott's (James Coburn) young wife he is asked to co-write the aging author's next book is mind boggling for several reasons, the most obvious being that Alcott never sees any of Tiller's writing before making this generous offer. He simply endures some criticism from Tiller on his work in progress, then decides that the criticism is SO GOOD that he must have Tiller co-author the work with him. If Tiller's luck was this good for real he a) might have a successful novel of his own, or b) might not have ever met Luther Fox, the enigmatic man from Elysian Fields.Which brings us to the crux of the plot. Luther Fox (Jagger) is the aging founder and president of the Elysian Fields Escort Service, a haven for rich women with inattentive husbands. Somehow, for some inexplicable reason, Fox not only notices his across-the-hall neighbor's smoldering good looks, but also takes the time to read the aforementioned bomb-novel, Hitler's Child.' (We can only assume that the quality of this work is what makes Fox assume that Tiller would come to work for him.) Tiller's conversion is way too quick. He does some superficial soul searching before diving into the world of male prostitution. Forget for the moment that he doesn't have to do any old hags, homosexuals, or kinky kooks, and that his only client is the young, beautiful, and charming Andrea Alcott (Olivia Williams.). Also forget that he is presumably paid very well. But try as we might, we just can't forget how easily this supposedly decent guy becomes embroiled in the lifestyle of the Elysian Fields set. We are expected to swallow the surface excuse given, that Tiller is willing to sacrifice (!) so much for his beloved wife and child. What a guy! We have to wonder why, when his altruistically driven wife would gladly go to work so they could both flip burgers to make ends meet, Tiller is such easy prey for Fox. We won't ever know, of course. We just have to accept, as Tiller himself says about his own flop of a novel, 'Premises are allowed to be ridiculous.' Right. Is that George Hickenlooper's excuse for making this film?Lastly, we turn to the character of Luther Fox himself. Our patience for imagination already stretched paper thin, we now have to contend with the panderer-turned-paramour, the man from Elysian Fields. Admitting that he is over the hill and should have retired years ago, Luther stays active on the job for one client: the rich and morally bankrupt Jennifer Adler (Angelica Huston.) Fox has been in love with his client for some time, and eventually proposes marriage, said proposal being immediately and hysterically rebuffed. Why we take this side trip is unclear because Adler drops out of the picture immediately thereafter. Luther decides to get out of the business anyway, and advises Tiller to do the same. Tiller's wife has already learned of his moonlighting activities and left him , so this advice comes under the 'too little, too late' category. And we won't even get into the absurdity of Tiller's wife, Dena, hiring one of the Elysian Field escorts so she can just ask him why a man would do this sort of work - we probably wouldn't get it anyway. To try and tie up this clunker into a neat ending, the screenwriter (Phillip Jason Lasker of notable masterpieces for TV Barney Miller and The Golden Girls) has Tiller working as a waiter - and a snotty one, at that - in a fancy restaurant, which begs the question as to why he didn't go this route in the first place. Mostly this comes about because Tiller gets gypped out of his share of the profits from the co-written Alcott novel, and has to seek honest, non-prostitution work to survive. No matter - it is hinted that Dena is going to take him back anyway and the film mercifully ends there. Fox walks off into the night, and really, who cares?Want to save $3.75? Watch The Golden Girls reruns - they're way better.

laltp I wasn't sure if I liked it, it had it's moment some parts made me sad; some even made me laugh and some made me blush but after making my self watch it again I realized that sometimes we the viewers tend to judge movies so fast.The acting is wonderful for most of the cast; I was very much touched by Mick Jagger and Michael Des Barres characters and very surprised by Jaggers acting skills.Even though I am a huge Julianna Margulies fan I found that her acting wasn't at it's finest and I mostly blame it to the way her character was written, however Julianna acting talent does shows here and she manage at some scenes to over come the bad writing of her character and give us a fine performance.Out of everything I loved the all story line of a man who is trying to keep his and his family head above the water and when his near drowning decided to make an unusual decision one, which most of us would never do and by that risking everything and anyone he knows and love.This movie is certainly a great piece, it was under recognized which reminded me in a lot of ways George Clooney Solaris and Confession of a dangerous mind both came out in 2003 and were also under recognized. Even though people may see this movie as a piece of crap, I feel that they will be missing on a great movie one which actually makes us think and wander if we were to ever be in that position would we do the same thing or just let our self's drown, in either way the risk of losing everything we know and love is high.So to all the people who hated it, wait six months watch it again and then make up your mind about it. Cause this is a great movie to miss.over all i give an 8&1/5 out of 10

Random Task The road to hell is always paved with good intentions. It is the axiom pitfall that catches so many; including Andy Garcia's character, Byron Tiller, in `The Man from Elesian Fields'. Having thrown years into a failed novel, Byron grows increasingly desperate to make ends meet for his family and find success. Compromising himself for what he needs, he finds an easy answer in the employ of Elesian Fields, a male escort service operated by Luther Fox (Mik Jagger). It is a classically executed set-up, but because the script has so much to say before the final fade out, it staggers like a buss boy who has picked up too many dishes from too many tables.After the proper cajoling and encouraging, Luther sets Byron up on his first assignment with the beautiful wife of a renowned multi-Pulitzer writer. Byron doesn't go easily into this abyss. He won't escort Andrea (Olivia Williams) beyond her limo door after an opera the first night and is greatly relieved to return home to his wife Dena (Juliana Margulies). The second date, however, progresses until the date and escort have their lovemaking interrupted by a visit from Andrea's elderly and approving husband, Tobias (James Coburn). Tobias extends an invitation for Byron to work with him on revising his last book. Byron soon finds himself leading the dizzying life of working for Luther, Andrea and Tobias while never letting Dena know about his escort duties with Andrea.The first hour of the film is tightly written and gracefully proceeds with the steady and beautiful cinematography of Kramer Morgenthau. After the writers start exchanging ideas, the pace of the film picks up considerably. Conversation becomes swept aside in montages and assumptions. Even the music, subtle and appropriate in the first half draws unnecessary attention in the second half. The situation is familiar. Betrayed couples are as old as time. Struggling writers are found throughout cinema. The thing that separates them is the individual characters and interaction. Those and the heartfelt dialog get lost in bringing the story to where it is expected to end to make the author's statement. Far from poor, but never really convincing, `Elesian Fields' is best noted for the acting it harbors. James Coburn plays a dying artist with dignity and is smart enough to let his poise crumble from time to time. Mik Jagger is wonderfully understated as the dispenser of temptation and his moments of disappointment with Anjelica Huston round out an award-worthy performance. Andy Garcia believably balances an quiet man whose temper gets the best of him now and again. Only Juliana Margulies is underused. It's unfortunate that so much talent could not overcome the other more intrinsic weaknesses.