Man of Flowers

Psychologically racked millionaire recluse Charles Bremer (Norman Kaye) likes to watch. Though an enthusiastic collector of flowers and objects d'art, Charlie's preferred eye candy is served up Wednesday afternoons, when local artist's model Lisa (Alyson Best) agrees--for a modest fee--to strip to the love duet from Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor. For Charlie, this 'private viewing' is a means of avoiding the embarrassment of physical intimacies (Charlie, you see, is a bit quick on the trigger). Unfortunately, Lisa's abusive artist beau sees the whole thing less cathartically, and when he doth protest, Charles finally rises to the occasion, if only in her defense. Famed indie helmer Paul Cox (Lonely Hearts, My First Wife, and the must-see Vincent) cooks up a truly odd one here, an unflinching look at one man's attempts to sublimate his physical yearnings by navigating the confusing intersection of "art, insanity, loneliness and sex." Despite an unsatisfactory wrap-up (so abrupt that one suspects Cox ran out of funding), Man of Flowers weaves an intriguing spell on the viewer, and while no crowd pleaser, art house film lovers will no doubt rally 'round this one. Recommended. (S. C. Sickles)