Personalizes the political with two heart-rending real-life cases.
Tying the Knot (2005)
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:34
Fresh:30
Rotten:4
Average Rating:7/10
Rated: Not Rated
Genre: Dramas
Theatrical Release:Oct 1, 2004 Limited
Synopsis: One of the hottest topics at the 2004 Presidential election was the issue of gay marriage and whether it should be legalized. Jim de Sève directs this fascinating look at the issue, taking into... One of the hottest topics at the 2004 Presidential election was the issue of gay marriage and whether it should be legalized. Jim de Sève directs this fascinating look at the issue, taking into account two extremely important cases. The first involves Mickie, who loses her wife during a bank robbery. With the authorities unwilling to recognize their union, Mickie is stripped of the usual benefits bestowed on a widower. De Sève's second case looks at the life of a rancher named Sam, who lost his husband and faces brutal recriminations from the family of his deceased partner. TYING THE KNOT presents these cases in a sympathetic light, showing how hurtful these situations can be to the bereaved, as well as highlighting how things would be different if the gay community enjoyed the freedoms afforded to straight married couples. A bold piece of filmmaking that runs the full gamut of human emotions, De Sève offers a clear and concise case for a change in the marriage law. [More]
Director: Jim de Sève
Director: Jim de Sève
Studio: IDP Distribution
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Reviews for Tying the Knot
The movie, directed by Jim de Seve, personalizes a ferocious political debate, never losing its (frequently sad) human face.
Its issue is the debate over gay marriage, and director Jim de Seve does an outstanding job of humanizing the issue.
The director has fashioned a powerful argument that places the fight for legalized gay marriage firmly within the lineage of human-rights struggles.
Informative documentary about the recent history of efforts to legalize gay marriage, tying these in with the history of marriage as an institution. Packed with information.
Jim de Seve's documentary explores the argument for gay marriage by focusing on two same-sex couples.
Tying the Knot is a flawed work that succeeds on the merits of its highly touching personal stories and its irrefutable debate.
This no-frills documentary effectively appeals to the viewer’s compassion.
When de Sève tries to rope in a wider context, the film flounders to an extent that will keep it from reaching much of a wider audience
Probably the least controversial “controversial” documentary ever made.
It may not be the most meticulously crafted documentary in the world, but what Tying the Knot lacks in finesse it compensates for in making a heartfelt case for the hot-button topic of same-sex marriage.
Seve's absorbing documentary about gay marriage is most persuasive when most specific.
Like most hot-button documentaries, its impact is debatable, but filmmaker Jim de Seve makes an effective, an often moving case, for tolerance.
What gives this lively, incisive and comprehensive documentary its punch is that it sets its survey of the movement's progress and setbacks against accounts of two people who lost their life partners and suffered dire economic consequences.
Exhibits an accomplished maturity from the first-time director, deftly applying a dry wit, a healthy sense of irony, and a nonexploitive approach to emotionality.
Whether one is pro or con on the issue of same-sex marriage, Jim de Seve's thought-provoking and timely documentary succeeds in putting the hot-button topic in human, and often heartbreaking, terms.
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