Paul Hipp

The first scene of the movie introduces Fielding Pierce (Billy Crudup) as he is watching news footage showing that Sarah Williams (Jennifer Connelly) has been killed in a suspected car bombing. The reporter indicates that Sarah was an activist from Chicago involved in helping refugees from the Chilean government and that her death may cast new light on the movement. Fielding is completely distraught over hearing this news and the movie begins. The first 3/4 of the movie unfolds on parallel timelines in the 70s and early 80s: the progression of Fielding & Sarah's complicated, volatile relationship and Fielding's ascension into power as an upcoming politician dealing with the recent loss (and haunting memories) of Sarah. Fielding meets Sarah as he is returning, in uniform, from duty in the Coast Guard and meeting up with his brother, who is a editor. The brother, Fielding and Sarah all go to lunch where Fielding is very ouspoken in his political ideals about current events. Sarah and Fielding are both immediately intrigued by each other, Fielding's attraction being more sexual and blatant and Sarah's attraction more of curiousity and intrigue. A few dates quickly lead to a sexual relationship despite an obvious difference in political thinking between the two. Sarah asks why Fielding wants to be a senator and his very serious reply is that he doesn't- he wants to be president. Sarah is later quoted as saying "Ambition is the ice in the lake of emotion." And when Fielding tries to comfort Sarah's fear of his Coast Guard duty leading to a Vietnam tour, she replies "but if you go over there, you'll be shooting at the guys that I want to win." Their intense love outweighs their differences, though, and their relationship quickly becomes serious. Meanwhile Fielding is a young politician being groomed to be congressman by the current govenor because of a scandal involving Jerry Carmichael 's (Ed Harris in a cameo role) resignation due to his homosexuality. Fielding seems ambivalent about the offer to be put on the ticket, perhaps because of the nature of the resignation- as he indicates- or pehaps because of the impact of Sarah's influence on his current ambitions. Either way, the governor and his top advisor Isaac (Hal Holbrook) are not comfortable with this lack of enthusiasm and do not offer much hand holding. This confrontation sets the tone for the later timeline in Fielding's life as his insecurities and haunting memories of Sarah eventually lead to hallucinations and his emotional breakdown. Fielding is now dating Isaac's daughter, but their relationship is clearly not as intense as his past relationship with Sarah. Conversations with his sister Caroline (Janet McTeer) and visits with his dad quickly lead to discussions about Sarah and how is haunting memories are leading to him seeing Sarah again. His family is supportive without offering any helpful advice other than to focus more on the political path ahead of him. Sarah and Fielding's relationship takes them to Chicago where they share an apartment as he continues law school and she begins missionary work for a local church led by Father Steven (John Carrol Lynch). Fielding's involvement with Isaac soon begins, and Sarah's aversion to the whole political process becomes more threatening. After a uncomfortable encounter with Sarah at one of Fielding's political events, where her disdain for the situation leads to a verbal attack on one of the attendees, they attempt to reconcile on the subway afterwards. They cannot reach an agreement and she proclaims "It is so infuriating loving you!" Fielding chuckes and says that the feeling is mutual. Sarah's long hours away from home, spent working at the church, lead Fielding to foolishly suspect Sarah is having an affair with Father Steven. Their intense bond holds them together through their disagreements and insecurities. Fielding starts the campaign trail even as his memories of Sarah convince him that she may still be alive and is watching him. He even chases someone he believes to be her through town and eventually ending at a church. But his search is fruitless and only further shows his descent into emotional breakdown. His relationship with Molly becomes troubled as he emotionally withdraws from her also. When she tries to reach to him, he does not offer any recognition of her or his feelings. Sarah's missionary work leads to activist work in Chile where her and Father Steven bring back political refugees of the government. At one uncomfortable dinner at the church with Fielding. The refugees are appalled to hear that Fielding is hoping to enter politics, an american institution they feel is overrun with corruption. Fielding tries to convince them he is not entering politics to become corrupt but to affect change. They are not conducive to this idea. He chastises their hypocrisy by observing that as awful as they try to hint his government is, he can't help but to notice when they needed help they ran to this country for freedom. When he turns to Sarah for help, she offers "You are alone in this conversation." Fielding then replies he is alone in this whole room and he is "choking on the collective sense of superiority." Fielding and Sarah's political difference and growing distance is shown at its worst, as no make up scene follows. Soon after Sarah leaves for her fatal trip in Milwauke.

A visiting city reporter's assignment suddenly revolves around the murder trial of a local millionaire, who he befriends. This panoramic tale of Savannah, Georgia's eccentricities focuses on a murder and the subsequent trial of James Arthur Williams (Kevin Spacey): self made man, art collector, antiques dealer, bon vivant, and semi-closeted homosexual. Magazine reporter John Kelso (John Cusack) finds himself in Savannah amid the beautiful architecture and odd doings to write a feature on one of William's famous Christmas parties. He is intrigued by Williams from the start, but his curiosity is piqued when he meets Jim's violent, sexy lover, Billy Hanson (Jude Law). Later that night, Billy is found dead, and Kelso stays on to cover the murder trial. Along the way, he encounters the irrepressible Chablis Deveau (Lady Chablis), a drag-queen comedienne; Sonny Seiler (Jack Thompson), lawyer to Williams, whose famous dog Uga, is the official mascot of the Georgia Bulldogs; an odd man who keeps flies attached to mini leashes on his lapels and threatens daily to poison the water supply; the Married Ladies' Card Club; and Minerva (Irma P. Hall), a spiritualist. Kelso has his hands full being Jim's buddy, cuddling up to a torch singer, meeting every eccentric in Savannah, participating in midnight graveyard rituals, and helping solve the mysteries surrounding Billy's murder. —Teresa B. O'Donnell <sun.moon.stars@worldnet.att.net>

In a New York City dance club, a teenage Chinese girl, named Tyan "Tye" Hwa (Sari Chang), meets and dances with a teenage Italian boy, Tony Monte (Richard Panebianco), much to the consternation of the many other Chinese and Italians in the club. Tye's protective older brother, Yung Gan (Russell Wong), and his friends chase Tony out of the club and through the streets. Tony makes it to Canal Street, the dividing line between Little Italy and Chinatown, and thinks he is safe. After some hesitation, the Chinese gang crosses the border and chases Tony through Little Italy. When Tony runs into an alley and finds a locked gate, it looks like he is about to be beaten with bats and chains. Just then, Tony's older brother, Alberto "Alby" Monte (James Russo), and his friends show up. A fight ensues, but police arrive and everyone runs away. The next day, Tye's girl friends encourage her to go back to the club to see if Tony is there. However, Yung Gan tells her to socialize in their own neighborhood or stay home. Meanwhile, Alby comes into the pizzeria where Tony works and tells his brother to stay out of Chinatown. A Chinese restaurant, the Canton Garden, has just opened in Little Italy, replacing an Italian trattoria. A Chinese gang, led by Yung Gan, comes into the restaurant demanding weekly protection money, telling the owner that being in Little Italy does not mean he can avoid the paying the gang. They steal the $150 in the cash register and tell the owner to bring the remainder owed in the morning. However, when they get back to their car, an Italian gang arrives and starts beating them up. An older Chinese man, named Gung Tu (James Hong), tells Yung Gan that he must be patient. Twenty years ago, the Italians "owned" forty blocks north of Chinatown, but now they only "own" three. Gung Tu predicts that in five years, the Italians will be completely gone, but in the meantime, he advises that peace is good for the neighborhood and bloodshed is bad. Yung Gan heeds the advice and tells the other gang members not to fight the Italians or give the Canton Garden owners any problems. That night, as Tye sits on the fire escape outside her family's apartment, Tony comes into the alley and properly introduces himself. He invites Tye to meet him the next night at the 13th street subway station. Tye and Tony go to the Midtown Cat Club (where no one knows them) where they spend the entire night dancing together. The next day, Alby visits Enrico Perito (Robert Miano), a middle-aged businessman, in Little Italy. Perito tells him that the problem with the Chinese will be handled and to stay out of it. That night, a group of Chinese youth throws a bomb into the Canton Garden restaurant. Upset over the damage to people and stores on the block, Alby gets a gun and goes to Chinatown to retaliate. Also angry about the bombing, Yung Gan and the Chinese gang confront the rogue gang members who threw the bomb. The two factions of the Chinese gang get into a knife fight just as Alby and his friends drive up, firing a machine gun. When the Chinese run away, the Italians give chase. Alby gets cut by a Chinese teenager with a knife. Alby's friend, Johnny Mercury (David Caruso), fires his machine gun into all the buildings in the area. The wise elder Gung Tu meets with Enrico Perito, saying they must control their youth. Later, Yung Gan stabs the young man who threw the bomb into Canton Garden. When the man pulls the knife out of his stomach, Alby and a group of Italians come up from behind and stab him in the back, killing him. They hang his body from power lines over the intersection. The next day, Tony and Tye meet for dinner. She worries what will happen if people find out about the two of them. He tells her nothing matters but the two of them and they cannot let others run their lives. That night, they make love for the first time. The next day, Johnny Mercury begins harassing the owner of the Canton Garden, who has a food booth at an Italian street fair. Tony tells Mercury that the Chinese do not deserve to be harassed. Mercury wonders why Tony is suddenly defending the Chinese. Tye and Tony meet in an alley, but Yung Gan and other gang members catch them together and pull a knife on Tony. Two policemen on horseback arrive, telling them to go their separate ways. As they walk back home, Yung Gan slaps Tye in the face. Some Chinese gang members stab Alby in the stomach and he dies in the hallway of his apartment building. At Alby's funeral, Enrico Perito promises vengeance for Alby's death. Tony questions how killing someone else will bring his brother back. After the funeral, Tony stands in front of Tye's apartment building, yelling for her to come to him. She rushes outside into his arms. Yung Gan confronts her, but Tye says she loves Tony. Yung Gan orders her back inside, saying they are going back to Hong Kong, but she refuses. Yung Gan tells Tye she is no longer Chinese. Tye and Tony walk through the streets together, openly showing affection for each other. One of the rogue Chinese gang members shoots both Tye and Tony in the middle of the street, killing both of them.