Parents' Guide to

Feast of Love

By S. Jhoanna Robledo, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 17+

Uneven adult romantic drama doesn't stint on sex.

Movie R 2007 102 minutes
Feast of Love Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

See all
age 17+

Based on 1 parent review

colten97
colten97 Parent of 13-year-old
October 11, 2012
age 17+

A funny, tragic, sexy movie

I was down from Maine last week and was lucky enough to attend a screening of Feast of Love in New York City. I can't stop thinking about this film. It raises so many questions. What makes us fall in love with someone? If you love a person enough can you make them fall in love with you? With all the people who cross your path why do you fall in love with one but not the others? What is it that makes you fall in love with someone at first sight? How could you be married to someone and not have any idea that that person no longer loves you back? In the end the film gives hope to all of us who have loved and lost that we can find love again, and that that love can come in many different forms and configurations. The movie made me laugh and made me cry. The acting was wonderful and I felt the characters heartbreak as well as their blind optimism. The nude scenes, although explicit, were a natural as part of the relationships of the characters. If you're looking for a film to make you laugh, make you cry and make you think then this would be a good film for you. One of the best movies I've seen in a long time.

This title has:

Too much sex
Too much swearing
See all 1 parent review

What's the Story?

Based on the novel by Charlie Baxter and directed by Robert Benton (of Kramer vs. Kramer fame), FEAST OF LOVE traces the misadventures of Bradley (Greg Kinnear) -- a Portland, Oregon, café owner with a knack for falling in love with the wrong women -- and his extended network of friends and colleagues, who also find themselves in their own existential and romantic predicaments (some contrived, some touching). Bradley's problem is that he doesn't "see" his mates for who they are. His first wife, Kathryn (a winning Selma Blair), makes eyes at another woman, a flirtation Bradley misses entirely but which is duly noted by his friend and loyal customer, Harry (the too-often-dignified Morgan Freeman). Within weeks, Kathryn and Bradley divorce. Lesson learned? Not quite, as Bradley soon moves onto Diana (Radha Mitchell), aka Ms. Wrong No. 2. Unfortunately, Diana appears to have no problem continuing her affair with a married man despite marrying Bradley. But all that's still not enough, apparently: Oscar (Toby Hemingway), Bradley's barista, falls instantly in love with Chloe (Alexa Davalos, in a breakout performance), a passerby who asks for a job (and is preposterously hired, even though she doesn't drink coffee). The movie wastes no time in establishing their fairy-tale romance. They move in together in no time -- and, almost as quickly, reveals a tragic twist. And then there's Harry himself, a gentle soul burdened by his son's untimely death but with a loving wife as his saving grace.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: (1):
Kids say: Not yet rated

Feast of Love is like an intriguing dish that seems so promising on the menu, yet when it arrives at your table manages to satiate but not satisfy. Full of good intentions and interesting detours, the film benefits from its strong ensemble cast, but it ambles too much and doesn't quite deliver on its intriguing premises: Is love a burden? Can love save people from their worst selves? Who's better off -- those who fall in love too easily or rarely? Although he talks of wisdom by the time he meets Woman to Love No. 3, Bradley seems to have learned little. (One slightly gruesome scene is meant to show how he's been scarred, but it rings hollow).

The film could also have done without Oscar's prototypical bad dad (played by Fred Ward); an abusive alcoholic, he also threatens Chloe at one point with a knife. Just one of those evils would've been plenty. And the only truly gritty storyline (Diana and her married man) is glossed over in the end, going so far as to have them traipsing off into the sunset even after a particularly brutal physical fight.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the film's take on love. Is it really as messy as it seems here? Why are so many movies fixated on the difficulties of love? Is romance only entertaining when it's not meant to be? Or, on the flip side, why is love so often idealized as well? What are real relationships like? Families can also discuss the consequences of the characters' behavior. What do you think would have happened to them in real life?

Movie Details

  • In theaters: September 28, 2007
  • On DVD or streaming: February 4, 2008
  • Cast: Greg Kinnear, Morgan Freeman, Radha Mitchell
  • Director: Robert Benton
  • Inclusion Information: Black actors
  • Studio: MGM/UA
  • Genre: Romance
  • Run time: 102 minutes
  • MPAA rating: R
  • MPAA explanation: strong sexual content, nudity and language.
  • Last updated: June 8, 2023

Inclusion information powered by

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate