The TLA Releasing October 31, 2017 DVD release of the 2016 drama "Palace of Fun" is a wonderful no-reason-to-feel-guilty pleasure that terrifically channels the more guilty 1999 pleasures "The Talented Mr. Ripley" and "Cruel Intentions." Writer/director Eadward Stocks also throws in an element of "Fatal Attraction."
The following YouTube clip of the unusual trailer for "Palace" highlights the "Intentions" and the "Ripley" elements of the film.
"Palace" opens with rich recent university graduate Lily meeting adorable Finn at a Brighton night club. This encounter prompts her to bring him to the seaside Brighton, England home that she and brother Jamie are sharing while their parents are spending the summer in Italy.
The first hints of "Ripley" and of the gay theme that is prevalent in Releasing DVDs are a largely naked Finn trying on a shirt of Jamie without permission and the scrutable look that Jamie gives this stranger on catching him in the act.
Jamie already is unhappy about this interloper disrupting extended alone time with Lily; soon discovering a dark secret about Finn sets the stage for a diabolical plan that may or may not be accurately revealed at the end of the film; either way, Finn quickly learns that the price for continuing to live the lifestyle of the rich and famous requires doing the bidding of Jamie.
The plot thickens as the presence of Finn causes tensions to increase between the siblings, and Finn clearly shows his own true nature regarding his nefarious scheme.
The arguably best scene has Jamie initiate a drunken boys' night in in which he has Finn dress up and play act; things take an even darker turn as one of the boys has a serious drunken accident.
Little is left to the imagination as we see the boys once again bond near the end of the film; Lily subsequently is told all (some of which may not be true). This leads to at least one more surprise.
"Palace" succeeds on many levels that begin with "Intentions" and other reel and real-life stories making it believable that poor little rich boys and girls whose parents are not strong presences in their lives turn to each other for emotional support and other connections. It is equally believable that people with varying degrees of impure motives would latch onto a vulnerable rich girl for varying profit motives.
On top of this, each cast member plays his or her part well. Jamie portrayor George Stocks looks like he is fresh out of a Ralph Lauren catalog even before we see him at the helm of the family sailing yacht. Phoebe Naughton (Lily) looks as if she would be right at home at a summer afternoon garden party, and Andrew Mullen's Finn looks like a handsome opportunist whose talents include becoming an object of affection.
Anyone with questions or comments about "Palace" is encouraged either to email me or to connect on Twitter via @tvdvdguy.
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