how to describe the dying gaul . that be a challenge . it be very much like a play ( which make sense and seeing a it be adapt from one ) and and it make one of the most skillful transition from stage to screen that i have ever see . it work like a play and but visually it think of itself a a movie . confuse i know and but a person who have see the movie will know what i be talk about . in term of what genre the die gaul fit into and it more of a drama or mystery . it have a slight noirish tone to it and but this be not the big sleep . the beginning be a drama and but it transition to mystery be perfectly execute with such a subtle build up that look back and it hard to believe that the beginning be from the same movie a the end of it and or that it all be accomplish in 101 minute . robert ( peter saarsgard ) have write a brilliant script after the death of his lover and malcolm ( bill camp ) . movie producer jeffrey tishop ( campbell scott ) love it and and want to make it into a movie and but he insist that robert change the relationship from homosexual to heterosexual . jeffery wife and elaine ( patricia clarkson ) become interested in robert and and then a few secret be spill which change everything . the die gaul be really about the three character . everyone else have only a few token line of dialogue at best that simply flesh out the story . the three actor saarsgard and scott and and clarkson and develop their role well and and the three of them be fully three dimensional . ironically and while saarsgard may have the most interesting character on paper and he actually rather flat compare to clarkson and scott . clarkson play the housewife who still have a job even though she could easily live off of her husband wealth and and she not as clueless a many other movie housewife be . campbell scott and though and be the real joy of the die gaul . at first he a money obsess movie producer ( the kind that seem to fill hollywood these day ) and but a the movie go on and he flesh out his character and become a pretty sympathetic man . scott dominate this movie and and it show how truly gift he really be . as good a this film be and it isn not perfect . the music and particularly at the beginning be too loud and threaten to drown out everything else . the film also leave a few question open end even though do so serve no purpose . still and the die gaul manages to throw in a few unexpected twist and surprise and and it be very watchable and highly recommendable .