‘Thrill’ Contemplates Love, Life’s Lost Chances

Hiding behind a meaningless title, “The Only Thrill” proves to be a poignant, contemplative drama about lost chances with luminous portrayals by a perfectly matched Diane Keaton and Sam Shepard, who were first teamed in 1987’s “Baby Boomer.” Adapted to the screen by Larry Ketron from his play “The Trading Post,” “The Only Thrill” recalls its director Peter Masterson’s first film, the 1985 version of Horton Foote’s “A Trip to Bountiful,” in its evocation of small-town American life and the transitory quality of life.

It’s 1966 and Shepard’s Reece McHenry has given up a successful career as a land developer to open a vintage clothing store in the wake of a car accident that has left his wife in a comatose state that is to last for years to come. Keaton’s Carol Fritzsimmons, a widow with a daughter, comes to the store in the hope that Reece will help publicize her services as a seamstress. Since they are both lonely, exceptionally attractive people in their early 40s, it’s not surprising that they begin an affair.

Moving ahead to 1978, we discover Carol and Reece settled into a comfortable routine. The community understands they cannot marry as long as Reece’s wife continues to linger, and Carol accepts the situation. (Ketron never addresses the whole life support system issue, and his drama would have been stronger had he done so.) Then out of the blue Carol receives word that her sister, a Toronto resident, is terminally ill. The sister has no one else to turn to and doesn’t feel up to traveling. Carol sees that she has no choice but to pick up and go to Toronto for the duration, no matter how long that may be.

This crisis in their relationship throws into relief its central issue, that of commitment. Carol hasn’t been holding out for a marriage license, and a series of circumstances forces her to realize that Reece finds it impossible to make a real commitment or even to declare his love for her. Reece is a macho guy so unable to express his feelings that he’s out of touch with them. Complicating the situation is his understandable loyalty to and respect for his still-lingering wife. Reece lets Carol slip away from his life, but the question becomes will he do so again, if he gets a second chance?

Movies are unique in their ability to convey realistically the passing of time, and “The Only Thrill” is downright scary in its persuasive depiction of an individual giving up on life. Reece becomes an old man in spirit and lets his shop slip into just another messy junk store. The chiseled, laconic Shepard is the actor of choice if you want reticence in spades, but he goes beyond that to show us a man shriveling up before our eyes, seeming to grow literally smaller.

Frankly, it’s hard to imagine the film working without Shepard, who can suggest so much that’s knotted up behind a stoic facade. “The Only Thrill” offers Shepard one of his most substantial screen roles, right up there with Volker Schlondorff’s neglected 1991 “Voyager.”

Like Shepard, Keaton conveys maturing from within, not relying just on makeup effects (which happen to be pretty good, for that matter). “The Only Thrill” is a fine showcase for her as well, showing to advantage the humor, charm, intelligence and honesty she invariably brings to her work.

The relationship between Reece and Carol is echoed by one that eventually develops between Reece’s son (Robert Patrick) and Carol’s daughter (Diane Lane)--one that also suffers from a lack of commitment. Patrick and Lane excel, but the parallel generation device is a bit schematic; you wish that Ketron had been able to make his point through the story of Reece and Carol alone.

Even so, “The Only Thrill,” a modest, unpretentious venture, is a rewarding experience. It’s hard to imagine most men not recognizing at least something of themselves in Reece, and surely an awful lot of women will be able to identify with Carol.

* MPAA rating: R, for language. Times guidelines: It also includes adult situations and themes.

‘The Only Thrill’

Diane Keaton:Carol Fritzsimmons

Sam Shepard:Reece McHenry

Diane Lane:Katherine Fritzsimmons

Robert Patrick:Tom McHenry

A Moonstone Entertainment presentation of a Prestige Productions and Laureate Films production. Director Peter Masterson. Producers Yael Stroh, James Holt, Gabriel Grunfeld. Executive producers Ernest Stroh, Peter Masterson, Carol Baum and Erin Martin Gorman. Screenplay by Larry Ketron; adapted from his play “The Trading Post.” Cinematographer Don E. Fauntleroy. Editor Jeff Freeman. Costumes Jean-Pierre Dorleac. Music Peter Rodgers Melnick. Production designer John Frick. Set decorator Gabriella Villarreal. Running time: 1 hour, 47 minutes.

* At selected theaters throughout Los Angeles and Orange counties.