A lonely young man named Stan Moses with purple hair makes great donuts. Donuts with artistic little designs on them, handmade, with a greee—aaat taste. At least, that’s what most of New York City thinks. In fact, they are going crazy for Moses Donuts. Stan Moses tries to mass-produce as many of the donuts as he can while still making each one an individual masterpiece. Into his crazy and hectic life comes Max, a sugar-holic, who is addicted to the donuts and lurks around the bakery where they are sold. When Stan and Max meet up, they connect on a strange and beautiful level. Max needs sugar, Stan needs someone sweet. Could it be that Max can make Stan Moses whole? (hint: Wholey Moses)
It’s a strange tale of love and donuts, sugar and cigarettes. “Wholey Moses” is like a painting, or a beautiful series of photographs. The cinematography is flawless and subtle. The director makes some very intriguing choices in this film. Todd Heyman uses art and food as sexuality. The sensual climax of the film occurs when Stan and Max create Moses Donuts together, and the result is reminiscent of the pottery scene in “Ghost”. Art and Food as a technique to create romance. Food as love. These are the thoughts that emanate from the screen. Wholey Moses follows in the sugary footsteps of films like “Chocolat”. Shannyn Sossamon is perfect as the adorable sugar-addict Max (though you wonder how she stays so thin and has such nice teeth as a result of the sugar consumption) and Steven Paternot is perfect as the quirky and anxious young artist. Linda Hamilton makes a cameo as the bakery owner who presses Stan to increase production.
Todd Heyman presents a story so sweet and wholesome that even the name “Wholey Moses” and the sugar-induced imagery of beautiful red donuts covered in intricate designs seems to somehow fit together immaculately. “Wholey Moses” doesn’t just explore art, it is art.
