Bernard and Doris

When one hears the phrase "T.V. movie," images of battered women from the Lifetime channel and warm and fuzzy family comedies a la the Hallmark channel are conjured-clearly the pinnacle of innovative filmmaking today. However, HBO's Bernard and Doris-that's Doris Duke (Susan Sarandon) as in "Duke University" Duke-is a refreshing alternative to the overly-glitzy current cinema offerings. The nuances of the acting performances and the Hugh Costello-penned script elevate the film above its peers-both on the silver and small screens.

Bernard and Doris, which premieres Feb. 9 at 8 p.m., follows the autumn years of the heiress to the Duke tobacco fortune and the unconventional relationship with her Irish butler Bernard Lafferty (Ralph Fiennes). The English Patient star instills Lafferty with a sense of timid flamboyance, a gay man trapped in a butler's coat and tie. Sarandon's portrayal of The World's Richest Girl juggles brooding sexuality and aristocratic coldness with a deftness that only a veteran could provide.

Sarandon, who sports silver hair, is the hottest she has been in years, despite the attempt to look older. Both characters are played by actors that are much more attractive then their real-life counterparts. The real Lafferty looked more like Penn (that is "and Teller" not Sean), and Doris resembled a zombified, cross-dressing Michael Stipe that was hit with a shovel... to put it nicely.

The movie really lacks a plot and instead chooses to meander from dialogue-heavy scene to dialogue-heavy scene as the chronology progresses from the late '80s to Doris' death in '93. The characters and their development are truly the heart of the film, and luckily the leads are able to carry the burden of holding a non-existent narrative together.

The absence of a plot is not so much a negative and is actually a smart choice, considering that unnecessarily-injected drama would only distract from the subtle portraits that Sarandon and Fiennes paint for the audience. However, viewers may get anxious and hastily change the channel without a driving narrative to ensnare their attention.

The biggest kudos go to director Bob Balaban (more famous for his acting gigs) and his ability to craft a fantastic story in a micro-budget production. Balaban ties acting, script, aesthetic and cinematography in a package that feels slowly-paced but never boring. This is one of the few films released recently that prove that money does not necessarily mean quality. Besides isn't Duke gossip more scandalous than JuicyCampus fodder enough incentive to tune in?