Customer Reviews

Angora Ranch

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(8)

 

 

"Angora Ranch" is a sweetly low-key romantic movie that has lots of animals in it. There are rabbits, goats, horses and chickens (and the cat that managed to sneak into the dinner scene). But the romance is between two men who must overcome a different kind of animal: the paternal kind. Justin (Thomas Romano) is a 20-something cutie working for his father's advertising agency, a self-absorbed manipulator whom Justin can never satisfy. (And Daddy has a few secrets on the side.) Jack (Paul Bright, "Angora Ranch's" writer and director) is a gay widower who has a live-in father, Peter (Tim Jones, the movie's co-writer), that is trying to push "his gay son Jackson" into a relationship before he slips into total senility. A chance accident and a little of Peter's meddling drops Benny the Bunny squarely into the stew and a May/September romance begins in the suburbs of Austin, Texas.

While the movie is certainly not a slick affair (in the extras, Bright and Jones joke about how their budget was in "the thousands"), it does do several things the creators promise:

No tragic gay man dies of AIDS.

No screaming queen is running around disrupting things.

No men are just straight-acting guys claiming they're gay.

And most importantly - All gay male characters are actually played by gay men.

The acting is not going to get any Academy Award nominations, but that isn't why you're going to enjoy this. "Angora Ranch" is a delight for the many things it isn't. Non-hyperactive, not bitter or angry, not political (other than the general wink at gay marriage) and not aimed at the tweaker circuit coming-out crowd. This is the kind of movie I am comfortable showing to friends with dinner, and, I am going to project, feel comfortable with repeat viewings.

And it's worth it just to see a rabbit yawn.

(For those of you who only buy "gay movies" based on skin content, Justin appears naked from the back and the two leads have a love scene from the waist up.)

Justin is a gay man in his early 20's, working for his overbearing father's ad agency in Austin TX. On a trip to a rural area to meet with a client, his car gets stuck right in front of the "Angora Ranch" (2006), a rabbit ranch run by Jack and his father Peter. Although almost twice his age, Jack senses a mutual attraction with Justin, so Peter and the town's lady mechanic plot to get Justin to stay the night to give them a chance. Justin is too nervous about how his father will react to his having to postpone the meeting, and heads out to his meeting first thing in the morning, only to return when a stowaway bunny proves to be the key to the ad campaign. With the pressure off, Justin and Jack do hit it off nicely, until Justin's father makes an unexpected visit to rant about their age difference and "lifestyle", but loses his thunder when a secret from his own youth comes out.

The photography and production values are surprisingly good for a bare bones indie film shot directly on video. However, I didn't have to check the IMDB credits to know the cast was inexperienced, as EVERY actor in the film came off like a night of amateur theatre tryouts, with horrible overacting, emoting as if each line was Shakespeare, and sometimes even looking at the camera instead of the character they are speaking with. Thomas Romano as Justin was cute, but didn't really fit his character, and it is amazing that not ONE of the main characters in rural Texas had any trace of an accent. The screenplay (by director Paul Bright, who also played Jack) is sweet and charming, but more than a bit overdone and contrived. (However, it could have been worse; the extras divulge that the original concept was for this to be a MUSICAL!) DVD has "making of" featurette and some candid shots. Rate it 3 stars out of 5.

A refreshing, different, cute, and feel-good film. I admire the creators for having the guts to do something so original and with apparently a modest budget. I grow tired of typical Hollywood films that follow a standard formula and try to blast us out of complacency and boredom just so we notice that we exist.

It reminds me more of European films than those usually produced in the U.S. It's quirky, has depth, doesn't try to be something it isn't, and works well within the boundaries of the plot and circumstances. And the plot wasn't so predictable that I knew how it was going to work out in the end.

For those of us who are gay, it's obvious that the characters are (although I wasn't sure about the women characters), and that makes it even more of a treasure. It was believable.

...Tom

Got a chance to see this fun movie in Austin - I guess it was filmed in a small TX town nearby. The story is very mature, and I thought it was a fresh take on gay relationships. It is also very funny! One of my only criticisms is that the production budget seemed very low - maybe that's why the scenes sometimes look stiff and the acting feels a bit staged. Despite those flaws, I really had a great time watching this movie. Oh, and the young actor playing the lead is gorgeous - with a beautiful body and totally adorable smile!

I was typing a review & lost the window, so I hope this isn't a repeat, but I'm starting over on writing this . . .

I'm sorry to see the poor reviews by some on this site, whose cynical, jaded views say more about their own attitudes than they do about the film.

Among the considerable charms of this independent film are it's personal, somewhat "home-made" qualities, the excellent script & total sincerity of the entire enterprise. It's such a refreshing departure from standard Hollywood fare & from those "independent" films struggling to emulate such formulas. I love the personal touch of ANGORA RANCH, it's considerable humor & eccentricity.

Indeed, if you're open to the possibility that Love (yes, CAPPED!) exists, & that special people sometimes find one another among the teeming billions of this planet, you may find this film a treat. In fact, the virtues of this film seem to owe a lot to the director/actor Paul Bright, who also wrote the thoughtful & intelligent script. He's clearly a man of many talents & a film maker to watch.

This film is a labor of love & anyone with an open mind & open heart, regardless of your sexual orientation, will find this more than worth your while. In fact, I consider the DVD an excellent investment & suggest you recommend it to others to support & encourage this kind of creativity & the message.

What is the message? To me, it affirms the serendipity, the unexpected, quirky ways life may unfold, that Love can happen when you're least expecting it from something as seeminly unrelated as putting on the brakes to avoid running over a bunny. If anyone doesn't get it, that Love is what life is all about, too bad!

Though some gay viewers may be drawn to the cute young blond protagonist, for me it was Paul Bright's older character, the "gay son Jackson" that shone & dazzled me. In fact, to me he's an incredibly hot, engaging man. All of the characters have dimension & nuance. This is an alternative gem & & hope it becomes a quiet hit.

Especially fine is the performance of Tim Jones as Peter, the father of Jack. ANGORA RANCH will appeal to a range of folks of many kinds who have not given up on Love. The universe is full of possibilities. It IS possibilities! I'm really glad I own this DVD.

Bruce P. Grether

a sweet low budget movie. Allthough the story is thin, and the actors themselves don't get many opportunities to develope their ability of acting, it is a lovely little piece. Justin, the young blond men is a really cute eyecatch, he is fallen for the older guy, - what happens too fast and that imposes unrealistically - and actually the whole movie appears as a kind of cheap production, but still it is lovely; especially the scenes with the animals, (the goat, which is eating roses, and the angora rabbits, which are really cute).

So all these things are making this production to a sweet, lovely (even though shallow) story, which on one hand does not fullfill high expectations, but on the other hand it is worth a 3-star-review, especially based on the characters themself, and in consideration of the lack of a full budget; it is a good work.

(Attention: This review might contain spelling-mistakes, since the author is a native german author and not that perfect in english. So please apologize if any errors occur).

I liked this film. It is certainly NOT the best one I've ever seen, but the story is well written and takes on a theme that is original and has a lot of warmth in it. As about every other reviewer has pointed out, the acting is not just great, and some of the scenes were a bit unbelievable. The towns people characters are corny and just a bit too spoofy, but that sad fact also gives it a light heartedness that was probably not fully intended. It does however add some appeal although I think it could have been made a whole lot better film with a little more professionalism and realism. Justin (Thomas Romano) swerves to miss a rabbit in the road and lands in the ditch in front of a farm house which just happens to be owned by a gay man twice his age. The plot begins, and the two quickly began bonding and eventually fall in love. Romano is not the greatest actor you'll ever watch but is quite adorable in looks and the way he carries himself. His older soon to be partner Jack is played by Paul Bright who also wrote and directed the film. The two "actors" both lack acting skills but manage to pull it off nonetheless. With a lot more work and practice, I feel that Romano probably has the ability within himself to act such a part well, but has not quite honed his acting skill. Bright would have directed a much better film had he cast someone else to play his role, and stuck to writing and directing. Perhaps the only believable actor was Tim Jones who was cast quite well in his part of Jack's senile father. Sadly he didn't live long after the film was released. This is WITHOUT DOUBT a low budget, ametuer production and with any other script would have made for a terrible film, however it somehow flows in spite of it's flaws and provides entertainment that the viewer isn't probably expecting. I like that this film does not explore all the status quo subjects that most films of today do. There's no stereotypes involved, no dark side of being gay exemplified here, no exploitation of the usual subjects of AIDS, drugs, one night stands, extreme feminism, it doesn't rely on stereotypical gay music, the gay bar scene and all that other stuff we see in about every film we watch. It also doesn't stereotype the rigidness of small rural area life, or the usual straight stereotypes either. For this reason, it does lack some realness and makes it a bit quirky but somehow manages to do so in a welcomed way. The love story is good, it provides something most of us, especially those of us older, can relate to. I just wish some cute hot young thing would knock on my door and somehow fall in love with me, but it is just a movie after all.

The sound quality is as good or better than many of the better acted films I've seen in quite some time in spite of it's other flaws. The animals add a unique touch that lightens the film alot from most other productions. I don't want to under emphasize the flaws this film has, yet I also don't wish to deter anyone from viewing this film either. If you'll chill out, relax and allow yourself the opportunity to accept this one for what it is, I honestly believe you will enjoy watching it. It has no difficulty holding a viewers attention throughout the film and certainly doesn't leave you feeling at the end that you didn't get the story, or perhaps the ending of a story that you deserved for investing your time. This is no block buster folks, but it is a good film and one to just relax with and enjoy it's uniqueness and simple charm. I recommend it for your viewing, but also warn you not to expect a masterpiece of cinematography. There are a couple special features on the DVD including some candid screenshots and a "behind the scenes" commentary which is pretty good. I give it four stars and have no regrets whatsoever of purchasing it.

Though this movie has a low budget and some flaky characters, it succeeds in being entertaining, especially if you like bunnies, rural settings and plenty of kookiness. The sexy and buff, not to mention charming and gorgeous, Thomas Romano carries this film with his character's sweet-hearted persona and willingness to find love in the most unlikely of places. The plot may be too simplistic for some and, at times, gets lost in "bunny talk." But Thomas Romano is "gold." And that "gold" gets this film four stars. There aren't many younger man-older man films out there, so this might be a good date movie for the right couple.

Omigosh ..... Omigosh ..... Omigosh ..... Omigosh. Then when it was finally over, I realized that what makes ANGORA RANCH so endearing (after initially perceiving it to be all the naysayers say it is minus 10), is the uncanny ability this film has to curl around your person and eventually take full possession; simple plot, simple acting, simple props and meager budget all combine to somehow win your loyalty. In other words, ANGORA RANCH is so filled with QUAINT UNASSUMING QUIRKYNESS that all these and other negativities too numerous to mention facilitate the entire proceedings in morphing to triumphantly, by the "final curtain", become GOOD! MORE than good; FANTASTIC! And the toy trains and totally over-the-top unsophisticated music are way kool! ANGORA RANCH is a catharsis for all that is phony in gay life. Sometimes simplicity deserves to win, and ANGORA RANCH is a winner.

No, this is not another version on the Brokeback Mountain theme though the title might give that impression. This little Indie film made on a shoestring budget is more like an updated Farmer's Daughter story and as such it has some charm.

Justin (the very hunky Thomas Romano) is an ad executive whose father sends him on his first solo run to a place in Texas. While driving to his appointment Justin swerves to avoid a rabbit in the road and his car gets stuck in a ditch that just happens to be in front of the home of Jack (Paul Bright, who also wrote and directed the film) and his loony senile father. Jack's life partner died a few years back and he is determined his plight in life is to live in solitude as caretaker for his father. Justin is invited to spend the night while his car is fixed by the local tow truck/mechanic. And the story unfolds from there into a May December romance that while it may not be acted very well at all, has its moments of warmth. The plot has enough twists to keep the attention span enduring the amateur acting status (both fathers figure significantly in surprising ways) and the cast of animals and eccentricities maintain attention. But the eye candy provided by Thomas Romano is the strong point - if only he could act.... Grady Harp, March 07