Customer Reviews

Hard Pill

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

If you could take a pill to make you straight, would you? This is the provocative question asked by "Hard Pill". This is a wonderful bittersweet gay drama from John Baumgartner, 2006. At the introduction of each character, a graph is presented on screen to show where he/she stand on the scale between homosexual, and heterosexual, or "no data present". The plot focuses on the life of the leading character, Tim, who finds himself 33 years old, gay and alone. He has gotten too old, with not enough hair and lacks that perfect look that seems to be essential in todays gay community, at least if you are looking for someone to love you. He is disgusted with one night stands and the gay party life. All he wants is to be happy, settle down and be in love for the rest of his life. But this is something that seems to be non existent for a gay man like Tim.

When news breaks that a new scientific study is beginning, to make gay men straight, Tim jumps at the chance to volunteer for the study, against the advice of everyone who knows him. He starts taking the pill and his life begins turning around immediately. He finds love in the arms of Tanya, a pretty blonde with whom he seems to share a lot in common. As their relationship begins to blossom, problems arise with the pill's effectiveness. Success depends on breaking ties with all his old acquaintances, and Tim must chose between his old life and relationships, or the new love and happiness he has found. Only he can weigh the cost and determine his future.

The scripting is great for this film, and the cast is superb. Although a couple of the characters are less than desirable, every actor portrayed their part wonderfully, and life changed not only for Tim but for all those around him as well. There is something here for every viewer, gay or straight. You are sure to find one character you most identify with, and who's personal struggle hits home to you in a big way. Jonathan Slavin (Tim) gives a remarkable performance in his role. You will be enthralled as you watch his performance as both gay, and straight and see the versatility of his acting. Scotch Ellis Loring, Susan Slome, Mike Begovich and Jennifer Elise Cox fit their role so beautifully and never miss a beat bringing their character to life. My favorite however was Jason Bushman who gives a stellar performance as Matt. Though his part was the smaller of the six main characters, he crossed into a role very different from his own life, a role he probably shouldn't have been cut out for, but you'd never guess that by his performance. (not to mention the fact that he is HOT HOT HOT). He gives his character a sweetness that all the others lacked, and the degree of seperation between his character, and his own personal life off camera, is enormous.

I really found no down side to "Hard Pill" with exception of maybe the ending. It is written to leave the viewer to determine for themselves as to whether the ending is happy or sad. For me, I would have to call it bittersweet, and a little too incomplete. I personally WOULD take such a pill, after viewing this provocative drama, but don't give your decision until you see both sides. You might be surprised at your own answer. This movie is terrific and definitely a "one of a kind" gay-themed production. A very nice change of pace from the usual storyline, and one that makes you think a bit. The DVD also offers some nice extra features, including (1)a conversation with writer/director John Baumgartner and actor Jonathan Slavin, (2) An outtake reel, (3) "Making of Hard Pill", a behind the scenes featurette, and (4) Original Theatrical Trailer. Filming, audio, video, casting, acting, directing, scripting and everything else was excellent in my opinion and I highly recommend this film with two thumbs and two big toes waving in the air!

Rented this off of Netflix and loved it. I often have fantasized about
what would happen if I could take a pill and change my sexual orientation.
What I thought was so sweet is that one rarely thinks about the friends
and family you equally effect making such a change. A great sub-plot was
the gay co-worker who went through his own transmormation by actually dating men instead of just picking them up for one-night stands at the
bar and gym. Beautiful thought-provoking piece of art!

My opinion of the movie is not as enthusiastic as the other one but I did like it.
I think the premise is very good, but it's slightly let down in the second act. I hoped they would explore how the main character's life could equally fail as a heterosexual, but instead most of the conflict comes from the fact that he is ordered to leave behind his old friends, and the troubles this causes them. Anyway this subplots are so well handled and are so interesting for themselves that almost make up for the main story line's 'bad' turn.
The dvd image is anamorphic and all the good you can expect from a cheap-video shot movie. Speaking of this, the director's staging of the scenes is very good overall, getting the best from that style, it's direct and intimist.

Would you take a pill that would make you straight? Nebbishy, unhappy Tim (Jonathan Slavin) decides to. He's firmly in his 30's, balding, boyfriend-free, and has a "complicated" relationship with a straight friend. He volunteers to be part of a study a pharmaceutical company is engaged in to make gay men straight via drugs. The pills work, but he has to sever all ties with his former life for it to continue working, and the people he leaves behind aren't very happy about it.

Although the movie raises a lot more questions that it cares to answer about our own choices and responsibilities with the people that we love, it's a breath of fresh air to watch something that has some reach, especially when it's so well done. With his big, dreamy eyes and slight physique, Slavin (usually known as a comic actor) is heartbreakingly good at showing us the real turmoil and longing for love that his character feels, without flinching from showing us his reckless disregard for his friends and in the end himself. Matching him is Mike Begovich as his friend Don, the friend-with-benefits devastated at a sudden loss, Scotch Ellis Loring as a friend and co-worker who will have to fight to save his friendship and Jennifer Elise Cox (Yes, Jan Brady) who is wonderful as the woman Tim falls in love with.

Most times you have to wade through the muck that is gay cinema wondering if there is any small cinematic flower out there in that swamp. This is decidedly one of those flowers.

A company comes out with a pill to make gay men straight and Tim (a
very good Jonathan Slavin) decides to try it, since there is a painful
lack of romance in his life as a gay man, while a number smart women
seem to like him.

This leads to all sorts of complications, hurt feelings, lost
friendships.

Some of this is clunky, the plot relying a bit heavily on some thin
ideas, cliché characters, and big coincidences.

But it has a good heart, nice performances and ultimately is a real
affirmation of self- acceptance, without pretending that is always an
easy thing.

I enjoyed watching this film. It's about Tim, a lonely, sensitive, 30-something gay man in an unspecified U.S. city. Tim works at a small company with co-workers Sally and flamboyantly gay Joey. Sally and Tim have been close friends for years, and Sally is secretly in love with Tim but long ago accepted she can never have him because he's gay. Tim's best friend is the straight Don. Tim has a dysfunctional, imbalanced friendship with Don.

Tim doesn't have a boyfriend, and hasn't had much luck with finding one. He isn't keen on the casual sex/nightclubbing gay lifestyle which his friend Joey so enjoys. Tim just wants to fall in love with his ideal man, and settle down into a quiet, comfortable life. Trouble is he isn't handsome and has trouble getting noticed by other gay men.

Things look up for Tim when the good-looking, young Matt starts work at Tim's company. Tim is attracted to him but can't work out if Matt is gay or straight. Later, when Tim finds out Matt has a girlfriend, his feelings of despondency and loneliness intensify and Tim wonders if he'll ever find love.

In these circumstances, Tim volunteers to take part in a new experimental drug trial which promises to turn gay men straight. Tim hasn't found love or happiness as a gay man, so what's he got to lose in trying something new, maybe becoming straight?

Initially the drugs work, and Tim develops strong physical attractions to women. Tim meets Tanya and starts a relationship with her. Tanya is lovely, and adores Tim, and for a while everything goes well. The 'conversion' really seems to have made Tim's life fuller.

However, the drugs soon wear off and Tim is no longer as attracted to Tanya. The film explores the strains the 'conversion' process places on his friendships with Sally, Joey and Don.

Probably the best part of this film is its characters. They're well drawn, abundantly human and feel very 'real'. This is partly because of the home-video style of photography used.

The film has a unique premise - "If you could take a pill to make you straight, would you? And how would it change your life?" However the film never gets to explore this question because the drugs stop working and don't succeed in making Tim straight.

I would have liked to see how Tim's life would have turned out if the drugs HAD kept working. The film makers' message seems to be that sexual orientation is so ingrained that drugs can't change it successfully. This begs the question, "But what if drugs CAN successfully change it?" In this age of advanced medicine, surely that is not an unreasonable question?

The film makers were too scared to explore that. Early indications are that Tim WAS happier being straight. I can't help feeling the film makers didn't want to suggest that a 'conversion' could actually make someone happier, so backed away from pursuing their film's premise to its ultimate conclusion. Not surprising, as the film is aimed at a mostly gay audience, the director is gay and so are some of the actors. It smacks of a 'gay agenda'.

Overall, this is an interesting, intelligent and thought-provoking film, but turned out to be highly unsatisfying for me.

Let's see--you've got the unappealing main gay character, desperate to be straight...a jock addicted to anti-depressants...the alcoholic sex-addicted gay best friend...and the frumpy straight girl who drowns her sorrows in rocky road ice cream and phone sex lines. Add it all up and you have yet another painful addition to the growing list of gay movies with potential that just aren't executed well at all. At best this movie evokes laughter when it probably shouldn't, at worst you wonder if you're watching a bad school play where you're the only one in the audience wondering, why does this hurt so much to watch?