Customer Reviews

Hollywood Je T'aime

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

 

 

Romantic comedy? I didn't see much romance or comedy. "Will make you fall in love with LA all over again"? It made LA look depressing and dirty to me. "Hugely entertaining"? Mildly entertaining, somewhat boring.

Good cinematology, fine acting, interesting characters. But when the movie was finished, we looked at each other and said, "What was the point?" A French gay man comes to LA, has a few experiences and meets a few people, most of whom aren't very pleasant, and then goes back home to Paris. Hang on, it's a rollercoaster of emotions! NOT!

"Hilarious and touching" I didn't find anything hilarious, and the only thing touching was Jerome's innocence, or perhaps the sad, sad people he encountered. I can say I did enjoy the few nude scenes in the movie; they almost made it worthwhile.

Smarting from a hurtful breakup with his twinkish lover, 29 year old Parisian Jerome (Eric Debets) decides a change of scenery is needed, so he decides to pursue his dream of going to Hollywood and try to become an actor. He takes a room at a seedy Hollywood hostel, takes the bus to the beach, where he meets Ross (Chad Allen), a stoner who hangs out at the beach and introduces Jerome to someone who gets him an audition for a commercial. In the interim, Jerome befriends a tranny prostitute and, through her, meets an older, bitter drag queen who lets him stay in a room at her big house in Silverlake. Jerome samples the gay nightlife, plays at a sex club, has countless flashbacks imagining his ex Gilles is with him, and gets very disillusioned with the prospects of staying in the States.

The film shows the gritty side of Los Angeles and West Hollywood, and I give it credit for being brutally honest in showing how Americans are often not welcoming of people from foreign countries. I'm guessing the filmmaker was going for a "Wizard of Oz" effect in having the film change from Black&White to Color when he left Paris, but the film was poorly edited throughout, in my opinion. I thought the characters were poorly developed and came across rather bland, especially Debets' deadpan, emotionless delivery. Chad Allen is wasted in his role, but Michael Airington steals a few scenes as Jerome's drag queen landlady "Norma Desire." Unrated, but would likely be at least a heavy R for full frontal nudity and simulated sex. DVD extras include commentary, a brief featurette and a few short deleted scenes. I give the film three stars out of five.

Jason Bushman's 'Hollywood Je t'aime' is full of charm. The depiction of a French gay man coming to the world of Los Angeles is whimsical, poignant and funny. And as he traverses this new world, his outsider perspective, on a place I think I know so well, is often hilarious. The film reminded me of Truffaut with its subtle humanity, funny moments, and charm.

I loved it! I curled up on the sofa with a glass of wine and thoroughly enjoyed watching the eclectic mix of characters and this Hollywood story unfold.

I bought this film based on other reviews and the fact that it featured one of my favorite actors: Chad Allen. While he did a good job, I can only imagine how it felt for him to be stuck in such a "less than stellar" role. May I suggest that you will really enjoy any of the other films he appears in. The "Donald Strachey" detective mysteries, (any of the four), or even "SAVE ME". These allow him to command the screen with a presence that is not unlike a young James Gagney! As for this film, I'm glad that I saw it, but do not need to repeat the experience!

Awesome movie, captures the immigrant experience beautifully, especially when you have California dreams. Loved it in the theatre so had to buy the DVD. Totally enjoyable when watching again.

This is a shoe string budget film which benefits from it, as indeed most do. There are some lovely unsubtle stylistic twists, like using black and white for the 'in France' shots and seeing everything Californian in glorious Technicolour.

This is not a full on gay film with regular bedroom trysts and the like. It is about the experience of a disgruntled with life gay Frenchman who goes to Hollywood to become an actor. There are some lovely scenarios and some excellent acting. The plot is a bit weak but the sub strata keeps the momentum up. The main character comes across as being too french at times which is fine cos he is, most of the interest comes with the supporting cast of misfits and lifes failures who keep managing to bring sparkle and hope to the world. I wont ruin the plot by saying what happens, just say it does have a bit of a feel good factor going on. Whilst it plays up on the humour, this is not a comedy; it is much more a study of realtionships in a gently, unfolding manner. All in all a great little film.

A type of movie you can watch once and that's it. I found nothing funny in the movie. Starting with a really depressing picture of Paris, through hostile welcome at the airport in U.S. (which is, unfortunately, very true), to the departure of the main character back to Paris, the film is quite sad.
I think what makes the movie something exceptional among others gay theme films is the acting quality. It is not bad, in some part very good indeed.
I cannot give more than 3 stars, 'cause I am not completely satisfied with what I got. Nevertheless, it was not a waste of time to see it.

Without doubt Hollywood Je t'Aime is above the average of the gay themed movie, the story is funny and cute at the same time, the main character, Jerome, grows into the heart of the spectator as he grows in the movie, and in the end, you are cheering for him, maybe even realizing that the "standard" happily ever after is not the one that probably it's better for him. Sometime the reality of a life in black and white is better than the glittering full color of something that it's not true.

This is a cute movie, worth watching, but it does not live up to the quality of most (gay) French films. If I had been expecting less, I probably would have been thrilled.