Customer Reviews

It's in the Water

5 star:		(28)
4 star:		(16)
3 star:		(8)
2 star:		(8)
1 star:		(13)

 

 

I must admit after reading some of the other reviews I was nervous in purchasing this title. After watching this movie I couldn't be happier to add this to my GLBT movie library, right next to Better Than Chocolate. If you like to laugh, see this movie.

True, the characters are stereotypical but that allows its message to be more universal. The acting may not be the best but it's more believable than other movies I've watched. I would have enjoyed a longer love scene...but it's not supposed to be porn. I was very impressed with the southern accents. They didn't sound fake as in other movies that take place in the south!

The whole movie kept me laughing and reminded me how true this could be in my own town. It was worth the price just for the movie rental scene! The movie is about a lesbian and a gay man coming out to their socially prominent families in a small southern town. Prejudice is real and can be funny when seen for the absurdity that it's based on. There are some serious bits about discrimination and AIDS but it flows with the storyline and works out in the end.

If you're into serious and intense this movie is probably not for you, but if you want an hour and a half of lighthearted entertainment that's not all fluff I recommend this one!

I absolutely adore this movie. The two main characters Alexandra and Mark deal with accepting their homosexuality and living their lives honestly in a small town that is full of homophobes. Alex is married but has not had sex with her husband in months, and really doesn't even talk to him anymore. Alex's life is shaken up when she runs into an old school friend, Grace, who was beaten up by her husband, who is now in jail, because she was having an affair with another woman. Alex was basically raised to be a "little woman" kind of wife--she obviously never questioned her sexuality before, until Grace tells her that she is a Lesbian. It was really good to see Alex defy her mother and her husband who were both determined to try to "keep her in her place." When Alex tells her husband that she has a job and he forbids her to take it I thought I was watching a movie that was set back in the Stone Age.

Mark, on the other hand, has known that he is gay ever since he was a teenager, but he is attending a group that is supposed to turn its members into "ex-gays." He meets a man,Tomas,at the "homo-no-mo group" because Tomas ended up there on accident. Mark is immediately attracted to Tomas, and he just cannot seem to help himself because he starts pursuing a relationship with him.

After Mark and Alex decide to accept their homosexuality, and live an openly gay lifestyle, they spend the rest of the movie dealing with the problems that this causes--although Alex has much more serious problems because she is married while Mark only has a girlfriend that he was never very interested in.

This movie is so heartwarming and beautiful, that I know I will enjoy watching this movie again and again, I am so happy to have this movie.

If you're ready for a great lesbian and gay romance that's also hysterically funny ... or a brilliant film that projects positive lesbian and gay images with eye-pleasing protagonists ... or something you'd love to watch with Mom or Dad, then buy this film, as you'll want to watch it over and over again!

Rarely have I seen any production (film, television, stage) that accurately portrays the South, much less what life is like for a lesbian from a socially prominent family in a small southern town. Though some of Kelli Herd's characters may seem bigger-than-life (Hell, it is Texas, after all!), let me tell you that characters like these truly exist in my home town -- maybe even in yours.

Though set in the South, this has been an audience favorite at festivals the world over. And this one's for the boys and the girls. It is truly one of the best films I've seen in years. Let's hope that we see more from first-time filmmaker KELLI HERD!

I'm glad I bought this movie. It's entertaining and a great deal of fun with some great scenes besides.

Part of my fun was identifying the Southern types ... Florence King lists in her book, "Southern Ladies and Gentlemen" (which is a good read itself)with various characters in the movie. Also, those of us who decided to do some "research" by reading or watching movies before actually coming out can relate to Alex's embarassment while her video rentals are being checked out. The kissing scenes are the most passionate I've ever seen in a lesbian video.

I really didn't think there were any major problems with the acting and what few there were weren't worth dwelling on for the rest of the movie or were easily overlooked.

The only expectation you should have while watching this movie is to be entertained, and "It's in the Water" delivers in full.

After reading a previous review that left me scratching my head and saying, "what! where was that! " I felt compelled to submit my own review of this movie. Quite simply, I loved it! Some of the acting is a bit over the top (i.e., exaggerated), but the overall sincerity of the content shines through. This film realistically depicts the challenges of living and "coming out" in a small town, where everyone knows everyone else and everyone else's business. The honesty of the porch scene with Alex and Grace had me exclaiming, "Exactly!" And the dismissal of the butch-femme steroetype by portraying both lead females as femmes allowed me to further identify with this movie. But don't take my word for it~~see it for yourself and you, too, will immediately want to own it!

I decided to purchase this DVD after having read some of the reviews regarding this title. In all honesty, I was prepared to be disappointed, but It's In The Water is the most pleasantly surprising film that I have watched in a very long time. Despite the rather absurd premise regarding the hazards of the town's drinking water, the writing is funny and clever in the way it illustrates the narrow-minded atmosphere of a small Texas town. The acting is somewhat forced and at times falls flat, but the characters are well developed, albeit more than a little stereotypical. The key to enjoying this film is to recognize it for what it truly is: a satire that pokes fun at heterosexual perceptions regarding gays and lesbians but also at the way gays and lesbians see themselves. Don't take it too seriously. You'll only spoil the fun.

Chances are, by the time you're considering watching "It's in the Water", you've seen a lesbian-themed movie or two. So if you think you're running out of options because you've seen "Gia" and "Better than Chocolate" or what have you, feel free to dive right in to this.

"It's in the Water" is worth renting because it's fun. The first few minutes may have you wondering what you've spent your money on, but don't worry. It gets hilarious. The humor is fresh and the chemistry between the lead characters is genuine. And for some reason, that blonde just looks better and better with every scene.

Bottom Line
Cuddles: ***
Tissues:
Hotness: ***
Laughs: ****
Quality: ***
Rent it first. Buy after you don't return it because you can't quit watching it.

The movie revolves around three sets of characters: A high society women and her best friend, A sexually confused newspaper writer and his soon to be lover, and a man dying of aids as his lover stands by his side. Although that may sound depressing, it is not the core of the movie and doesn't detract from the other stories. Some of the acting is good, some actors we'll probably never see in another movie. The characters Alex and Gracie are enjoyable to watch, they are able to portray a true attraction for each other. Their "love scene" is too brief for those die hard romantics...but it was nice to watch. If you like kisses with passion, you'll enjoy those two. The other stories really add to the movie and show a variety of ways society deals with gay issues. If you like watching attractive actors, you'll like this movie, it has several. Enjoy.

This movie captures how two individuals come to grips with who they are, and it captures it better than any movie I've ever seen. To see the intimacy that they begin to develop in their new relationships, and to see that as "normal", is very refreshing. The humor is great because it is real life and the ending is very emotional. I recommend this movie to everyone who may be struggling with who they are and to everyone else so they can see the trials and tribulations that individuals go through with self-discovery.

The movie is a true gay & lesbian classic with a touch of screwball comedy, though not close to the nutiness in "Better Than Chocolate". Although the movie main plot is about a small Texas town's mass hysteria and homophobia towards gays, the two subplots really takes over the movie: Alexandra's and Mark's coming into their own terms of their homosexuality, and the town's reaction to their sexuality.

The subplot includes Alex discovering her sexuality after finding out her best friend Grace is a lesbian, and at the same time started to fall in love with her. Meanwhile Mark, who is somewhat closeted and has a girlfriend, deals with his homosexuality by attending Brother Daniel's "Homo No-Mo" meetings, however during one of the meetings he meets a handsome Latino painter named Tomas and starts a relationship with him.

Alex also has a good friend named Spencer, he's very openly gay and while he was drunk he told some people that he became gay because he drank the water. The whole town start to panic after his drunk comments and shows how ridiculous people can be when it comes to dealing with gays or gay issues. Some might find him a little too flamboyant and too "queenie" for lack of a better term, but comparing him to other gay males in gay/lesbian movies such as Andre in "But I'm A Cheerleader", he's rather normal. With Spencer the movie also shows how gays and lesbians support each other, contrary to the stupid belief that lesbians hate men.

The love scene between Mark and Tomas were actually better than the one between Alex and Grace.

Mary Jo Chapman who is sexy and hot as hell does a good job of playing the strong-willed yet open-minded Alex. The actor who plays Mark (I forgot his name) also does a good job of playing Mark as an uptight person who was affected by his father's attempts to repress his homosexuality.

This is a movie that everyone would enjoy, that teaches the effects of homophobia in a comical way without being preachy about it. This is absolutely one of my top 10 lesbian films of all time