Customer Reviews

Luster [VHS]

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(10)

 

 

I knew this was going to be a "cool" flick from the opening credits that just list the first names of the cast and crew, but it isn't without its flaws as well. Namely some campy acting, a customer in a record store squealing for Madonna, to numerous subplots that tend to bring down the film as well as audio that tends to be muffled in spots. But overall the more it went on the more I accepted and enjoyed these vagabonds and the flaws found within.

The story centers around a punky, skateboard, party goer, poet, named Jackson (Justin Herwick), who works at a record shop called, how appropriate, "No Life". After waking up from the aftermath of an orgy he inquires about a boy who was there, Billy (Jonah Blechman) with whom he develops an infatuation for and decides to track down. Who wouldn't! He's a cutey but he he too has some flaws. Needless to say Billy is the boy toy of a record mogel played by Willie Garson (Sarah Jessica Parker's gay friend Stanford on Sex and the City) who gets off on getting beat up. It does get a bit ugly and some people might not like the S&M. Throw in Jackson's hunky cousin Jed(Barry Wyatt), a clean cut collegiate type customer at the store (Sean Thibodeau) who's in love with Jackson, a lesbian friend named Alyssa (Pamela Gidley) who screws around with Jed and is later found out by her lover, and you get a smorgasboard of a soap opera. The one character I really wish had been more developed and with whom I felt something towards was Jackson's supposedly straight boss and friend at the record shop, Sam (Shane Powers). He gives a real emotional performance at the end and his story only scratched the surface. The other performances are hit and miss. Sometimes they're great and then at other times it seems campy and silly. It's a real mixed bag along with the storylines. Take it for what it's worth though and you'll have fun with these characters, their loves, lusts, and losses.

The DVD is stereo and the transfer is a bit grainy but it only adds to the seediness of the tale. I didn't expect much more from a low budget "indie" and it also includes a short documentary with the director and a film commentary and trailers for other TLA releases.

Note: plenty of full frontal nudity
From TLA Releasing

From the looks of it, this was shot in 16mm, but the graininess and grittiness work just fine with the script. The characters are fleshed-out for the most part and the acting and direction are satisfying. The script is often a bit silly, and these 20-somethings seem to have suffered an arrest of emotional development somewhere around the age of 13, although on some level, most are endearing in a twisted way and you really find yourself liking most of them. There's a bit of gratuitous violence, nudity, substance abuse, sex - the usual stuff - but the pace never flags. Some of the situations are pretty much beyond the pale, but employing a little suspension of disbelief, the viewer will probably find him/herself enjoying the ride.

I'd suggest renting this one before purchasing it.

I love the spoken word--and there are some beautiful ones said here (and mostly well-delivered). From the opening scene, we know just where this film is going, each turn foreshadowed without being ominous or heavy-handed. So we empathize with the characters as they stumble forward, having the advantage of knowing where they are heading which gives this movie a kind of warm predictable feeling despite the many seemingly insatiable appetites. If nothing else, watch and listen for the poetry--its good and definitely worth a listen.

This movie might actually make you cooler just by watching it. It's 1996 Los Angeles in a way you've never seen it, but is much more accurate than either the gay gay films ("Jeffrey") or the gritty punky angry urban ones - it falls in between the two. And the soundtrack is fantastic, really really really good. It's worth it just for the soundtrack.

Marked as a smart, sexy romantic comedic melodrama, the roughly made Luster is anything but. Well, it's sort of sexy, but it's not particularly smart, with a plot that takes a full hour to kick in and some pretty forgettable performances by the young cast. Also, for the most part, Luster isn't particularly funny, with a storyline that ends up veering into some pretty ugly and heavy S&M, non-consensual sex, and even suicide.

Set in Los Angeles, with much of the action-taking place in the more seedy areas of Hollywood, Luster opens just as Jackson Jones (Justin Herwick) wakes up from an all night orgy. Jackson is an alternative kind of guy - he has piercings and streaky blue hair, a goatee, and works in an independent record store.

Jackson is also an amateur poet, and when he's not shelving CD's while riding through the store on his skateboard, he's writing sexy love poetry in the hope of getting himself published. He has also set his sites on Billy (Jonah Blechman), a damaged twink in white leather pants whom he spotted at a party. Billy, however, is into being bashed about for kicks, and has been having secret liaisons with the deeply closeted rock star Sonny Spike (Willie Garson).

Jackson has been using his love for Billy, as inspiration for his poems and Sonny wants to use them as lyrics for a new album of rock music that he has planned. Jackson, however, is totally oblivious to Billy and Sonny's kinky relationship. A spanner is really thrown into the works when Jed (b. Wyatt), Jackson's hunk of a cousin arrives in Los Angeles from Iowa. Of course, Jackson falls immediately in lust with him, and wonders whether sleeping with your cousin is really incest, if it involves two guys.

Meanwhile, Jackson has a secret admirer in the clean-cut, straight-laced, and absolutely adorable Derek (Sean Thibodeau). Derrick is an unadulterated romantic, who believes in "love at first sight," and who falls hopelessly in love with Jackson when he wanders into the record store. After sharing a rather passionate kiss, Jackson decides that Derek is a bit too "normal" for his punkish, alternative persona.

But is doesn't stop there, while Jackson seems oblivious to all these romantic and sexual machinations that are going on around him, his "straight" best friend, Sam (Shane Powers), has also fallen in love with him. Tragically, Jackson hasn't a clue. He's far too preoccupied with writing his poetry and trying to bed Jed.

If this all seems a little much, well it is. Luster suffers from far too many extraneous characters that are constantly vying for screen time. There's also an unnecessary subplot involving Jackson's friend Alyssa (Pamela Gidley) is an aspiring photographer, who takes a shine to Jeb, and who spends most of her time annoyingly chattering away about post-modernist art.

Director Everett Lewis shows, with varying degrees of success, this alternative, punk acting group of men. Jackson in particular, is straight acting, far from effeminate, and is very accepting of his sexuality. And it's quite refreshing to see slightly edgy images of queer life that have nothing to do with clichéd gym clones or drag queens.

But when one considers the outrageous proceedings, Luster ends up coming across as rather repetitive, dull, and bland. The lack of a meaningful story would be easier to take if the dialogue was wittier; the characterizations were a little deeper, and the production design of better quality.

The tacked on, melodramatic plot twist at the end only further accentuates the artificiality of the proceedings. Yes - there are some good-looking, hunky guys in this film, but don't be fooled by the cover of the DVD with its photo of a group of writhing, naked male bodies, because minor nudity is all that you're going to see.

With all its good intentions and its attempts to be gritty, resolute, and urban, Luster ultimately comes across as rather fraudulent; and even Herwick's quite nuanced and natural performance as Jackson can't save it. Mike Leonard August 05.

The fact is that many gay indie films have poor production values and inconsistent acting, so reviewers who are comparing this to a big-budget studio film are making an unfair comparison. What I liked about this film was that it is unapologetically gay. The gayness of the characters is not a big deal, and is neither the source of a standing joke (as in "Will and Grace") nor the cause of all their problems.

Instead, the film explores these admittedly flawed but interesting characters as they stumble through several days. I agree with the reviewer who wished that the character of Sam had been better developed. I also felt that even for an indie film, the dialogue was sometimes extremely difficult to understand, and this is a technical problem that should have been fixed.

However, I felt that many of the characters were likeable (not necessarily sexy, but that's a separate issue) and I cared enough about them to want to know how the film ended. I found that I was still thinking about the film long after I finished watching it.

I thought the idea behind the film and the undertones where good if not great. The acting was questionable at best and the production quality was poor. I wish I could say more possitive things about this film but I honestly can not. Poor investment.

I think somebody needs to go back to film school and several need to crawl back to acting school. I usually can forgive bad camera angles, poor lighting, poor sound quality, and poor transfers, if there is a good script and good acting. The script of Luster is simply ridiculous. Featuring a rape that is handled nonchalantly, love at first sight, and an inexplicable suicide, this story lacks credibility from beginning to end. To add to the feeling of disbelief is the complete lack of talent of several main characters. The absolute worst was Billy (the "inspiration") who is to acting what William Hung is to singing. What is most pathetic is that the creators of this movie seem to think they were creating art. The recital of "poetry" in different scenes, the sound effects over the closing credits, etc., may be art in the hands of a good director, but here just make us wonder: What were they thinking? By the way, if you are going to recite poetry in a movie, please hire a professional to write it. In short, this is by far the worst movie I have ever seen.

I don't usually write reviews, but I saw Luster with my partner and we had two different reactions. He didn't finish watching it and I really enjoyed it. First, I have to point out that I happen to be part of the indie gay filmmaking scene. There are a number of really uneven and poorly produced titles coming out, (including mine!) but they all have a lot in common: gay filmmakers getting access and experience in creating their art, in finding their 'voice.' This movie was no exception. Clearly it's low budget. But I think the filmmaker was trying to make a point, which is why the movie consists of a great deal of talking and espousing. I wouldn't say there is much of a plot, but I think it realistically depicts a 20-something in today's world. Especially today's gay world. He's good looking, sleeping around, has cool hair and a cool job and on top of all that he still manages to be depressed and unhappy. What a bummer for him. His castmates subplots don't really help congeal his point, which is where I think the screenwriting wanders off course. Overall, though, I think you'll like this movie if you are into these kinds of personal artsy ramblings. If you're not, you definitely won't enjoy it.

From the looks of it, this was shot in 16mm, but the graininess and grittiness work just fine with the script. The characters are fleshed-out for the most part and the acting and direction are satisfying. The script is often a bit silly, and these 20-somethings seem to have suffered an arrest of emotional development somewhere around the age of 13, although on some level, most are endearing in a twisted way and you really find yourself liking most of them. There's a bit of gratuitous violence, nudity, substance abuse, sex - the usual stuff - but the pace never flags. Some of the situations are pretty much beyond the pale, but employing a little suspension of disbelief, the viewer will probably find him/herself enjoying the ride.

I'd suggest renting this one before purchasing it.