Customer Reviews

The M.O. of M.I. (The Modus Operandi of Male Intimacy)

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(10)

 

 

I bought this DVD because of the mostly positive reviews. I now suspect that many of these are written by friends of the film-makers. In any event, I tend to like low-budget, independent films for telling stories Hollywood won't. Yes, the production and sound quality is poor/low-budget, the plot somewhat intriguing, while the acting was mostly poor-to-fair. There is potential in this story for a really good suspense film; however, the finished product falls far short. Rent before buying to see if this film is to your taste. I was disappointed.

Gay movie genre takes a much needed next step in film-making with "The M.O. of M.I." While most gay movies start with the romantic entanglements/intentions of the main characters and build a story around that idea, "M.O." turns this idea around. This movie starts with a first-rate storyline and infuses gay characters into it. The characters' personal motivations and aspirations play "first chair" to their romantic entanglements, past and present. WORD OF WARNING: the less you know about the plot, the more you will enjoy the flick, so I will not outline it in this review. Your opinion of the three main characters will change constantly throughout the movie as the plot unfolds. I cannot think of another movie that "played with me" that way as well as "M.O." The character I thought I liked the most throughout most of the film turns out to be the one I liked the least at the end of the film. The character that surprised and disappointed me the most- who I felt the most dislike for- turned out to be the one I liked the most and had the most empathy for in the finale.

"M.O." has a great ensemble of actors with a nice chemistry. David Christopher gives a consistent performance as the focused, cold, calculating Jonathon, constantly fixated on his game plans. David Stokey (Michael) play the traditional, conservative, caring, stable partner and gives the audience the most affecting scene when he and his partner, Tom, are "breaking up." The quibbles and dynamics in Tom and Michael's partnership seemed realistic in many ways. My only criticsm would be that Tom (Cory Schneider) is labeled to be the "younger, immature" partner. I immensely enjoyed Mr. Schneider's portrayal; his face lights up the screen when he smiles, which, unfortunately, he does not do enough in the movie. However, Tom doesn't look that much "younger" than Michael or Jonathon to me- or come off as being immature. I came to understand Tom's reactions as his personality and perceptions went through the greatest amount of changes and growth. He was simply defending the decisions and feelings he was coming to terms with. I left the movie's ending thinking Tom's character had an "old soul"- showing more maturity and accepting accountability for his actions more than any of the others. The "young/immature" angle of Tom's character could have been dropped and the movie would not have suffered in the least.

Aaron Brown has given his audience an entertaining screenplay and storyline with the palette he created. Also, be sure to watch the movie through the ending credits as you will see some "filler scenes" that will answer some questions as to how some of the events unfolded- and still toy with your feelings and perceptions of the these characters up to the very end! It is a shame that the film did not get bigger distribution, especially on the festival circut. The unfounded, short-sighted criticsm was that a movie should not be seen or made that puts "gays in a bad light." Rubbish! Gay people are not a group of apostles. This decision kept the movie from gaining the larger viewing audience and exposure it deserves for both the quality film it is and kudos to the talented actors and director who brought it to life.

The sound quality of the DVD could have been a bit better and a subtitle option would have been nice, but don't let that stop you from seeing this movie! Add it up! Great cast + great plot + great photography= a great movie that will not disappoint. "M.O." definitely has my friends and I in "water cooler" conversations and seems to bring up more questions than answers each time we watch it. This movie deserves the word of mouth to gain the recognition it deserves. I look forward to Mr. Brown's next cinema effort.

By RONNIE SCHEIB

A convoluted story of gay sexual intrigue with more twists than a designer
pretzel, this low-budget first-time-out effort by scripter Aaron Brown and
helmer Susan Turley may be a bit too clever for its own good. Like the
Argentinean "9 Queens" or Mamet's "The Heist," "M.O." flaunts its generally
nifty con-within-con-within-con structure, where everyone is ultimately
revealed to be blackmailing, cheating or cheating-on everyone else, and
hopes it will somehow constitute a worldview. The surprise-twist mechanism
works surprisingly well, taking on a life of its own that threatens to
continue ad infinitem (indeed, the rug-pullers persist well into the end
credits), but elements never truly come together. Pic should do well on the
festival and gay circuit, but wider distribution, outside possible cable
play, seems iffy.

Uneven thesping results in players registering as different than advertised.
The central couple, a 35-year-old established businessman (David Stokey)
and, we're told, his much younger "husband" (Cory Schneider), look to be
roughly the same age. Thus the sexual cachet of youth constantly referred to
in the script is signally absent from the screen, unless one considers whiny
emotional immaturity a turn-on in itself.

On the other hand, the dark spoiler to this idyllic couple, a
poet/drifter/drug dealer (David Christopher), who apparently latches onto
them for his own sinister purposes, has enough sexual charisma for all
three. But nothing is as it seems and who loves who, and who is using whom,
undergoes countless permutations before the final curtain.

Originally a three-character stage play, the triangulated action unfolds as
a series of talky, often shrill confrontations intercut with each other and
with a derivative subplot involving dope peddlers and a stolen suitcase. Pic
is so concerned with setting up its smoke-and-mirrors illusions and priming
its set piece traps, that it never quite settles on any point of view or,
more essentially, any focal point, relying on a succession of dazzling
quick-changes to substitute for orchestration.

I bought this movie based on glowing reviews on another web-site and I was terribly disappointed. While the basic story was a good concept, it was executed horribly. There was literally nothing good about this movie. I wanted to turn it off but I kept watching, hoping it would get better. It didn't! Bad acting, bad writing, bad movie. Don't waste your money.

Okay, I've seen thousands of films at gay and lesbian film festivals. I've watched made for TV movies, and I've eagerly awaited movies like this. When I read some of the other reviews listed here, I can only be struck by the fact that age must play a factor in a person's perspective. Younger guys aren't really gonna get this one...but for an older, mature crowd, this movie is really gonna be a favorite. It doesn't have drag queens. It doesn't have anyone coming to terms with their sexuality. It doesn't have unrequited love, or anyone dying of an incurable disease. It has characters. Real, three dimensional characters. On first watch of this movie, much doesn't make sense. Watch it a second time...and a third time...then the art of what these great film makers were doing really becomes apparent. If you are looking for gyrating bodies on a loud dance floor with a disco ball and a threadbare plot, this movie isn't your thing. But if you are looking for characters whose landscape changes before you, and whose motivations and schemes unfold in a hitchcockian way, then you want to get this film. It exceeded my expectations a thousand fold, and I will be sharing it with all of my friends who are educated enough to "get it". There are so many pieces to this work that come together, and there are so many true elements of gay life woven within the fabric of this movie that some younger gays may not even realize the truths...until they are older. Are they seedy? Undesireable? Ruthless? Genuine? Yep...and thats new! If you pass this by, you are doing yourself a disservice!

I saw this film a few months ago at the Melbourne (Australia) Queer Film Fest. Other films on the program ran the gamut, but were largely high quality, and I knew they couldn't all be good, but this one took the prize as the ultimate stinker. I am open minded and like a lot of low budget gay films where I feel those involved have provided something different and show talent, however buried in budget constraints. "The MO of MI" was just plain bad. How bad was it? Well, about two thirds through it the film had gotten so jaw droppingly absurd (in terms of story, writing and acting) that I burst out laughing in the theater, and that launched everyone else there - the hooting didn't stop until the film ended.

There is certainly room in gay films for stories that are off center, that have a mystery element, that bring characters to fore who are not exemplary or part of the usual gay stable. "The Mo of MI", though, telegraphs its plot with writing that is totally unnatural and acting that is, well, laughable (really). The one redeeming thing about the film is the fact the leads are all quite attractive. If only they didn't have to say anything.

REVIEW:
The M.O. of M.I. is a deliciously twisted suspense thriller in which the three main characters spend most of their time either screwing (in both senses of the word) or fighting. Michael (David Stockey) is a handsome but corrupt banker, who loves the younger Tom (Corey Schneider), his husband of eight months. One night, Jonathan (David Christopher), a studly performance artist, blows into town and needs a place to stay. Tom is infuriated when Michael invites this sexy "stranger" to spend the night at their house, and he begins to question his long-term relationship. Meanwhile, Jonathan strips out of his skin-tight jeans and tries to seduce Michael. Secretly, Michael and Jonathan are ex-lovers! Yet Tom may not be as naïve as Michael and Jonathan suspect, for he is harboring a secret or two of his own.
It would spoil this suspense film to say anything more except that while the characters engage in blackmail, betrayal, double-crosses and other indoor sports, audiences will be guessing who to trust right up to the film's satisfying conclusion. And make sure not to turn the DVD until the final credits roll to see just how every last detail is worked out.

--Gary Kramer

Just when I thought that gay films couldn't get any worse than "Sordid Lives" or "The Journey of Jared Price," along comes this stinker.

This is a truly horrible film. It bears comparison with "Plan Nine from Outer Space" and other classics of bad film. The plot line is stupid and completely obvious. Anybody who doesn't see the "plot twist" coming (guess what? A main character isn't who you think he is...if you're an idiot, that is) has never seen a single suspense movie in their life. The acting is painful. I have no tolerance for bad acting, and this movie gave me hives. The three main characters are all acted horribly. The most awful aspect of this movie, however, is the writing. I have never seen a movie with such bad dialogue (including the shamefully bad "Journey of Jared Price"). The performance art scenes deserve particular mention here. Whoever wrote that dialogue must have been joking.

Gay people deserve better movies than this. Remember "Beautiful Thing" and "Get Real"? Where did movies like that go?

OK this is not a big budget film....it is not glossy and slick...it is raw. It IS a drama....albeit a bit campy at times....which actually lends to it's appeal. It is well acted for the most part with some interesting turns and twists. I had to watch it several times. Each time a new facet was uncovered. All in all it is an interesting film worth watching.

This film really surprised me. Just when you think you've got it figured out, the story twists. From the opening credits until the ending credits (and you really have to watch the ending credits to see the amazing resolution to this film) I was transfixed. How this went straight to Video is beyond me. Looks like it had a great run in the film festivals based on the web search I did! If you are trying to decide on whether to purchase this or not....DO IT! It's a huge puzzle. I've watched my copy 3 times, and each time I am more and more impressed with the quality, story, and construction of this piece of work. I loved it! If you pass this by, you are missing out on a story that will appeal to everyone!