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28 of 35 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
My vote is "nay.", October 29, 2006
Given my long time interest in politics, I was anticipating the release of this movie and the pre-publicity hype it had been given. For some reason, I was expecting this movie to be more of a comedy. I think the script would have been more effective and gotten its point across better if it had been. Actually, I don't think I cracked one smile throughout this movie. This flick is only a few steps above the tragedy called "Ben & Arthur." It was about as enjoyable quail hunting with Dick Cheney. (heheh)
The overall production quality is below average. The interior set scenes are cheap and sparse. The movie doesn't flow smoothly. Many times the script and scenes moved at a disjointed pace. The sound quality is poor and uneven. At one moment I'm straining to hear the dialogue then all of a sudden, the background music jumps 100 decibels. I didn't feel connected to or had any empathy to any of the characters. Karen Allen's portrayal as the senator's wife was lauded in some reviews. I found her character- as everyone else's in the film- to be hoo hum, not complex or multi-dimensional, and disappointing. The ending of the film seemed abrupt and very unsatisifying. Spend your time researching your candidates, issues, and propositions in your upcoming election instead of watching this movie. It will be a more constructive choice of your time.
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10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
DARK Art-House Film - The "Ordinary People" for 2006, November 10, 2006
This is on of the darkest gay-themed films released in America I have seen. Most reviews have not been favorable, so I'll do my best to tell you what I liked, and what I didn't like. This is not a bad film, a 1 or 2 star rating seems quite unfair, but reviews are subjective. It doesn't hold a candle to other gay films I have enjoyed, but the subject is very different.
Why I Gave It 4 Stars: It was a solid 3, leaning towards 4 in the beginning, and towards the end, so I compromised. A solid B- film you might say.
The Story: It centers around Henry (played by Matt Newton). Henry is the son of a ultra conservative Senator from the south. Think of "The Birdcage", minus anything to laugh at. Henry is also gay. The film, told in "flashback style" as Henry tells his story to a reporter unfolds over the course of 6 months. Basically, Henry comes out, and family chaos follows. But not for long, as we're almost to the end of the film.
What I Liked: Personally, I liked the edge. This was almost more of a docu-drama, albeit a ficticious one, which could easily be based on truth. The actors were good to very good, the overall production was good as well.
What I Did Not Like: I was nearly half-way through the film, starting to get concerned where it was going, before all the character/story sub-plots were connected. The second half of the movie was strongest.
The Rest of the Characters: Besides our lead, Henry, we also focus on his stereo-typical bigot Republican Father/Senator, and his "senator's wife" Mother. And to the mix, a straight girl Izzi, and her gay male friend Anthony, whose relationship was unusual at best. Anthony and Henry meet under some unusual circumstances at a college party.
The Ending: I never give away specifics, but let's just say it's not a "Brady Bunch" wrap-up. If the ending was all tidied up for viewers, I would have knocked this down to a 3. Everything about the film was somewhat gritty, dark, "off". It's not the type of film that usually comes out of the USA. We usually have to watch films like this with sub-titles, so kudos to Here! films and those involved for producing the film.
Final Thoughts: This is not a laugh-out-loud sex romp. No, not at all. It's a good story trying to make a point about politics, sexuality and family values. It does all of those well.
Unrelated Chatter: Jack Noseworthy, the actor who played Anthony also starred in "The Brady Bunch Movie" and in his early years, "Cats" in the theater. Matt Newton (Henry) has appeared on the "Gilmore Girls" and "Judging Amy".
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Great premise, bad execution., November 21, 2006
The closeted college student son (Matt Newton) of a conservative Southern senator is being forced into being the "Poster Boy" (2004) to attract young voters for his dad's re-election. After he meets a hot, older gay activist (Jack Noseworthy), the son begins to reconsider remaining closeted on campus and to his family, without even knowing that his dad's campaign has been specifically targeted by the activist group.
Sounds like a simple, solid plot, and it could have been a great film. Unfortunately, the first-time director has to work with a boring cliche and platitude laden script by an inexperienced writing team, as all this unfolds in meandering flashbacks building up to the date that the student is supposed to introduce his dad at a college political rally (and even that doesn't make sense, since a rabidly conservative senator would not likely find many supporters on a university campus!) It's a shame, because the actors (including veteran character actor Michael Lerner as the senator) deserved better, and so do the viewers. 3 stars out of five.
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