Customer Reviews

Sex, Politics & Cocktails

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

 

 

SEX, POLITICS & COCKTAILS is another version of the 30s-something relationship avoiders trying to master the art of partner browsing, 'looking for love in all the wrong places'. This little shoestring film seems more like a standup comedian gig with visuals than a movie. That may be due to the fact that the writer and director and producer and star are all one person - Julien Hernandez. While Hernandez has a charm and adequate charisma to make this theme work, his film could have benfited from outsourcing the roles other than actor and make a little movie that would have seemed more entertaining and less self indulgent.

Screenwriter Sebastien (Julien Hernandez) has turned 30 and has yet to have a significant relationship - or employment. When a film project is offered to him, despite the fact that the subject matter is a study of gay relationships, Sebastien pleads for the job and then turns to his best friend Daria (Marisa Petroro) who is constantly surrounded by gay friends to introduce him to the gay life (Sebastien has been living a straight life). What follows is an endless set of encounters with gay men in interviews, in acting out, and in demonstrating just what makes various gay relationships work and not work. Sebastien is drawn to the crowd as they are drawn to him and begins to feel the gravity pull towards the men, one of whom is a wealthy African American male Billy (Lonnie Henderson) who dispels all of Sebastien's prejudices. The characters we meet in this survey are for the most part stereotypically flat and some of the 'controversial' parts, such as Sebastien's first encounter with a solo night of video porn and a banana fugue, go on too long to remain funny.

Julien Hernandez is a talented guy on the screen with a big dollop of charisma and natural charm. The one standout actor is Marisa Petroro who has a fine screen presence and saves the film in every scene in which she is featured. The problem with SEX, POLITICS & COCKTAILS lies in the direction and the decisions to employ too many camera tricks, flashbacks, stills on moving shots, and captions that only serve to slow the film down and reveal a degree of self indulgence. Others such as Woody Allen are capable of combining all the roles that Hernandez takes on but manage to keep the resulting work focused. But then this is Hernandez first outing and despite the overall weakness of this effort, he does give notice of a man with talent: he just needs a good director! Grady Harp, October 05

Sebastian is a 30 year old who has broken up with his girlfriend and moved cross country to Hollywood, hoping to become a filmmaker. When he gets an assignment to do a documentary on gay relationships, he realizes he doesn't know any gay people, so he asks his friend Daria, a soap opera actress, for help. She sets up a gettogether for Sebastian with lots of her gay male friends.

Got the ending figured out yet? I'll give you an extra 10 seconds ... Got it? And what did you do with the extra time you had left over? :)

"Sex, Politics & Cocktails" (2002) is laughably predictable, actually amateurish on many levels, not surprising since it comes from a first time writer/director, who also happens to be the producer, editor and star (as Sebastian), Julien Hernandez. The pacing is choppy and confusing, with the use of still photos used to tell parts of the story on which there obviously was no film shot. It's also told faux-documentary style in part, with reminders of the time and camera commands (fast forward, etc.) appearing on the screen.

In a nutshell, the film looks at the difficulties faced by single 30 year olds, gay or straight, looking for a relationship (one based on more than sex) in modern day Los Angeles. Actually, urban gay men will likely find the satirical glimpses of speed dating, pretentious parties, and assorted "dates from hell" to be rather amusing, as I did, but there is not much else to look forward to here. Straight viewers, and most gay men, will be bored silly. About the only actor who stood out was Marisa Petroro (Daria), not surprising since it appears she is the only one in a cast to have any significant screen credits. The only name I recognize is Paul Lekakis ("Circuit") who has a small role as one character's date. Some outtakes run over the ending credits, and the DVD extras include some chatter with the writer/director/producer/editor/star and others.

I may have to request my money back from Blockbuster after renting this trite and boring documovie. Except for Paul Lekakis none of the cast is appealing and this is suppposed to be WeHo which is full of attractive people, however, none of them auditioned for this film. Very low budget and the story is riddled with cliches. Don't waste your time or money.

Very witty! Enormously funny! and Hot! Hot! Hot! My bo and I found this film to be creatively and unconventionally put together with its' vibe editing. I personally enjoyed that - artistically - I can see the average Joe - may have an opposing opinion. We went with a group of our friends in NY to see it at the Village - people were laughing so much we missed a lot hence we pre order it. The ending had a touching optimistic message that gave my most jaded friend some hope - Clive loved the 7 ft penis's and the hilarious the three way. I personally love the penis make over bit. It was original and side-splitting! We recommend to those who have a great sense of humor - and are not too jaded by the single life. I am ordering an extra one for my recently single sister who is in a funk from a break up. This will definately lift her spirits.

.... and on the THIRD time, click on the subtitles! Worked for me; lay back and let it all sink in. This sassy, classy n' clever flick made me feel young again. Kinda. Sorta. YAY-Y-Y-Y

Julien Hernandez is a young writer/editor/actor/director to watch. Talented and bright, cute, sexy, and just plain funny, he has concocted a rather stylish coming-of-age film about 30-ish (he's a late-bloomer), straight-ish Sebastian, an aspiring LA film-maker. He has never had a serious relationship but longs to wake up with someone special and hear an affectionate sweet nothing whispered over breakfast.

When he gets a job making a documentary on gay relationships, Sebastian asks his soap-star friend Daria (beautiful Marisa Petroro) to introduce him to 'the boys'. It seems he doesn't know any gay men which, as he lives in Silver Lake, qualifies as a bona fide miracle. In any case, Sebastian becomes friends with a veritable pot-pourri of gay types, all well-played, quirky, and familiar. Devon Michael Jones is hilarious as bitter therapist Blaire Edgewood (or Blaire St. John, depending on what part of the film you're watching), seriously in need of help himself. Gingerly welcoming his new experiences, which come fast and furious, Sebastian reacts by mugging adorably throughout his journey.

At his first 'swanky' Hollywood film party, where he hopes to meet and impress influential people in his best thrift-store duds, a self-conscious (and drunk) Sebastian becomes ornery, perverse, and ever more comical. His encounter with Billy is pure gold: their alchemy is both genuinely sexy and profoundly funny. These last 20 minutes of the film reveal Mr. Hernandez' deft -- even inspired -- touch in all his capacities.

There are questions of continuity, semantics, and production choices, to be sure. But chalk them up to the nature of guerilla film-making where virtually all expense, of necessity, has been spared. Mr. Hernandez' story and purpose over-ride any such quibbles. The message -- free yourself from preconceived expectations and notions of love and where to find it -- earns his ever-surprising, multi-faceted little gem a well-deserved 5th star.

Although I got this as a free rental, I almost felt like asking for another one, since it was a real piece of crap.

At times, it almost looked like it had been recorded using a cheap camera phone. The script and the editing were also terrible, which really didn't help.

I still don't understand how studios can release such bad movies on DVD yet there are still some classics that we may never get in that format.