Customer Reviews

Slutty Summer

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(8)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

I'd read some mixed (to bad) reviews of Slutty Summer, so I was unprepared for what a really good film it is. Of the countless gay movies I've seen, this was the first that truly made me feel that I was observing the real lives of 20something gay guys in a big city. The characters are all three-dimensional, even slutty Luke, well played by Jesse Archer, who is allowed to reveal a deeper side to his seemingly shallow character. Out actor/director Casper Andreas is very real and believable and likable as recently dumped Markus (I liked the way no attempt was made to explain his Scandinavian accent), and his developing feelings for equally effective Jamie Hatchett (as Tyler) build slowly and believably. Jeffrey Christopher Todd is adorable as hopeless romantic Peter, and I appreciated the respect with which Andreas treated this character; it would have been so easy to make fun of Peter's sincere desire to wait for Mr. Right. Virginia Bryant has many good moments as slightly ditzy Marilyn, and again Andreas has made her much more than the usual "fag hag" without a life of her own. I suppose it's possible (though doubtful) that at least some of the actors were straight (only Andreas is openly gay, as far as I know), but if so, they'd have to be quite amazing actors, because unlike far too many films, I believed that I was seeing real gay men (even down to smaller roles such as cutiepie Lex Sosa as Steven). Reading several other reviews here, I truly wonder at the cynicism and negativity of some gay viewers. This is not a bad film at all. This is not a badly made film at all. The budget may have been low, but this is clearly the work of a talented man who has surrounded himself with a talented bunch of mostly new to the screen performers. And the New York locations add to the realism of the story, and are especially interesting for an Angelino like myself (who loves New York as well). Thumbs up for Slutty Summer.

After reading some of the other reviews I felt I just had to write my own. Apparently we saw different movies...
This is a low-cost indy comedy - there is no big money, no big names, no special effects etc. The cast is limited in numbers and you are more likely to see on the screen real people who play actors than actors who play real people (and really know what they are doing). You wanted a gay blockbuster? Well, watch "Brokeback Mountain" again. And again.
One more warning - this is an indy gay comedy. Not gay porn. There is basically no nudity and sex is rather vaguely suggested than presented. I can't believe you don't know where to look if you need your porn, guys...
"Slutty Summer" tells the story of a young gay writer who found his boyfriend cheating on him and left him. As he has not much to do during a long NY summer he takes to waiting on tables in a restaurant where his fag hag friend also works. Although one of his new colleagues Luke suggests that the best way to get back on his feet is to sleep around (and he practices exactly as he preaches) Marcus soon falls for yet another colleague, sexy model Tyler and after some ups and downs obligatory happy end follows.
The adventures of the gay pack (we get here four fairly different types, each of them getting what they ask for) are mixed with that of Marylin, their best female friend who also dreams of happy relationship but apparently connects too well with a stiff drink every now and then to keep a man by her side.
All in all - a not too deep slice of gay life in the big city. Nothing special but if you can keep your expectations on a reasonable level it works OK especially with the decent soundtrack.

Sometimes the title of a film has connotations that put people off, preventing them from viewing a film that has a lot of good points just because the title is tacky. Such is the case for SLUTTY SUMMER. This low budget first film by writer/producer/director/actor Casper Andreas may not have the substance or finesse that other independent films have, but taken as a whole it is an entertaining outing that deserves more credit than it has received. One wonders if a different title and cover image would have resulted in a larger more attentive audience.

Summer in Manhattan and new writer Marcus (Andreas) has just terminated a relationship with unfaithful Julian (Christos Klapsis) and finds solace in his man-hungry but gay-friendly friend Marilyn (Virginia Bryan) who lands him a waiter position in a small restaurant where all waiters are various stereotypes of gay men: ex-model sleeparound Tyler (Jamie Hatchett), hopeless romantic wannabe actor Peter (Jeffrey Christopher Todd), nellie flamboyant one night stander Luke (Jesse Archer) and the obnoxious manager Kevin (Lance Werth). Through a lot of visits to bars and hangouts the crew try to soften Markus' hurt and in doing so open Markus' eyes (indeed, everyone's eyes) to the significance of relationships in the flippant world of gay Manhattan.

Yes, the story has been done before but life keeps repeating the same stories, too, and it is fine to have a different take on same sex ways of life and philosophy in the big city. For a film shot in 14 days there is a fine amount of attention paid to small details of conversations. Markus proves an economical director. The cast of mostly inexperienced actors does well, and even if they do seem to be parodies of stereotypes, they do establish understandable characters. For a first film this is a pretty successful outing. With different packaging perhaps it could have had a better chance in the theaters. Grady Harp, January 06

If you just want some light summer entertainment, this movie is fine. It's predictable, but sweet and ultimately romantic. The production values and writing are extremely weak, though in some cases, this gives the film a more realistic feel. The biggest problem is the acting and casting. I realize it's a movie, but is everyone in New York this perfect looking?? It's like they cast a bunch of models and that in itself is part of the problem. The acting is extremely uneven. Jamie Hatchett as Tyler and Jesse Archer as Luke both have tons of charm and presence that draw you to their characters. They seem very natural on screen, particularly Hatchett. But Casper Andreas is one of the worst actors I've ever seen and since he's the main character, Markus, that's a problem. He has a very strange way of talking and almost seems to have an accent of some sort. He seems to equate saying something in a strange and loud way with emoting. There's a scene where Markus and Tyler are talking after going on a date that is one of the worst I've seen, the acting is literally painful. Also doing a poor job is Virginia Bryan as the requisite fag hag. Her performance is so over the top crazy at all times I found myself groaning whenever she appeared on the screen. That said, if you just want to look at some pretty guys and be mildly amused, you could do worse.

I was not expecting much from this film, due in part to the poor choice of title, but was pleasantly surprised to find a "cute" romantic comedy with "cute" guys and some "cute" lines and situations. There are a couple of tender scenes, and I'm a sucker for tender scenes. No, it's NOT award material, but given the dearth of "gay-themed" flicks out there, it's worth a spin.

Never has an intelligent, thoughtful, warm and funny film been so badly served by its title. This is a wonderful, low-key character study/coming of age story/romantic comedy about Marcus, fresh from a recent and painful break-up, who gets work waiting tables at a NYC restaurant. The story follows Marcus and the small waitstaff over the course of one summer as they spend their time off looking for true love (or at the very least, great sex). The characters and dialogue in this one are the selling points. Every character was completely well defined - even where I expected to find a stereotype, I was always pleasantly surprised when he/she turned out to be a fully realized human being instead.

And, after watching it, I finally figured out what it is that distinguishes that overused stereotype - "the fag hag" - from merely a woman with a gay male friend or friends. In virtually EVERY gay film I've ever seen, there is a woman (often overweight and usually loveless) who is entirely focused on advancing the love life of her gay friend and has, for all intents and purposes, utterly no life of her own. Marilyn, the token female in this film, might be a pretty pathetic alcoholic (and to the filmmaker's credit this condition is, ultimately, not played for laughs), but she is totally, selfishly, focused on her own quest for romance. No matter what anyone may say about this character - fag hag, she ain't. There is also Luke, the flamboyant and promiscuous bar-hopping friend - another cliché, perhaps, but so well-played by Jesse Archer, that you forgive the stereotype. And he too reveals a tender side in the end. Rounding out the quintet are Tyler, the hottie Welsh male model, and Peter, the chaste romantic holding out for the real thing.

The dialogue is sensational - natural sounding and intelligent. The actors are attractive and deliver naturalistic, low-key performances that are very believable. There's no preaching. No good guys vs. bad guys. It's really just a slice of life. I cannot recommend this film highly enough. The only warning is that it offers little in the way of plot. It's mostly a character study, with a love story thrown in almost as an afterthought.

This is a thoroughly winning film that deserves a wider audience...and a more fitting name.

In the 2004 indie "Slutty Summer", twenty-something novelist Marcus (Casper Andreas, who is also the film's writer - director -producer -editor) comes home to find his lover of four years cheating on him, and sends him packing. To make ends meet, his friend Marilyn gets him a job as a waiter at the trendy Manhattan cafe, which has more than its share of gay waiters-wannabe-actors. Marcus becomes friends with the campy, slutty Luke (a scene-stealing role played by newcomer Jesse Archer), the old-fashioned Peter, and gorgeous-but-shallow Tyler. Marcus works on getting over his ex with a rebound-fling with Tyler, while Marilyn meets men through an internet ad, using a dating handbook as her bible on how to proceed. Initially disillusioned by the apparent emphasis among single gay men to "hook up" rather than try to cultivate a relationship, Marcus becomes more independent and self-assured with what he wants out of life, as the co-workers are there for each other to celebrate each dating success and help comfort each other when things go badly.

It's a simple story, told without any real surprises by a first-time screenwriter/director, by a group of actors with few credits, shot in 14 days on a tiny budget. Within those parameters, it is actually quite an impressive work, though it provides no more than an entertaining distraction for an hour and a half, and some raised eyebrows from gay viewers who might see themselves or someone they know in the characters. Production quality is far from perfect, acting is occasionally wooden, and the stereotypical depictions of gay characters will bother some. Played at gay film festivals and shown theatrically in a few cities as late as October of this year.

DVD extras are plentiful, including deleted scenes, outtakes, audition tapes, director/actor interviews, and a rather amusing "man on the (NYC) street" session about sluts hosted by actor Jesse Archer (Conclusion: It takes five to make an orgy.)

Usually I love to watch gay films, they are fun for me. But, I have to say I have not seen one this bad since I started watching gay movies. It was slow watching to me, and most of the "Acting" flat and nothing to like about most of the charectors. I was hoping that it would get over with. Wish I had NEVER bought it.

I share the thoughts on the film expressed by the revewiers right here (the ones that give it 3 stars, like Grady Harp).
The dvd image is anamorphic and really all the good you can expect for a film shot like this. Good job this time, TLA.
The are plenty of extras and are mostly interesting and funny, especially one featuring one of the actors making sex related questions to people on the street.

Slutty Summer is a romantic gay comedy that finally dares to be "ROMANTIC"; Markus is probably a long term relationship type, but he was burned by love, and when very handsome Tyler makes a move on him, Markus thinks that maybe, he can gift himself with a summer fling... meanwhile around him fly two characters at the opposite, the all flirty Luke and the forever love type of man Peter. The movie is obviously low budget, but nevertheless the story is really nice and even if low budget, all the chosen sets are perfect for the scenes, the Chelsea restaurant with open garden is so cozy and nice that made me almost want to be there.