Customer Reviews

The Velocity of Gary

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(10)

 

 

Thomas Jane, Salma Hayek and Vincent D'Onofrio shine like night stars in the film, "The Velocity of Gary," directed by Dan Ireland with a wit and passion all its own. Opening with the character of "Gary" (that is not his real name, nor is it ever revealed), walking through the streets of New York City, clearly in the mood to pick up a guy or two. On the way, he saves a deaf drag queen from getting killed, but regrets it when he follows him everywhere. In comes Salma Hayek as Maricarmen, the lusty yet snappy Latina who is in love with Valentino, played by Vincent D'Onofrio. We soon learn two things: Gary is also in love with Valentino, and Valentino is dying of AIDS from his work as a porn star. Throughout the course of the movie, Maricarmen and Gary argue over what kind of care he should be receiving, and who is going to supply that care. The real waves of emotion come when the time for Valentino's impending death becomes very short, and the three of them begin to take stock of themselves as well as their relationship with one another. THis movie works the heart in more ways than one, most notably being the dialogue. The line, "Gary dreams about kissing someone so hard his mouth hurts. He dreams about kissing someone so soft his heart hurts, so long his neck hurts, so deep his throat hurts. Gary dreams about kissing someone so... completely that nothing hurts," is nothing but pure genius on the part of the writers. The sexual inuendo in the film, such as the kiss between Valentino and Gary in the phone room, takes it as far as it can without going into the extreme, and the passion between characters is vivdly evident. The search for one's purpose in life and where life goes is no more underlined than in this movie, which will move its open-minded viewers to tears of sadness as well as joy.

It's a travesty that this film is not available on DVD. Travesty.

This is the kind of movie that is not what it seems. From the cover jacket, you expect it to be about the harshness of city living, full of darkness and anger and seedy characters, but it's not. It's about three people and a world that most of us (thankfully) haven't experienced in our lives. The three lead characters are: Valentino, a bisexual ex-porn star dying of HIV; Gary* (not his real name), a gay hustler who falls hard for Valentino; and Mary Carmen, Valentino's spitfire girlfriend who is jealous of her lover's relationship with Gary but who has no choice but to share him. The world they inhabit is the underbelly of NYC, but director Dan Ireland never looks down on the characters, nor does he put them on a pedestal. It's a fine balance, but one that is achieved. The result is that it is impossible to watch this film and not feel the affection that Ireland has for the characters and their world, and that transfers to the viewer. It's reminiscent of Boogie Nights, another film set in the world of porn,drugs and hustlers, and a film that also makes you care for its characters and the alternative family they create.

The three leads did amazing work. Vincent D'Onofrio is mesmerizing as the center of the love triangle, a character so full of life even as he's dying that he can't be contained. This was a brave role for the respected character actor, and it deserves to be seen. Salma Hayek turns in another great performance, and one scene in particular, breaks your heart. Valentino is dancing in a club with Gary and Mary Carmen, and when he turns his back on Mary Carmen for a second to bump and grind with Gary, the slow-motion shot of the pain, longing and jealousy in Hayek's eyes will rip your heart out. And Thomas Jane has never been better. For anyone who's only seen his work in Deep Blue Sea and that raunchy Cameron Diaz "comedy", brace yourself for an actor whose potential hasn't been tapped in his subsequent projects.

This film has more than enough heart to spare, and that is what is truly so great about it. It defies expectations and cliches, yet it leaves you feeling renewed and hopeful. I only saw this film this past week, and I can't believe it escaped me before. Don't make the same mistake I did. See Velocity of Gary. It will haunt you, but in a good way.

D'Onofrio also produced the picture with Ireland, along with a previous collaboration called The Whole Wide World, and these two should continue their work together. They've created two wonderfully different films about passion and love and the human condition. And that's something that's sorely lacking in today's cinema.

I had been reading mixed reviews on this film so I was pleasantly surprised after I watched it. This is now one of my favorite movies of all time! The characters and story drew me in so deeply that I re-watched it a couple of days later. The story of the charismatic, dying Valentino and his two lovers really moved me. These were people who loved each other in their own way. Even though Gary and Mary Carmen fought all the time, their love for Valentino was enough to keep them together. I found the story to be touching, the dialogue interesting and the actors perfect in their roles.

This is a film that is more understandable if you have known a lot of people who live alternative lifestyles. I've been friends with people in relationships like this and its a very complicated situation. I also enjoyed the strange characters like Kid Joey, the drag queen obsessed with Patsy Cline and Gary. He was so desperate and sad and I wish his character would have been in the movie longer. All these people were different and bizarre yet they all seemed to care about each other. Not to mention there is a really hot kiss between two gorgeous men! The ending was moving to me in that it gave you a sense of optimism for their future. It doesn't necessarily have a happy ending but its a real ending with heart.

Obviously this is a movie that is not for everyone but for those with an open mind, you can become absorbed in this story. This is a rare and beautiful film that will make you stop and think long after its over. I would give it more than five stars if I could!

A film of unusual tenderness that explores human love and fragility in all forms is The Velocity of Gary. The complex menage of Valentino (Vincent D'Onofrio), Gary2 (Thomas Jane), and Salma Hayek are a complex trio whose devotion to one another is never a smooth relationship. Valentino is dying of AIDS and his lovers fight over how he should be cared for is a lesson in life and letting go. This is a complex little film which stages its story against the backdrop of gay subculture and NYC porn. It's not a film for everyone, but it is a wonderful love story that presents the tenderness and longing for love and companionship with respect.

Thomas Jane is superb as a young man whose emotions are bottled up until he meets and loves Valentino, a gay porn star. Salma Hayek is the volitile lover of Valentino, a spontaneous beauty whose lusty attack on life scares and irritates Gary. How these three come to terms with death and life is a wonderful story for viewers with open minds.

... This is a touching film for anyone who enjoys love stories and fabulous acting. The physical beauty of this cast is stunning and the performances top notch.

There have been lots of movies lately that pay lip service to the lifestyle shown in this movie. If you are turned off by knowing there is going to be same sex kisses then you are missing a really good movie for a very sad reason. This is about more then just male kissing. It's about love and respect, and the struggle to find both. It's about once that love is found how do you keep it in a world that has stacked the deck against you. It's about finding out you can love more then one person in more then one way. It's about finding that once person who loves you no matter what and having to let that person go. This is turly a must see movie. All of this being said, this movie still contains the best screen kiss I have ever seen. It's all at once sexy, longing, desperate, passionate, and loving.

The external structure of this film (that of a bisexual porn star dying of AIDS) may be difficult for some to relate to; but if you can see beyond that and the inevitable drag queen scenes, this movie is a beautiful love story at heart. To me Vincent D'Onofrio is the emotional center of this film, using his considerable talents to play a character charming, sensual and charismatic enough to convince us that two such opposite people as the shy Thomas Jane character and the Latino-spitfire played by Salma Hayek could both fall in love and remain in love with him to the end. Any movie that shows that love is the common denominator that unites us all is definitely worth seeing, in my book.

It took a long time for me to see this movie because I was misled by inaccurate and unfair reviews. When I was very young and living in New York, I more than rubbed up against the milieu presented in this movie (although the use of drugs is kept to a minimum here). Based on my own experiences, the relationships among the various characters -- ranging from those who are callous and heartless to those who are passionate and intense -- was right on the mark. It's a courageous movie, and an honest one. Mainly, it concerns an ex-porn star, his male lover, and his fag hag, as well as the odd assortment of street people who weave in and out of their lives. The three principals love and fight among themselves as they cope with an ever approaching grim reaper. The movie's ultimate accomplishment is to show us the great beauty and humanity that exists, even sparkles, in the souls of a group of outcasts written off by just about everyone else. It is also a hopeful movie in which the power of love overcomes even death. Unfortunately, it is NOT a movie for "straight" people -- and I use that term in a far wider context than sexually straight. Let's just say that the arthritic-minded will be too repelled or too fearful to open themselves up to this highly positive cinematic experience. Additionally, the movie is sensitively directed, and superbly acted by all.

If men kissing men makes you uncomfortable, you're probably going to want to skip this movie. Otherwise, if you want to look at beautiful people (men and women, such as the lovely Salma Hayek) and have a taste of the extreme fast lane and the village lifestyle, you'll love this movie. Actions speak as loud as words in this low dialog film, the actors manage to be subtle yet readable and understandable. The otherness of their world and their lifestyle was utterly enviable. Also a movie whose viewers would benefit from the use of some, shall we say, mind expanding drugs, as surely as wearing 3D goggles enhances the viewing of 3D movies. Enjoy!

There are scenes in this movie that I did not enjoy, but for the most part its a quirky little movie with a big heart and actors who do some great work, especially Thomas Jane. Any movie that has a drag queen lip-synching Patsy Cline in the first scene can't be that bad!

True, the film did drag at points, but the ideas that it delved into really permeate your mind for weeks after. I saw it a month ago, and I still think it was an amazingly original idea to explore how two people (Gary and Mary Carmen) that hate each other are forced to love each other for the sake of a common bond (Valentino). Then there's the ever-present examples of how time changes things, changes people. The first half even had a decent amount of comic dialouge. Very well executed.