Mulligans

So the father is only 8 years older than his son!!! The mother is only 10 years older than her son!!! Seriously! The father and son looked like brothers..... hahaha

I got the opportunity to see this film on Friday night, at Outfest in LA. This was a very character driven film, and it left myself and my friends talking for the rest of the weekend. In fact we've co-opted some of the phrases into our own vernacular. Without giving anything away 'Go Steelers!' and 'Golf, Golf, Golf, Balls, Balls, Balls' if I heard them once, I've heard them a thousand times. I have to say, for me, I was very happy the sex was kept to a minimum. Often the sex scenes become too long, and distract folks from the story. In Mulligans there is sex, but it's not gratuitous. Thank goodness.

The central characters are very deep and complex, the issues are not so black and white. More importantly, the resolutions are not so cut and dry. If this was the writer's first story, I look forward to seeing what else he has up his sleeve. Most of the cast were relatively unknown, at least to me, but I want to see more from all of them. Actors act, and there careers should span a body of different types of work. For those familiar faces, this was a great change of pace. For the folks I didn't know, I look forward to seeing where their careers will go.

So if you're in the mood to watch a well written, character driven story, that just has a splash of Gay in it check out 'Mulligans'.

I really wanted to like this film, and I understand that it's an independent film, but it was just so amateurish and poorly made, it was like a Lifetime movie from the 90's. Even the sound was almost like someone bootlegged it with a camcorder in the theater.

It could have been compelling, but just really missed the mark. The script was just bad, bland, and boring.

This film is a shining example of how to properly express a point of view in a way that everyone can understand and relate, rather than the traditional sledgehammer approach that we're used to from the big Hollywood films.

Mulligans deals with the issue of straight vs. gay, and how it affects the lives it touches. The film deftly shows the stark contrast between the forced bravado of the fast-paced college frat-boy lifestyle against the shameless and unapologetic honesty of the exploration of emotional needs and desires. Set against the stunning backdrop of Vancouver Island, the scenery works well to reflect the depth and tone of the subject matter. The lead character shows, for the most part, a confidence in his own sexuality that throws the seemingly "normal" lives around him into turmoil. It forces others to examine their own beliefs and prejudices and decide for themselves whether a person's sexual orientation is their defining characteristic, or just another facet of a complex and intriguing personality.

This film is beautifully scripted to allow the viewer to take the journey with the character, so that when the question of sexuality comes up, it doesn't feel like an issue of orientation so much as an exploration of how best to fulfill the basic emotional need that we all have for intimate human contact. A truly inspirational musical score that works both to drive the action and stretch the heartstrings as necessary is a welcome enhancement to the story. It's rare to find a soundtrack so well suited to the mood of the film, the composer should be applauded for his work on this beautiful score. With its sensitive screenplay and superb acting, this film is definitely worth watching.

Well-heeled family man, a loving husband and father of two, is forced into coming out of the closet after falling in lust with his college-age son's best friend, a budding artist and (somewhat timid) homosexual. Facetious drama ostensibly aimed at gay viewers, but one which fails to give its target audience anything substantial or upbeat to connect with. Everyone suffers with such relish, but where are the bracing highs of finally bonding with someone who shares the same feelings? The dialogue is fairly worthless throughout (Child: "Mommy, what were those two men doing in the bushes?" Mother: "Probably looking for a lost ball."), which may be the reason why the movie is carpeted from one end to the next with generic 'romantic' music worthy of a daytime soap (it often substitutes for dialogue which, in this case, isn't such a bad thing). The film's weakest link is the casting: Dan Payne (as the dad) and Charlie David (as his young house guest) are both attractive actors, but Payne is too young for his role and David (looking about 30) too old for his. It's a step in the right direction that no character here perishes in an accident or commits suicide--but queer cinema still has an awfully long way to go. Cutting down on the guilt and the shame are the next obstacles to conquer. ** from ****