R U Invited?

I must admit at first I thought this movie would be another cheesy gay film, and if you are determined to watch it all the way through you will see that that assumption is incorrect. The first quarter of the film was a bit slow to start and each character seemed overly stereotypical, but then as the story unfolds and their real selves come out, it is incredibly endearing, and everyone could connect with the story line and at least one of the characters, if not all of them on some level. The way in which the story started out somewhat "blah" and then turns into true heart-felt interactions and the complexities of the characters are shown, you can tell it was intentional...and it works! Please watch the film all the way through and you will see the beauty, meaning, creativeness and sincerity it contains. I love when a movie surprises me like that.

I'm pretty sure I stumbled upon this movie on Netflix way back in the day, maybe around 2011-2012. I was still questioning myself, but I was curious about watching gay stories. Back then, I just felt it was cringe, yet somehow it stayed on my mind. Years later when I started my IMDB, I was working my memory to rate all movies I've seen and I remembered this one. It was gone from Netflix, but I found a copy online and it's been on my hard drive ever since. All that to say that the movie has always managed to bring me back and reconsider it.

Moving along to the film... well, I won't lie: it is low-budget and it shows. The generic stock music, the fact that it looks like a video and not very cinematic, the stereotypical characters and "theater kid" acting. Yes, I won't deny that at all. Even so, there's still a neat little story here that unravels once you get past the character introductions. Everyone has an arc and it's quite satisfying to see the conflicts unfold.

They manage to bring to life certain types of friendships we've all had if you're part of the LGBT community. Ben and Gordy seem very genuine and their banter and conflict are so effectively done and acted. Charlie is a bit cartoonish and over-the-top, but manages to show depth as the plot moves along, surprising us with an unexpected arc that makes him the highlight. Jason gives a very heartfelt performance and is the perfect antithesis to Mondo's toxic nature (he's easily the worst actor here). Anderson's presence is brief, but adds so much value to Jason's arc.

So, despite the simple plot and setting, I managed to rewatch this movie about 6-7 times since my first viewing well over a decade ago. The simplicity of it all is its biggest strength, and the rudimentary acting helps sell this movie as perhaps the everyday lives of guys who could be your LGBT friends. It feels honest and I think it's worth a watch. It's not a gem, but it is a solid effort that will draw you in.

I almost turned this film off several times during the beginning, where the characters were like a really bad take-off of queens, bitches, etc. But gradually, along with some truly great dialogue and some laughs and tears, I began to see myself and many of my old friends. I was really impressed with the writing and the non-acting delivery of the dialogue by the cast. Generally speaking it took me back to many of the people I have known and lust vs love. I forgot I was hearing written lines and think that every actor was above the usual "gay film" standards. Do yourself a favor and watch the ENTIRE film before you judge it. It is well worth your time and I guarantee that you will FEEL the story of each character. I really enjoyed watching a "gay film" that wasn't cheesy or phony or badly written, directed, etc. Excellent casting!