Bridegroom

As a gay man with a partner this film really struck the heart strings. It caries a powerful message that in America not all couples are equal or have equal rights. I feel this film made a big splash because of its trailer and the pre-movie video that went viral and the fact that OWN picked it up also played a factor.

On the technical side of it there were some things I didn't like hence my 8 out of 10 rating. I feel this area probably hurt the film. I am a photographer and a Director of Photography and some of the shots were so far out of the box for me that it was distracting because it wasn't pleasing to the eye such as framing, but over all great film that more people should see.

This movie spans the chasm of emotions touching every one of them! Love does not discriminate- neither should people. This should get your blood to boil to act! This could happen to anyone and this very situation is worrisome to me on a daily basis. When I began to watch, I had no idea what I getting into but as it progressed I was absolutely glued in one place my mind spinning in place like a monopoly wheel not sure which emotion to land on. I'm disappointed in the MPAA for rating this R for 'some language' when so many other movies are so much worse and get a lower rating! Watch and spread the word- love is equal, it is not reserved for the heterosexuals!

I had the privilege of seeing Bridegroom at the Little Rock Film Festival this year where it won the Best Documentary Audience Award. (By the way it also won the Audience Award at Tribeca, Toronto, Los Angeles and Memphis!) Little did I expect to experience the range of emotions I felt at the screening of this excellent film.

A moving testament of love and friendship found by two young men from small-town America, it deftly showcases the many issues involved in marriage equality when one of the young men meets an untimely death.

The results are devastating as we see the results of marriage INEQUALITY rear its ugly head. We feel the pain in a shattered relationship. Nevertheless, the movie ends with a victorious comeback for the surviving half of this enduring love.

Bridegroom is the best, and most moving documentary I have ever seen. It has the feel of an Oscar winning narrative feature. Well worth the effort to see, you will never forget this friendship that blossomed into a lifeline of love for two lonely souls.

I rate this documentary a 10 out of 10.

I'm old. I'm not young like Tom and Shane. I'm fat and homely; I'm not fit and beautiful like Tom and Shane. I've never been to Egypt or Paris or Machu Picchu or any of the other marvelous places they went together. I've never been in love, never had a serious lover or a husband or a partner or a relationship anything like theirs. I've lived alone all my life.

I tend to envy and resent people who have what I don't have; so what surprises more than any of you can know is that I'm not jealous of them, at all. I don't resent their youth or their beauty or their passion or their happiness or the adventures they shared or the delight they had in each other.

From my point of view, their story is a beautiful story of REAL love, of a blessed life, a holy life together that very, very, VERY few people ever know - maybe one in a hundred million, if even that many.

At my age I tend to see things long term, not because I'm wise but only because I'm old. I can't help it. When I look at things I see them in the context of centuries, not years. So when I look at Tom and Shane I don't see tragedy; I don't see injustice; I don't see the hateful, ignorant, fearful cruelty in some of the people around them.

Like it or not, those things are ephemeral. They don't last forever. LOVE lasts forever. Joy lasts forever. Beauty lasts forever. What Shane and Tom had will last forever, because, folks, Tom is not dead in any way that matters.

Bodies die, but the persons who live in the bodies never die. Tom is as real and as alive now as he was when Shane kissed him in front of the Eiffel Tower. He left here early, but a thousand years from now that won't matter at all, because they'll have been back together a lot longer than they were apart. That's the wonderful gift this movie gives to anyone who can receive it.

Still brings tears to my eyes thinking about Shane and knowing he's somewhere out there today still filled with discomfort in the loss of his best friend and companion. Very emotional and hard to wrap your head around just how intense of an emotion that would be to endure. The message is conveyed very well, and the majority of the film is just building up to a very strong climax. At the turn of events the film becomes very emotional and a strong tear jerker.

Over-all the movie is A++ but hard to watch because it is very very sad! I have seen many fictional romance movies with sad endings, but when the story is true, it can really take to heart just how powerful a story Shane has to share.