Denied

Denied is worth seeing for it's performances and an intelligent story. We don't often get 'intelligence' when the story deals with love between two young men. More often we get titillation instead of dialogue, and tragic endings where reality would have sufficed.

In Denied, we get both intelligence and reality. Unfortunately we also get a transfer to DVD that is sometimes too dark (but where blacks are not deep and solid black) and sound that is too often muffled. The dialogue in this movie deserves more respect. Canadians have built a reputation in the industry for natural lighting techniques,and location sound clarity - a reputation that suffers here.

The story, dialogue, and performances - particularly Lee Rumohr as Troy - all ring true. I knew a 'Troy'. I know what I'm talking about, and this film does, too.

This is a film with heart and soul. It is flawed, but it is far from unwatchable, and it is a worthy addition to the DVD library of anyone who has an interest in the travelogue of the young gay heart.

I suppose I can understand why many people dislike Denied, but my response to it is very much different. Poor lighting and sound do not kill a movie for me if there is something valuable in it to dig for through those defects, and there is much of value in Denied. Except for the sound and lighting (and possibly the music), it is an excellent movie, much better than 99% of gay movies.

The screenplay is intelligent, subtle, compassionate, never clichéd, and often surprising. Characters talk in the sometimes disjointed way people really talk, switching from one point to another with no warning or explanation. That may be too much for viewers accustomed to the clean, logical, familiar, easy-to-follow way everyone talks in most movies but no one talks in real life. Every line in this movie rings true.

The acting is some of the best I've ever seen in any movie, and certainly much better than in most gay movies. Lee Rumohr in the lead as Troy is especially good, but Matt Austin as Merrick is not far behind; and, in a much smaller role as Fowler, Troy's gentle but troubled fellow ex-jock, Matthew Finlason is amazing.

I would almost recommend watching only the last half hour of the movie, from around the 1:05:00 mark (which unfortunately does not correspond with a chapter marker on the DVD - if you see a man standing alone on a lighted sports field at night, you're in the right place) to the very end. By that point, all the tedious stuff with Merrick's EXTREMELY tedious girlfriend Stacey is over, and all that's left is Troy's resolving his relationships with Fowler (which takes about 8 minutes) and then with Merrick (the last 20 minutes or so). That's when this movie really starts to shine, when it takes off and soars far above any other gay movie I can think of. But watching only the end would deprive you of its context, of understanding why Troy and his friends make the choices they make and how much those choices cost them.

So here's what I recommend: If you can't stand working at watching a movie, if you prefer to have everything laid before you in order and easy to get without any work on your part, everything easy to see and every sound clear as a bell, then forget Denied. Stick with conventional, slickly professional and familiarly produced movies like Billy's Hollywood Screen Kiss.

If you love gay movies, particularly gritty, realistic movies about people like us, then give Denied a shot. But hold on through about an hour of relatively tedious stuff; it will make your enjoyment of the treasures at the end richer than it would be without it.

But if you can't do that - if you can't or won't slog your way through an hour of tedium to get to a half hour of great beauty - then skip immediately to 1:05:00 and pay close attention, adjusting the video on your TV and replaying bits as necessary to get what people are saying. It will be well worth the effort. Even knowing nothing about the characters, seeing how they act and interact is profoundly satisfying in a way all movies should be but very few are.

Denied truly is a diamond in the rough; if you're a diamond hunter like me, go for it, and don't give up until you're holding it in your grubby little hands. You may find in the process that it has worked its way into your heart to stay.

This movie wanted to be better than it is. College dropouts Troy and Merrick share an apartment in a dead-end town. They appear to sleep together sometimes, but their own mental issues plus a psychotic former girlfriend sabotage their chances at a relationship. Narrative question: do they end up together?

The plot is well done. The story is familiar (or at least believable) enough that the dramatic tension works. Character development was decent. Some of the dialog falls flat, mostly due to the poor lighting and over-aggressive Foley editing. The leads are quite attractive, but the sex scenes are only in the PG13 range.

Cinematography is weak. Consistently under-lit throughout. The voice track is nearly inaudible at several key points. A couple of awkward edits too. Overall, would have been an entirely competent movie in the hands of a more experienced director.

A very well scripted film, wonderfully acted, depicting two young men struggling with their feeling towards each other, in the midst of heterosexual surroundings.

Unfortunately, the sound mix is so bad that the dialogs are impossible to follow - and they are essential to understanding what is going on.

I found a work-around on my computer: using an equalizer on the audio, I neutralised the low and medium frequencies and enhanced the medium-high frequencies: this made the dialogs followable. Quite amazing that the producers omitted this quality check!

I disregard the low light quality criticism. True, many scenes are filmed with scarcely a light from a light bulb, but for me, that enhances the atmosphere, although I would not have minded some more subtle shading at times.

All in all, if you can fix the sound, very worth while watching.

yes i agree with the other reviewer of this movie... on all accounts, especially the directors sparse use of lighting.... i understand realism, but its nice to see the actors sometimes.

plot-wise, i've been in a similar situation as our main character and I understand exactly what he was going through.. and i think its very realistically portrayed on screen.

i'm also glad that the gay boy gets to be the handsome jock this time instead of it always being the straight one.

if you can put up with the shoestring budget, i definitely recommend renting this one... a little slow the first 10 minutes but then it gets going someplace.