User reviews

There is nothing particularly bad about the Art of Being Straight, but there is nothing especially good. Rachel Castillo does deliver a delightful performance as the lead character's ex-girlfriend who is now in a committed lesbian relationship, but dealing with her attraction to the new guy who moved in next-door. Unfortunately, the parallel main plot and lead performance given by the writer/director Jesse Rosen is not as engaging as he explores his own sexual identity. Mr. Rosen acting is lifeless and his character is dull. However, the film's tone is warm, the dialogue is sincere, and the movie smartly avoids heavy angst (for the most part) and tedious academic explorations of identity politics; however, it just ends up coming up short. The movie is neither intellectually provocative, nor particularly sexy (I am not arguing for more graphic sex scenes, but the few sex scenes which were shot are so insipid and boring they should have simply been left out). The film also occasionally stretches credulity when it needs to be believable. But most problematic is that the movie fails to deliver much of a message beyond "life isn't always black and white"--something other films have conveyed in a much more thoughtful and effective manner. In the end, the film is a mildly interesting "slice of life" flick, but mostly it's just a harmless bit of fluff. It's something worth catching for free on cable, if you have an empty hour on your hands, but it is nothing worth going out of your way to see.

The Art Of Being Straight

Set in the late 1990's this movie attempted to examine two rather absurd assumptions

Firstly when young people are exploring their sexuality it swings backwards and forwards between gay and straight eventually landing on a determined sexuality for life, quite ridiculous.

Secondly that even in the 1990's people were conflicted over their sexuality, an even more ridiculous assertion. Exploration is not confliction.

The only shred of sense lay in that it is up to any individual to decide the moment when they decide to come out to their friends

The script was bland, the situations contrived, the liaisons unbelievable and the acting had more ham than the supermarket.

What I really hated was the portrayal that being gay was linked to guilt, deceit and around something bad.....how crass!

This film is about a young man who moves to Los Angeles to pursue his dreams. His life gets complicated when his boss takes a special interest in him.

"The Art of Being Straight" is a realistic down to earth story. The lead character Jesse Rosen is handsome and is convincing as a confused man. However, the story telling is not so good. It fails to create tension or suspense. There is little to stir the emotions of viewers, which I find a fatal flaw. The only interesting character is Rachel Castillo, whose performance is the most natural and convincing. I guess "The Art of Being Straight" might be an autobiographical account from the writer. It is not terrible, it is not particularly entertaining either.

Though not a major movie, it is fun and has many nicely observed moments. I found the characters believable, especially the protagonist, played by Jarod Grey. He does a very good job. There are many scenes in which I thought he seemed completely real, such as when he gets chewed out at work for not sending a FedEx package properly, smoking pot in his driveway with his kooky neighbor and telling her he has slept with a guy, coming home to confusingly find his macho apartment mates with GAY spelled on their chests in grease paint, his reaction in the party scene when a girl he has recently slept with asks him whether he is gay, and especially I found the seduction scene very convincing and well done.

Jesse Rosen not only directed this Cali-venued monstrosity, but also wrote it. It deals with overgrown men who are LA misfits, trying to navigate the waters of sexuality and gender affiliation. I'm not sure where Rosen received his training as a writer, but for the sake of that institution, it's best he not reveal it. Once again, we're thrown into the boring world of LaLa land with a cast of characters lacking any depth, consistency or interest for that matter. The acting is also awful. Nobody really cares about these pampered, spoiled brats but themselves as well as some over enabling parents. The guys aren't anywhere as good looking as they think they are. The women do nothing to help the women's cause whatsoever. Overall, this film should never have happened. Jesse Rosen should return to Freehold NJ and start all over again.

Bad movie with no ending. I knew I was in trouble when the main guy was the least good-looking with receding hairline (the comb over is terrible, especially after the gay sex scene). It was obvious this guy wrote and directed it; the main character would not be the least attractive if he was cast on his acting talents. The story begins with no realism-the least attractive guy is a ladies' man? Not believable. And then he has a gay eperience as a bottom? Guys in the closet do not immediately jump into anal sex-it just doesn't happen. And then the movie just ends after less than 70 minutes. I don't even want to go into the parallel story involving a teacher and some girl...not connected to the main story at all! Nothing new here-its all been done before and much better. Next time, don't cast yourself. Very few experienced film makers can star as well as direct a movie-this guy is NOT one of them.

This film is a real surprise sleeper. It starts out so slow and casual that it lulls you into the story and before you know it you are zapped as though hit on the head with a two by four and it just takes you for the ride which has you gnawing your knuckles. The cast is as perfect as can be and beautifully written in terms of character and motivation. In fact the script is a real gem written with not only a great deal of heart but real understanding of human nature. The ending was a shock, however, and my buddy and I sat there in silence trying to grasp the idea that the film was actually over. Then it hit us both almost at the same time that the story really had gone as far as it could and that the title of the film said it all.

So... What's supposed to be the point of this movie? That straight white men are the most retarded, obnoxious sub-human species on the planet? That residents of Los Angeles County are the most vapid, self-obsessed, boring people in the US? That in an LA gay movie gay bosses can get away with sexual harassment and even rape of employees as long as they're hot and have fabulous tans, buff bodies and blindingly white teeth? Don't we already know all this?

The only thing this movie has going for it is the one thing I care about least in a movie: the technical quality of the production - flawless sound, lighting bright enough that everything on screen is always easy to see, and a camera that never EVER shakes - so that you can easily keep up with everything that happens in this movie while simultaneously eating, texting, playing your X-Box and trying to remember what day it is.

This is the kind of movie the geniuses who impress us all with such pronouncements would NEVER complain about as looking like a film-school project. Everything else about this movie is pretty bad, except for some of the acting, which is passable at best. None of the characters is the least bit believable or interesting at all, and the story is about as dumb as they come.

If what you care about most in a movie is bright lighting and a camera that never shakes, this one is for you.