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Reviews9
jamesalmos's rating
I'd call this one an above average entry into the low-budget sci-fi thriller category.
The Good: 1) Intriguing premise - not 100% original, but an interesting turn on more-common themes 2) Acting is better than expected from a low-budget film 3) Same goes for the cinematography 4) Manages not to give away the rest of the plot during exposition 5) Mathew St. Patrick (and Timothy Davis, for that matter)
The Bad: 1)Props in a couple scenes scream of high school theater 2) Obviously couldn't afford/secure better shooting locations, which hurt some scenes a bit 3) Tatyana Ali's character was flat; really wasted her presence
This isn't a movie you're going to rush to tell your friends about, but you also won't be wasting your time watching. It's a compelling enough narrative outright. You just have to be able to de-hollywood your expectations to get the most out of it.
Full disclosure: I know someone who was involved with this film, so I gave an unearned extra star here.
The Good: 1) Intriguing premise - not 100% original, but an interesting turn on more-common themes 2) Acting is better than expected from a low-budget film 3) Same goes for the cinematography 4) Manages not to give away the rest of the plot during exposition 5) Mathew St. Patrick (and Timothy Davis, for that matter)
The Bad: 1)Props in a couple scenes scream of high school theater 2) Obviously couldn't afford/secure better shooting locations, which hurt some scenes a bit 3) Tatyana Ali's character was flat; really wasted her presence
This isn't a movie you're going to rush to tell your friends about, but you also won't be wasting your time watching. It's a compelling enough narrative outright. You just have to be able to de-hollywood your expectations to get the most out of it.
Full disclosure: I know someone who was involved with this film, so I gave an unearned extra star here.
Viewers should know first and foremost that this film gets right at the heart of some topics that many find uncomfortable to even think of, let alone watch played out on screen for 80 mins. It is a (pleasantly) surprisingly frank depiction of sex in general, with a focus on specific inclinations/complulsions/hangups/etc relative to the addictive aspects of sex.
And that enough so that there was no future of international release or promos on late-night US tv. No chance of great stardom or adulation. But they did it anyway, and did it honestly, such that it (according to a similarly-afflicted friend) really speaks to the heart of the issue and how actual humans deal with it.
But, due praise given, the narrative was somewhat disjointed in presentation and the final cut a resultant disappointment to me. Not in the least because I think they poorly utilized the brilliant John Hawkes (and, yes, apologies for elevating the male role in a film that's not about him). For that matter, I found the equally brilliant Melissa Leo underutilized as well (also, not about her, I know).
While I endlessly applaud Ms. deGuzman's honesty and sheer courage to bring such a personal role to the screen as she did, I must be honest and say it did not, ultimately, work out that well.
Honest assessment is a 6/10, but I think such boldness and effort demands an extra star.
With any luck, Ms. deGuzman will be back soon with another film more complementary of her talents, and of the talents of those around her.
And that enough so that there was no future of international release or promos on late-night US tv. No chance of great stardom or adulation. But they did it anyway, and did it honestly, such that it (according to a similarly-afflicted friend) really speaks to the heart of the issue and how actual humans deal with it.
But, due praise given, the narrative was somewhat disjointed in presentation and the final cut a resultant disappointment to me. Not in the least because I think they poorly utilized the brilliant John Hawkes (and, yes, apologies for elevating the male role in a film that's not about him). For that matter, I found the equally brilliant Melissa Leo underutilized as well (also, not about her, I know).
While I endlessly applaud Ms. deGuzman's honesty and sheer courage to bring such a personal role to the screen as she did, I must be honest and say it did not, ultimately, work out that well.
Honest assessment is a 6/10, but I think such boldness and effort demands an extra star.
With any luck, Ms. deGuzman will be back soon with another film more complementary of her talents, and of the talents of those around her.
I have a big rant to impart, but will leave the verdict to one of my oldest friends, with whom I watched this. We thought it would be funny, but it got under both our skin. He said it best:
{He asked to be introduced so all would know this comes from}..."an ex-ladyboy born in Vietnam who left at the end of the American war. A grown man who loves being a man but hates to see anyone, anywhere be put in a box because of what they looked like when they were born"
He dictates:
"Seriously, Hallmark is putting out this trash? You know they just want to get old ladies flipping through the channel guide...the ones who are into the royal wedding. And that's so insulting. Like, they may be interested in the wedding because it's exotic and beautiful and the clothes are amazing and it's just fun to watch all those rich-ass royals finally do the fun stuff they used to do back in the old days.
But those ladies aren't stupid. They don't want to watch this crap. Give it some romance, not this 'Oh, I never noticed this boy is obviously hiding something' nonsense.
Girl, if he gives it up, he's secretly rich. If he doesn't, he's secretly gay. Just be happy you're on the good end of that because they're never secretly gay and rich.
Really, it's just insulting to anyone who's into men and isn't a b***h. Yeah, he's a prince, but the minute he tells you that, you also know he's a liar. Not just a liar, but the kind that has a whole plan about how to lie to you and get away with it.
That's good for some medieval Cinderella nonsense, but now, these days? What kind of awful movie tells people that lying about who you are is okay?"
That is verbatim, and I have no further comment.
{He asked to be introduced so all would know this comes from}..."an ex-ladyboy born in Vietnam who left at the end of the American war. A grown man who loves being a man but hates to see anyone, anywhere be put in a box because of what they looked like when they were born"
He dictates:
"Seriously, Hallmark is putting out this trash? You know they just want to get old ladies flipping through the channel guide...the ones who are into the royal wedding. And that's so insulting. Like, they may be interested in the wedding because it's exotic and beautiful and the clothes are amazing and it's just fun to watch all those rich-ass royals finally do the fun stuff they used to do back in the old days.
But those ladies aren't stupid. They don't want to watch this crap. Give it some romance, not this 'Oh, I never noticed this boy is obviously hiding something' nonsense.
Girl, if he gives it up, he's secretly rich. If he doesn't, he's secretly gay. Just be happy you're on the good end of that because they're never secretly gay and rich.
Really, it's just insulting to anyone who's into men and isn't a b***h. Yeah, he's a prince, but the minute he tells you that, you also know he's a liar. Not just a liar, but the kind that has a whole plan about how to lie to you and get away with it.
That's good for some medieval Cinderella nonsense, but now, these days? What kind of awful movie tells people that lying about who you are is okay?"
That is verbatim, and I have no further comment.