Friends and Family

Like so many gay movies, there is so much potential here, but it never matured during the artistic process. So many things were not quite there. The script with a little more polish, the directing with a little more experience, the acting moving a little faster, and the movie with a little more work would have been totally delightful.

Two things bothered me most.

1. The lack of a kiss or any real intimacy between the gay couple. I kept hoping until the end that they would kiss - even a small peck.

2. The pace. This movie was slow. Not sure whose fault this was. Did the director over control the actors not allowing them to move it along? Did the editor stretch everything to try meet an appropriate length? Not sure, but even the big action sequence toward the end was a waltz, when it should have been frenetic tarantella.

There were a lot of funny ideas here, but the delivery was sooo slow. Pace, pace, pace, screwball comedies are about pace. Keep it moving. It may have been that the production staff (writer, director, etc) where just too impressed with themselves.

The acting on the other was pretty good. I think with proper pacing they would have been exceptional.

Yes, like so many low budget indie gay movies - I wish for a rewrite and a remake by a competent director. I wouldn't change the cast at all, just the creative/production staff. This could be a delightful charming hilarious movie, but it isn't quite there.

By the way, if you listen to the commentary you may begin to understand what went wrong and who is at fault. Oh well, <sigh>.

I saw this uproariously funny little film this summer and bought it as soon as it came out on video. What a breath of fresh air it is to see a movie that goes back to the basics of classic comedy rather than pandering to the current vogue of substituting posing and attitude for genuine humor. The plot revolves around a gay couple who are hitmen for the Mafia, but don't expect a one-joke film that caters to stereotypes. Instead, expect several wacky but seamlessly interwoven plotlines that are handled in the style of the old screwball comedies, with wit and panache. And one of the film's strongest elements is the way it sends up and subverts stereotypes rather than exploit them.

I've read some criticisms of this film because the two guys don't kiss. Well, I'm a gay man and in a long-term relationship and I thought this was one of the most convincing, affectionate and natural portrayals of a gay couple in memory. Obviously, the couple has a sex life, but we don't have to see it. And the final love scene (without a kiss) was one of the most erotic, beautiful things I've seen in any recent movie, gay or straight.

That's the only way I can describe this dog. Just awful. Two chuckles for very rare "funny lines" and one star for finished product. I may lie to local video store & claim dvd was defective. At least I'll get a credit for wasted money! LOL! Could have been so much better without stereotypes & militia parent storyline. I do give my "hats off" to actors that portrayed Stephen & Danny. They were the only redeeming factors in a poorly written script. Did I mention that they were "easy on the eyes"? WOOF!

The main idea of this movie - gay couple in mafia - was interesting and this alone could make a good movie with the parents facing their son as a killer for mafia. But some things made the movie so stupid, that it felt almost like the writer got drunk, wrote some "funny" lines and a movie was made. I'm talking about the military parents. If the producers cut this part off the movie they could save some money on the bad actors portraying the militants and invest it to improving the script.

And the usual complain: no kiss and except for the last scene, there was no touch between the gay couple. But to be impartial, the other people in the movies didn't kiss as well.

Despite what rrfrank writes in his comment, "Only totally undemanding homosexuals desperate for validation will bother with this dog" I am not undemanding, not desperate for validation and I am not a dog. I am very demanding and I am a bear. (For those that don't know, big hairy gay man.) Yes, the movie drug at several points. Yes, there are far too many stereotypical gay type characters ... overly stereotypical ... looks like a homophobes attempt at creating gay characters. Fabulous! Having grown up during the time when a lot of these stereotypes were the only "role models" gay people had it is really amusing to see someone finally making fun of them.

I do have to say that you must sit through the entire movie. The first time I saw it, I was not enthused by the title, the cover and the fist fifteen minutes ... truth be known, I went to cook dinner. My other half was watching and would break out laughing ... it became more frequent. I guess it was a good 30 minutes into the movie when I had to come in and watch. Well, I had to finish diner but after fixing out plates I made him start it over from the beginning.

I love watching the butch gangsters trying to "act gay" - picture big butch guys with guns trying to queen it up. And during the big party, the god father is terrific trying to make sure that one lady has everything she wants to see at the party.