Looking

If anyone bothered to watch the 'Looking' series before watching this movie they would realize that "Looking" was more about Patrick forever looking outward, rather than inward, to find himself. The 'Looking' series was smartly done to showcase Patrick and friends living in San Francisco as average modern day gay people troubled with personal needs and wants while juggling the demands of scratching out a comfortable life in a big city. Nothing remarkable nor outstanding happens in their lives. It's just daily life as the majority of civilization lives it.

In "Looking: the movie" Patrick returns to Frisco to attend a wedding. We find out Patrick had moved back east and this is his first visit in years. He is ambivalent about this trip because he knows he is certain to cross the path of old flames and Patrick really doesn't want to bring those feelings back to the surface.

As the story progresses mostly nothing happens (outside of a lot of drinking and eating) because everyone has gone onward with their life and they don't expect anything more from Patrick other to be their for the wedding. What appears as a simple non story is actually full of examples of human interaction with other humans and the misconceptions that come along with it. The story ends pretty much as it started - steps are taken forward but we forever find our-self in the same place.

This movie only really makes sense if you have watched the series before hand. I wanted it right after finishing the series so I think it fit in well with the story. It allowed for time to progress and the characters to change a bit while bringing them back together they still had their same spark as people. I appreciated the looking forward we were left with instead of the questions from the series.

First off, people need to understand that this was a television series that lasted two seasons before being canceled and this movie was basically a condensed season 3 to give the show and the viewers closure as it was canceled at a place where absolutely nothing was resolved. It really pays to watch the series before watching this movie. The reason I felt like leaving a review this time around was after seeing every episode 3 times and this movie 3 times (several years in between each time) it struck me that even though all the actors and their performances are fantastic I feel one of them shines a little bit more than the others and that is Raúl Castillo who plays Richie. I read online about the actor having to discuss taking the role with his family because they weren't really the kind of family that readily accepted homosexuality and then to see him doing what I consider a fantastic job with this role and extremely believable acting was worth writing a review about. However, the entire cast gets my complements as well. They were all fantastic! Wonderful to see Tyne Daly! I'd also like to thank the actors, the producers, the writers and the directors for all doing a fantastic job! I do have to say though, I hate that they had Patrick leave San Francisco even though it was all done offscreen in between the second season and the movie. I'd have much rather he had moved in with Dom and stayed where I feel he belonged!

I loved this movie tying up the stories but sad when it finished. Such beautiful characters. I was a little sad that Patrick didn't end up with my choice but I still liked it anyway. Loved the series( although way too short).

I think that there already is enough said what "Looking" is all about. I must admit, that I really loved the series because of its authenticity, its good story and its extremely well done acting. I still don't understand why it was canceled after season 2. There was an (typical) open end and we all assumed and looked forward to a third season. Instead there was a movie made to close a chapter (like Patrick is saying in the movie). The problem is, that 80 minutes are not enough to close the chapter of four or five people. So the story is a little bit to much focused on Patricks character - but, so what? In the end we won't get anything new and the way the story ends is disappointing, because it's not what we would have liked to see. Kevin is the word! And that brings me to the ulti-mate highlight of the movie. Talking about love scenes in movies, like "Gone with the wind" or "Love Story" or "Titanic". Well - watch Russell Tovey in "Looking" and add this to the others. He only needs five words to say ("Why? - Because I love you"), a hug, a kiss, a touch and a look to create the most heartrending love scene I ever had the privelege to watch. He's only got about ten minutes of the entire movie on screen - but what ten minutes !! Enough to break ones heart. Giving a very strong performance throughout the whole series, this man is an acting genius and that's what makes it worth to watch this movie.