Brotherly Love

Like so many first-time Director/Writer/Actor's, Anthony J. Caruso got in the way of his own production by trying to wear to many hats in this his first big film endeavor. There is a story here, as future Brother Vito (Caruso) is caught between the call of God and the attractive summer handyman Gabe (Derek Babb). However, with Caruso's continually verbose writing, and a directing style that unnecessarily lingers too long on his characters, the just under two-hours feel like an eternity. As with most LGBTQ films, there is an array of secondary characters, many of who are either over the top like Vito's campy friend Tim (Chance McKee) and the exaggerated and stereotypical lesbian Blaze (Laurie Coker "A Dogwalker's Christmas Tale"), painfully slow paced like Joseph (David Blackwell "Brotherhood"), overly stiff like Brother Mike (Gerald Brodin), or corny like straight truck driver Eddie (Tim Mateer). And, don't get me started on the summer house gaggle of "Golden Girls" geese housemates. "Brotherly Love" is distributed by "Breaking Glass Pictures," and will have a theatrical release on August 3, 2018 and a DVD/DOV release on August 7, 2018. Already an Oklahoma LGBTQ Film Festival Best Picture Winner and Naveda International Film Festival Best Feature Film Winner, you to will soon have an opportunity to see if you find any reason to show any "Brotherly Love" here.

This is another movie that once again proves my theory. If the screenwriter has the lead, or the screenwriter, and the producer are also the lead, or if the Screenwriter is also the Producer and the lead, or if a family member is part of the production, don't bother watching. There's never a person on the outside to give a clear opinion of how bad it is, or how to improve it. I've also found that the lead is usually not a good actor.

Poorly played Poor script Sounds problems. Can't hear Vito in the bar. Cheesy Vito always look stoned. He's eyes are weird

How did they ever round up so many actors that have no sense of how to act. Absolutely awful. Got to the 28 minute mark and set my laptop on fire.

This film reminds me of a gentler, more campy, and fun-loving time of gay film-making. If you love movie classics (well, least the AMC-type) and the Golden Girls, your heart will flutter. The relationship tensions. the circle of friends, the clergy, the hopefulness throughout, etc. are all Hallmark-esk. Questions of life are pondered. The necessity/burden of romance is played out. You get to really know the central characters and their hearts. Plus, there are cowboys.