Say Yes

This is one of those stories that when viewed on paper, shouldn't have worked, but in the case of this film, it worked quite well. Credit goes to the actors involved, especially the female lead. She was totally convincing. Eight stars well earned.

A very good independent film definitely worth watching. All three leads were outstanding, and I found myself never taking my eyes off them. Settings take a back seat to dialogue and an at-first-somewhat-seemingly-preposterous premise, well-written and thoughtful (Stewart Wade excels with his writing and direction). That dialogue is key, so hang on to every word by all three leads, be alert to cadences, pitch, tone, and nonverbal communication that comes from them. This is not just "another indie gay film"; it's making an extraordinarily powerful statement about socialization. Patrick Zeller as Beau is amazing, in showing us bit by bit how Beau evolves and is challenged by his norms. In some regard Zeller may have had the most difficult assignment here, portraying how Beau's known worlds and conventions are challenged and the difficulties he has in reconciling his own evolution. Paul Mascua as Caden is excellent as a free spirit who knows himself thoroughly. Leah McKendrick is unparalleled as Lily, conveying the journey of her character with such power. Kudos also to Shari Belafonte and Alexandra Paul for their excellence in minor roles and in being a part of Say Yes; I can only imagine how many scripts they have seen in throughout their careers, and I would like to think that their participation stemmed from their recognizing and participating in a unique gem of an indie.

Nobody should care if the unique plot in this movie is a bit far fetched. The script, acting, cast and production values made up for it at every turn. Though the subject of the movie, terminal cancer, is morbid, the movie was more charming than sad. Beau, the husband of dying Lily, possesses a handsome, wholesome manliness all wrapped up with sensitivity, kindness and sexiness, that any self-respecting gay guy would wish they had a similar hubby. Happy ending....loved it!!!! Need to see more like it!!!

OK, it's a very unusual subject. Some people may easily find the whole movie ridiculous beyond belief.

But if you can open your mind to just listening to the characters and trying to empathize with what it might be like to be in their situation, you might learn something. And even if you can't, the writing has some very good moments; there are some truly good lines. :-)

In all, this wasn't the worst way to spend an hour and a half. Better this than watching "Burlesque", to be sure.

The story is lovely and very heartfelt. The husband's character needs some better writing. It's frustrating to watch what he's going through and his lines tend to be repetitious, but overall, it's a nice movie.