Gordon-11
This film is about 3 gay couples spending a weekend in a country hose together. Their troubles are unleashed and their relationships are tested."Boyfriends" has quite a brutal plot, as all three couples have problems in their relationship. One couple has been together for 5 years but is not happy; another couple's relationship is not working because a guy's love is not reciprocated; while the third couple have just met but not seem to get on. All these problems are common everyday problems that people do face, and the film analyses the emotions and reactions of these characters in depth. I think "Boyfriends" is a great character study.I agree that "Boyfriends" is a low budget amateur production. However, I think this adds to the realism of the film, as it is about everyday problems of everyday men. There is no sugar coating, no pretentiousness, no fancy fluffs and no stereotypical drags. And no pink stuff at all anywhere. A plain and direct film about what problems gay men face is a welcomed change.
mjmarkic
This is definitely a low budget film and having seen the other review posted on the web site expected to be extremely disappointed.I am very pleased to say the opposite is true. I think the low budget, made the film more believable. At first I was extremely annoyed at the character Paul as being truly obnoxious and overbearing. With the appearance and interaction with the other weekend guests, some insight as to his problems as well as those of other characters began to surface.I enjoyed the film because I could identify the behavior with friends I've known. At times I think the resolutions were a little simplistic. But that's Ok. It gives the romantic in us some hope, not only harsh reality.
garethhardy
Having recently dredged Boyfriends up on video i thought i might give it another chance.I was surprised to find it wasn't as horrendous as a I remember from the first time round.The wonderful mismatch of the slovenly Paul (James "let's play camp characters for the rest of my career" Dreyfus) and the wonderful Ben (Mark Sands) does shine through.The other characters have no depth. It's as if the writers scribbled the script in one night, sorry Neil and Tom.The only shining scene is the "pig" scene, wonderfully performed by Mark Sands.Not anywhere near the class of "Get Real" and "Like It Is", yet worth a watch if it ever comes on television, which i doubt.I think i may put the video on my bookshelf, and not in a cardboard box in the attic like last time.
Bishonen
Whiny, dull characters, a cliched "Big-Chill" style set-up and predictable, flat dialogue. Like the majority of 90's gay cinema, offers little in the way of insight and simply satisfies itself with rehashing tired identity politics and reinforcing conventional notions of gay male attitudes and behavior. None of the characters resonate; the film starts at point A and basically stays there for what feels like a very, very loooong time.I'd rather sit through "Boys In the Band" or "Cruising" a hundred times than watch this pedestrian mess again.
AD
