mythopoeic
In light of the recent developments in Hollywood, I think a lot of people will find this movie quite offensive. The character of Paul is the protagonist's professional superior yet invites him to his home and engages in absolutely unprofessional and sexually harassing behavior in order to seduce him. Irrelevant to how this is meant to set up the rest of the plot, I think that this will be more than sufficient to some of today's audience to completely tune out. Personally, while I found Paul to be a disgusting predator what ultimately turned me off about rhia movie were the rest of the unsympathetic characterizations, tepid conflict development, and unengaging subplots. I try to have a bit of patience with LGBTQ themed movies but unfortunately I cannot recommend this one in good conscience.
Laight
Jesse Rosen is a very attractive guy with a wonderful smile--although his hair line recedes oddly throughout the movie as though he's two days from going bald--and plays young-and-sexually-confused well. His female friend who's going through her own confusion does a better job, though, mostly because her character has something of an arc to follow (and better lines to recite). As others have pointed out, the biggest problem here is that just as the third act of the movie starts, and the resolution of the issues begins to settle, the movie ends. For a moment I thought something was wrong with the TV, but nope, it's as though Rosen just decided, let's stop here while I think about how to end this. Still, the movie is worth seeing just for its pleasant, rather realistic recreation of young 20-somethings in LA in 2008.
user-11721
Though not a major movie, it is fun and has many nicely observed moments. I found the characters believable, especially the protagonist, played by Jarod Grey. He does a very good job. There are many scenes in which I thought he seemed completely real, such as when he gets chewed out at work for not sending a FedEx package properly, smoking pot in his driveway with his kooky neighbor and telling her he has slept with a guy, coming home to confusingly find his macho apartment mates with GAY spelled on their chests in grease paint, his reaction in the party scene when a girl he has recently slept with asks him whether he is gay, and especially I found the seduction scene very convincing and well done.
lossowitz
To make a first movie, to write it, direct it AND star in the leading role might either be genius or heading for the big big fall. Jesse Rosen has decided to take his chances and really, he did not fall.There's a lot to comment on this movie: superfluous scenes, overplayed emotions, clichés, amateur actors and pretentious camera-work at times. But that does not get in the way of the story. The script is well wrought, although the juxtaposition of the straight boy going gay and the lesbian going straight is a little too symmetric, but things are left to guess and find out for yourself. Does Jon really go gay? Will Maddie ever make something of her life? Is Paul a predator or just looking for love? The acting by the two leads, and some supporting actors (the history teacher, the best friend), is good and a times funny and on the dot. ("Oh, you were the cutest bottom boy!")Why the ending is not more pronounced might be a question of taste, but the scene where Jon is getting back with his friends (who are supposed to be straight but seem played by very gay actors...) is plain weak.So Rosen did not fall, that's good, but it is no work of genius either.
AD
