tlutzy The good: very well acted all around and nice cinematography. The bad: one cliché after another from the over-weight, suspendered right-wing politician with the alcoholic wife to the on-again off-again "relationship" between Anthony and Henry, to the self-destructive HIV- positive roommate who is "saved" by true love. The plot moves from one predictable moment to another, and that's what really ruins this film. The part involving the senator's limo and Izzy is totally unbelievable, especially what happens after. The premise of the story -- that Henry would tell his story to a reporter after it had been plastered throughout the news media -- is also unbelievable. Other aspects are good, particularly the acting by all. Henry is appropriately arrogant, vulnerable and defiant. Karen Allen is great as the long-suffering mother.

garylife I felt the script for the movie was lacking a sense of reality most of the time. There were to many lines that were total Cliché's. For example, when the small group was planning a protest the one girl suggested. "why done we form a human chain around the auditorium and confront the senator with Poetry". There were 5 of them, and the suggestion was Laughable, and no one laughed in the scene. There's a lot of lines like that but not funny, just out of context.The acting on the other hand was quite good. Even with the lines they were given.I have to say i'm not a great fan of constant close ups which this had tons of. I it was hard to tell what was going on around the characters since there were so many close ups.

arizona-philm-phan The overall theme of this film provides a passably good take on the Republican party's dislike of things gay and the damaging effects such causes and thinking can have on someone's emerging life and persona. Well, I should point out here that the preceding statement has "let a cat out of the bag" about this movie---despite DVD cover notes indicating people falling for one another, this is in no way a romantic movie. Sorry, no falling involved.A newer, younger actor, Matt Newton (playing Henry Kray, a US Senator's damaged gay son), acts the socks off an 8 or 9 years more experienced Jack Noseworthy----who truth be told isn't given much to work with in the way of a script (a most inactive activist). Example: During Senator Kray's campus speech, when Henry unleashes the big G-Incendiary in the form of a K-Bomb, Noseworthy, as Anthony, just stands there open-mouthed (only figuratively, most certainly not literally). It's a mouth position that Noseworthy could have put to much better use in the more sexually oriented scenes of this movie---but didn't (and Noseworthy does have wonderfully sexy lips).Speaking just a bit more on the topic of osculation, the best kiss in entire movie is one Noseworthy's character gives his fag-hag (which doesn't provide much enjoyment for gay movie-goers). And more specifically on the guy-to-guy bussing in this film, one is tempted to comment: how about opening your mouths some time........yer not kissing your grandmothers, for Pete's sake; ya probably won't give each other a disease.And let me again highlight a specific acting performance in this film: If a possibly gay actor (Noseworthy) is gonna take on a gay role, you'd think he, of all of them, could do it realistically and give us gay sex scenes that actually come across as sex scenes (hey, Jack, take a tip from young newbie, Daniel Letterle, as **Ethan Green, will ya.....he doesn't stint at kissing and making out). You know, I'm beginning to think we get more realistic gay sex when straight men play the roles.Some disjointed here + there thoughts:Oh, if you're looking for even a little sex, you'll find more on the hetero-side than the homo-side.What kind of scene shooting finds us guys laying around naked in the afterglow of sex......while actually in our boxer shorts. Yikes! Such a scene reminded me of the all too frequent hetero love scenes we see on prime-time TV, complete with the requisite undergarments and wraparound sheets.Something really enjoyed--the further opening up and growth in Newton's acting skills. With a little directorial help, he could maybe play a truly believable gay character in some future project.What sort of writer/director thinking is it that gives us lead character, Anthony, who chases his romantic(?) interest throughout the movie til he catches him........then sez: "Well, see ya." And what's with the fast-cut, extreme close-ups "over-liberally" sprinkled throughout this film.......this director must really like to highlight pores + blackheads.---------------------------------------------The End---------------------------------PS--So......have you by now found out whether what they say about sex & politics is true? No?!?!---well, then, just ask Mark Foley.**"The Mostly Unfabulous Social Life of Ethan Green"

christopher-208 This is on of the darkest gay-themed films released in America I have seen. Most reviews have not been favorable, so I'll do my best to tell you what I liked, and what I didn't like. This is not a bad film, a 1 or 2 star rating seems quite unfair, but reviews are subjective. It doesn't hold a candle to other gay films I have enjoyed, but the subject is very different.Why I Gave It 7 Stars: It was a solid 6, leaning towards 8 in the beginning, and towards the end, so I compromised. A solid B- film you might say.The Story: It centers around Henry (played by Matt Newton). Henry is the son of a ultra conservative Senator from the south. Think of "The Birdcage", minus anything to laugh at. Henry is also gay. The film, told in "flashback style" as Henry tells his story to a reporter unfolds over the course of 6 months. Basically, Henry comes out, and family chaos follows. But not for long, as we're almost to the end of the film.What I Liked: Personally, I liked the edge. This was almost more of a docu-drama, albeit a fictitious one, which could easily be based on truth. The actors were good to very good, the overall production was good as well.What I Did Not Like: I was nearly half-way through the film, starting to get concerned where it was going, before all the character/story sub-plots were connected. The second half of the movie was strongest.The Rest of the Characters: Besides our lead, Henry, we also focus on his stereo-typical bigot Republican Father/Senator, and his "senator's wife" Mother. And to the mix, a straight girl Izzi, and her gay male friend Anthony, whose relationship was unusual at best. Anthony and Henry meet under some unusual circumstances at a college party.The Ending: I never give away specifics, but let's just say it's not a "Brady Bunch" wrap-up. If the ending was all tidied up for viewers, I would have knocked this down to a 5 or 6. Everything about the film was somewhat gritty, dark, "off". It's not the type of film that usually comes out of the USA. We usually have to watch films like this with sub-titles, so kudos to Here! films and those involved for producing the film.Final Thoughts: This is not a laugh-out-loud sex romp. No, not at all. It's a good story trying to make a point about politics, sexuality and family values. It does all of those well.Unrelated Chatter: Jack Noseworthy, the actor who played Anthony also starred in "The Brady Bunch Movie" and in his early years, "Cats" in the theater. Matt Newton (Henry) has appeared on the "Gilmore Girls" and "Judging Amy".