Posted: 08/24/2006

Another Gay Movie

(2006)

by Sawyer J. Lahr

Todd Stephens’s latest turns out to be more than just another gay movie.

Another Gay Movie is a big gay romp, a fun time, and a thrilling parody of many well known gay stereotypes. From the gay jock top to the drooling nerd to the femme-acting cinephile and a str8-acting bottom, these labels are blown way out of proportion. Excluding the bull-dyke and the older gay men looking for younger “twinks,” this film may go too far, but so do many of the stereotypes of gay and lesbian people when they are abused.

With the first musical lyric being “All I think about is sex,” immediately the film flaunts its purpose, or rather the purpose of its characters; that is, to be fucked. Four gay guys make a pact to penetrate “a member of the same sex,” all before their bull-dyke best friend Muffler’s Labor Day bash. But as if the “big A” wasn’t big enough, getting ass becomes ever more difficult for the foursome as they fail to reach their goal.

For its characters, the film’s plot is rough, but the audience is joyfully on for the ride. For example, during a cameo-moment between lead male Andy Wilson (Michael Carbonaro) and famous talk show host Graham Norton, who plays Andy’s High School teacher, Mr. Pukov, shows Andy how disorienting BDSM can be. But the kid kicks back into full gear by the end of the summer and manages not to get a hole in one, but two in his one hole.

Nico (Jonah Blechman) hooks up sourly with a crystal meth user he met on the Internet. Eventually, he winds up with an older more sophisticated man, as he might say, who happens to be the Muffler’s grand-dad who is a pop-culture-savvy gentleman unlike Nico’s other flagrant encounter, Richard Hatch of Survivor.

Jarod (Jonathan Chase) bats like a rookie with a baseball player named Beau who claims to be a “pitcher in streets” and a “catcher in the sheets.” However, all the while, Jarod the jock can hardly see his best-friend’s lust for him and acts as if they are both only chummy.

Seeing Jarod’s shallow attempt at a relationship to its end is the jealous nerd, Griff (Mitch Morris). He finds he just can’t kick it with a smooth-talking, sexy-shaking black dance instructor because he can’t help his feelings for his “bro,” Jarod. To his delight, Griff gets a big surprise when he finally divulges his secret affections.

For a movie with such a small theatrical release, the production value is superb, and Stephens’ directing talent is clearly as slick as his 1998 film, Edge of Seventeen. Aesthetically, Another Gay Movie is clearly of professional stature. Smooth, sweeping movements of the camera compliment the ease by which the plot thickens and unfolds. The musical score pulses as fast as the nervous hearts of our protagonists as they persistently pursue penetration.

Breaching all boundaries of sexual explicitness, Todd Stephens’ film is just short of pornographic. His film is about outrage, regaling against censorship and letting gay characters express themselves on film without any leather or jock straps attached. Admittedly, a soft-core rating hardly holds up against the grittiness of this butt-plugging, ass-fisting, sex-crazed extravaganza. Amongst this, there even comes a point at which one could begin to enjoy the film on an arousing level.

After all, every one of the young men concludes the summer with their cherries holed and the film evolves into more than just Another Gay Movie.

Sawyer J. Lahr is a Columbia College Chicago film major and aspiring film critic living in Chicago.

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