In the mood for a romantic comedy with a difference, then cast your eyes on Adam Bernstein, a recovering coke addict on his way to the hospital when a prick of the worst kind heralds a chance encounter with resident doctor Steve Hicks; namely a man more used to healing minds, than administering first aid - to a dog with a knife wound. Destined to meet again, they do, prompting the old adage love at first siGht. Only should that be spelt without the g?
All of which is of concern to Steve's straight and sexually frustrated roommate Michael, together with Adam's best friend Rhonda; a slimline comedienne whose repertoire consists of jokes coined when she was obese. And therein lies the problem, for that was seventeen years ago, at a time when Adam and Steve first met. Only will long forgotten memories of a disastrous one-night stand return to haunt them, when Steve starts to get serious.
Clearly a work of love from noted out actor, writer, director and all round indie favourite Craig Chester of Kiss Me, Guido fame, this unashamed homage to gay love is aided and abetted by Chris Kattan and Parker Posey as the wisecracking duo of the piece, Michael Panes as comedy club compere Lou, let alone a group of rodeo dancers and my how those boys can move. Yet competing for the cinematic spotlight are Sally Kirkland as ex-addict turned AA advisor Mary, Melinda Dillon as Steve's mother Dottie, Julie Hagerty in a hilarious turn as Adam's accident-prone mother Sherry, together with Jackie Beat as her drag-fabulous self. Between them, Malcolm Gets of Little Boy Blues note injects a fine performance as gay date Steve.
Made by Funny Boy Films of Latter Days credit, this is a work that lives up to its title, having played on the biblical Adam and Eve pairing to bring forth a comical tale about Adam and Steve. Sure not all of the jokes hit the mark, but even when they miss Chester charms us with his incessant desire to please and a seemingly never ending series of one-liners, in a film that alternates between slapstick in one corner and overt gay affection in the other, coupled it has to be said with a set of impressive
New York location shots, including the gay pride statues.
Yet along the way, Chester takes time out to deliver some neat observations on life and gay life inparticular, in a feature that refreshingly charts both the early 'getting to know you' and later 'getting to know your friends and family' stages of a relationship. For this is a work as much about love, as it is about kissing. And of that, there's a lot of in this spirited blend of humour, romanticism and show stopping song and dance, namely the key ingredients of a romantic comedy. Delightful.
starring: Craig Chester, Malcolm Gets, Parker Posey, Chris Kattan, Melinda Dillon, Julie Hagerty, Sally Kirkland, Paul Sand, Michael Panes, Noah Segan, Jackie Beat, Kristen Schaal, Thomas Kopache, Todd Robert Anderson, Steve Geary, Deb Lemen
In the mood for a romantic comedy with a difference, then cast your eyes on Adam Bernstein, a recovering coke addict on his way to the hospital when a prick of the worst kind heralds a chance encounter with resident doctor Steve Hicks; namely a man more used to healing minds, than administering first aid - to a dog with a knife wound. Destined to meet again, they do, prompting the old adage love at first siGht. Only should that be spelt without the g?
Clearly a work of love from noted out actor, writer, director and all round indie favourite Craig Chester of 