Well here comes the first review from Harry Tasker, who will become one of the spies for AICN in the Los Angeles area. Recently recruited via the cards passed out by one of my many spies that attend test screenings in the hopes of converting saintly watchers to the dark side. This person has seen as many test screenings as any other spy in the network and is out to become the most consistent spy for test screenings. So keep your eye on Harry Tasker, you can bet the NRG will. His reviews tend to be lengthy and full of SPOILERS so be careful. This time it's a film called GET REAL, and well, I'll let him tell you about it.
Okay, for this screening I really had no idea what the film was about or just what film I was actually going to until I got there, as I was under the impression that they were screening something really cool that wasn't going to come out till the summer or something. So imagine my surprise when I learned that not only was the film nothing major that I wanted to see or even American in origin, but that I had never even heard of it or any of it's starts at all! As it's apparently some English film that is finally making it's way to the United States and so I guess they wanted to see how American audiences would receive it, hence the screening in Santa Monica. Plus for some reason I keep getting recruited for all the gay themed screenings, like, "My best Friend's wedding, A Toute Vitesse/Full Speed, Object of my affection, Lilies, and now this one!
As "Get Real," stars a bunch of young and upcoming ( I am assuming) British actors and actresses, as I have never seen or heard of any of the people in this film. Which I suspect has been finished as well as out in the U.K. for some time now, as the film was complete with a soundtrack and credits. Which is not usually the case with the films that I go see, but I guess they are trying to decide how to release the film here in the continental United States. As truthfully such films are somewhat hard to market I am sure, despite the fact that this was a rather nice and "sweet" little film. Though I do think that you do have to be rather open minded to enjoy it and I guess being gay wouldn't hurt you since it is a gay themed film. As basically the film is about Steven Carter ( Played by a very talented Ben Silverstone), a somewhat typical 16 year old kid who just happens to be secretly gay at a typical English catholic school ( I am assuming that as they all had to wear uniforms, but then again don't all English kids have to wear those?!). Who spends most his free time looking for love in the neighborhood park, which happens to be the local hangout for gay people. As it seems that Steven has been picking up, or more to the point, is being picked up by older guys there on a semi regular basis, something no one knows else about him ( He has no where else he can go and meet people like him). Except for his best friend Linda played by Charlotte Brittain, who pretty much looked like a younger smaller version of Mama Cass. As well as does a wonderful job portraying his caring and sympathetic best friend, as most of the scenes involving these two characters were rather well done, as they had a lot of chemistry as far as best friends. So a lot of the film's innate charm comes from these two people and how they interact. Mainly discussing Steven's sexuality and how they feel about life, school, friends and all that typical school age angst stuff ( Though luckily it is all kept to a minimum and you are not subjected to a barrage of PC statements about today's disillusioned youth). Which is pretty much just in the early parts of the movie.
Later on in the film, Steven's character, while attempting to pick up another guy in the washroom in the park ( It sounds much worse than it was), discovers that it's none other than the school jock and local heartthrob is also secretly gay like himself. As they exchange notes in one of the stalls and then agree to meet outside, thus discovering who each other is once they meet face to face. Which was one of the films funniest moment, especially since John Dixon (played by Brad Gorton), didn't think of himself as gay, despite the fact he was attempting to meet and dick little boys in the park! So they both do the whole awkward stare and try to talk to one another thing for awhile before they both head off to Steven's house ( His parents are away, naturally). Where John's character starts to take of Steven's pants but then freaks out when Steven tries to kiss him ( So he's Okay with putting a guys dick in his mouth, but he wont let his lips touch another man's?!) and runs home. So the whole awkward thing continues for a few days ( They can't talk to each other at school) until finally they are all at a local dance, where John has brought his older model girlfriend ( she is his proof he is not gay) and Steven has brought his best friend Linda. Who all dance around one another while the song "You are so beautiful" plays, as both Steven and John stare at one another longingly over their respective dates shoulders during a slow song. Which was pretty funny as well as leads to their first romantic trist, as John later comes over to Steven's house totally hammered and of course they have sex after John confesses how hard it has been to be a closet homosexual ( See what alcohol can do you kiddies!). So now both people are happily, if not secretly, dating one another, which is a problem for Steven. As he wants more out of life, as he wants people to know and love the real him as well as not be afraid or ashamed to show his true feelings, especially for John. Which is where the majority of the films conflict comes into play, as John is a complete closet case. Especially since he is the schools star athelete in track and all his friends are all homophobic meatheads, who regularly tease Steven's character for being gay ( even though they don't really think that he is at this point).
All of which comes to a head towards the end of the film, as Steven is beaten somewhat by his boyfriend John when he is almost caught kissing Steven by his friends after Steven and him had an argument ( It was discovered that Steven and John spent the weekend together, by both their respective sets of parents and now they have an idea that something fishy went on...Well at least Steven's Mother knows for sure, as she has guessed it all by this point. Which is what angered John). So after this incident,
Steven decides to come out to his entire class/school during an award acceptance assembly, as he wrote some award winning essay about what it is truly like to be a kid in this day and age. A paper that his father secretly turned in for him, as Steven felt the whole paper was untrue so he never turned it in. As he wrote the paper based on what he thought it must be like for a regular kid growing up his town, and not what it would be like for a gay kid growing up. So he let everyone know this fact as he accepted his award, which of course shocked the hell out of most everyone there. Hence, if John's parents didn't know their child was gay before, they certainly do now as they gave their son one of those, "We are going to beat you like a circus monkey once we get home," kind of looks during Steven's speech. Afterwards Steven and John meet for what we assume is the last time, as Steven asks John if he understands what he has done. As now there is no way that they can pretend to be anything other than what they are, but John isn't ready for this step so Steven says,"Be happy," and walks away into Linda's car ( She just got her drivers license finally, something she has been trying to do the whole film. But she kept having sex with the instructor so it took a little extra time I guess, just one of the funny side bits that was going on throughout the film). Where they drive off into the sunset ( Actually it was just some road out in the middle of nowhere) while the song "Freedom is playing on the car radio, which obvious is meant to symbolize the fact that truth has finally set Steven free as it were ( Not exactly subtle!).
Now even though it seems like I ragged on this film a little bit, I really did like this film , despite the fact it had a lot of cliche silly little gay-love things in it that were just so laughable. As well as the fact that I didn't grow up on London and that I think this film was targeted at a whole other audience, it still was a nicely done and well thought out film. As there were a lot of really genuine warm moments and some fine acting done by some terrific young actors. Plus there were a lot of laughs throughout the film as I stated earlier, though I don't think all of them were really intentional. As pretty much the whole entire audience I went with was not really prepared for what this film was really about, and therefore I'm sure they were taken aback a little bit by what they saw ( Some people walked out as soon as they found out the main character was gay and then more later on after they had sex). Which is probably why I enjoyed the film so much as the entire audience was making jokes ( remarkably tasteful ones considering just how easy it would have been to say worse things), thus I found myself laughing pretty much constantly during the whole movie ( I feel sorry for anyone who sat near me and wanted to watch the film unmolested). Although I am pretty sure I would have liked this film without the additional humorous interjections if I saw it by myself or with a more respectful audience, just maybe not as much as I did.
