Boy Culture
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Movie Reviews of Boy Culture
Movie Review: Sexy AND talented cast deliver a GOOD gay themed movie
Summary: 5 Stars
The acting in most gay movies is TERRIBLE, so I was pleased to stumble across Derek Magyar's performance in "Boy Culture". The character he plays is extremely sexy (mostly because he is guarded almost to the point of being completely unavailable). The character "X" is a high priced male hustler with a very select client roster. "X" appears to the outside world to be a hardened, almost heartless, shell of a human being, but the audience is privy to his innermost thoughts. Through this internal dialog, we learn that "X" is "saving himself" for someone who loves him, and has convinced himself that he is secretly in love with his roommate played by the talented young actor Darryl Stephens of LOGO's Noah's ARC. If Derek wasn't a gifted actor, the character "X" would not have been likable (and the audience wouldn't have cared what ultimately happened to him). But, because Derek IS a talented actor, with above average material that borrows from a classic play, the audience is given the opportunity to invest in what happens to "X".
The story unfolds through sexy dialog that is believable enough if the audience is willing enough to suspend belief long enough to buy into a more serious, and sexier, gay version of "Pretty Woman." If you let out a little groan at the comparison, be aware that both of these films owe a debt to George Bernard Shaw's "Pygmalion". While "Pretty Woman" follows a more predictable, and commercial path with the prerequisite Hollywood happy ending which owes more to "My Fair Lady" than Shaw's original play, "Boy Culture" is actually closer to the spirit of "Pygmalion". Gifted character actor Patrick Bauchau, best known for playing the character of "Sydney" for four years on the television series "The Pretender" plays Gregory Talbot, the rich "sculpture" who is intent on molding "X" into his creation. The story appears to follow predictable paths at times, but is actually more complex than what the jaded viewer may expect. Thankfully, the characters in this story often display traits of nobility that elevate them above what they appear to be if only given a cursory inspection. While this film borrows from "Pygmalion," it doesn't steal; it veers away from the known story arc to find its own path.
With sexy dialog, the conveyance of raw emotion through his eyes, and a male beauty that rivals the sexiest Titan porn stars, Derek Magyar delivers a performance that is more than worth the average ticket price (a rarity these days to be sure). He emotes a type of vulnerability without giving up his pseudo-macho hustler persona. His character establishes early on, that he is unavailable (symbolically placing his jacket on the empty seat next to him, showing that he will allow no-one to get too close). He is very acid tongued to anyone who tries to remove that "barrier" and get too close, but it is obvious he is doing this in order to protect himself from harm. He pushes people away with "humor" based in a need for self preservation. He prays often (humorously enough he owns a religious Madonna icon -the Catholic version, not the pop-star) asking for forgiveness. It is easy for the viewer to grant this forgiveness since "X" is actually a very passionate, albeit damaged, character.
If this movie were a wide release Hollywood drama with heterosexual characters, Derek's performance would be a star making role. Although this film is unlikely to become a blockbuster, hopefully it WILL eventually find the audience it deserves. It has the potential to become a gay cult classic, and audiences that discover this small film may well begin to follow this talented cast to other projects. Without spoiling the ending, I found this film to be both unapologetic and hopeful. Considering the lack of gay cinema that offers either of these outcomes, I am delighted to recommend this film. I go to movies to escape and be entertained, and I found this film to be very entertaining escape on multiple levels.
Movie Review: Just Let Him Know
Summary: 5 Stars
The protagonist (played by Derek Magyar) of "Boy Culture" uses the film to confess his issues to the audience, using a pseudonym, X. X worked his way through the University of Washington by prostituting himself to his dentist. After graduation, he built up a clientele of twelve customers willing to pay very high amounts for his services. (A zoom looked like $5,000/ 1 hour session; X must be very good indeed.) In order to disguise the source of his income from the IRS, X took on two roommates for zero rent each. One roommate is video store employee Andrew Thompson (played by Darryl Stephens), and the other is promiscuous eighteen-year old Joey (played by Jonathon Trent), who lives off an allowance and hasn't gone past his GED for schooling. One of X's twelve clients just died, giving him a chance to interview seventy-nine-year old penthouse-dweller Gregory Talbot (played by Patrick Bauchau) as the replacement. This is where the film starts.
X, Andrew, and Joey all want love and a better life. Inevitably a triangle formed, sometimes oriented one way, sometimes the other. In general, Joey wants X, X wants Andrew, and Andrew has sex once with Joey. Each partly expresses his love for the others, but internal issues prevent any resolutions. Gregory develops a strong, confiding relationship with X but holds back a key piece, whose revelation catalyzes the triangle. Everyone moves ahead and gets a happy next stage.
The movie "Boy Culture" is based reasonably closely on Matthew Rettenmund's 1995 book of the same name. The big changes are that the location moves from Chicago to Seattle, the story line relating to Joey's brother is gone, Andrew and his family shift from standard Midwest white folk to middle-class, Oregon-based African-Americans, and Gregory is allowed to move from disgrace to helpful uncle-figure. We learn X's real name. All of these shifts are well done and add value to the story.
The principals all have substantial skin scenes. There are club-goers, bartenders, a hilarious hook-up pantomime, and the like to provide more. It's all really hot!
All of four the principals are splendid; I look forward to seeing more of their work coming out. Of the actors of smaller parts, I thought Peyton Hinson did especially well as Andrew's former fiancée, Jill, whose marriage to a pro-football player leads Andrew and X to visit Andrew's family.
The extras are unusually good. There is a Q&A session at the Tribeca premiere with the director (Q. Allan Brocka), Magyar, Trent, and a producer present. Most valuable is that the director and the four principals each gets an approximately fifteen minute interview to discuss the film, his role, and his choices. The viewer gets to know and like these talented artists even more. There are two deleted scenes as well.
The film does an excellent job of showing the attractions and inhibitions of gay relationships and is certainly the best gay-oriented film of the year. It does so well that it is actually one of the best films of the year, period.
Movie Review: Boy Culture - it was my pleasure:0)
Summary: 5 Stars
Oh BOY!!!! This I LOVE:0) The production is slick, the dialogue paced well. It is funny, romantic, thought provoking and has an ending to make the heart sigh with pleasure. I have watched it so many timesI have memorised the thing. "X" (Derek Magyar) plays a yummy scrummy hustler who has 12 "yeah you gotta pay for it to get it" disciples/clients. They have money and are regular consumers of "X"...and who the hell can blame them. You don't get to see this so calm down. He has 2 roomates - Blowey Joey (Jonathon Trent - who has a speech impediment caused by his abnormally long tongue) and Andrew (Darryl Stephens - Noah's Arc). Andrew is becoming a stage 2 fag...at 24. Joey got there in 8th grade. Joey wants "X", "X" wants Andrew, Andrew wants everyone including "X" and actually has Joey. One of "X's" Disciples stops breathing, permanently. So he needs a new one...in comes Patrick Bachau. Now I think he is sexy, well I did until the sex scenes where he compares unfavourably to the yummy tummy "X". The geezer, as "X" refers to him, declares he won't sleep with "X" until "X" desire him as much as he desires "X". It takes months but they get there. In the meantime we get some sepia flashbacks from the geezer talking of his first and only love..."X" opens up. Describing his first and only encounter with Andy, his cousin, when they were barely teens...he hasn't been 'taken' since. Well apart from his profession - starting with his dentist who opened wide for him, for money. "X" and the geezer finally sleep together and "X" discovers that the geezer is not altogether the man he thought he was. But back to the real story...the LOVE story, the story I LOVE. The sexy voice over of "X" makes me ripple, he is witty, inciteful, religious (in his own unique way), doesn't do the gay scene sarcastic. Andrew and "X" - will they, wont' they, they are, they aren't. And the ending, oh the ending. If you like a happy, romantic, heart melting ending - this is it. I watched this movie and I was...'taken'.Movie Review: This is close to "Evian"
Summary: 5 Stars
A magazine columnist once wrote in a movie review for "Waiting to Exhale" that when you're dying of thirst, you don't exactly need Evian. This is how I've felt about the vast majority of gay-themed movies. Most of them, to be blunt, are crap. Supply and demand dictates that, due to the relatively few writers and directors working in this genre, that most gay-themed movies are disappointing and would never be green-lit if their audience was more mainstream, i.e., straight.
"Boy Culture", despite its generic title, is a refreshing exception to this rule. Warm, touching, sexy, and smart, this movie is a good example of gay independent movie making. The voice-over of the main character may be a bit cheap, but it's quite effective in the end. The leads are all extremely watchable, attractive, and endearing. I don't know which one of them was gay or straight, but I neither did I care. Each of them inhabited their roles without resulting to trite stereotypes, or, as insulting to me, personally, the opposite -- playing "straight". The result was that I felt that each character was a real person.
While I do not think it will appeal to the majority of straight audiences, it is simply a Must-Watch for us gays. And straight viewers with an open mind and a romantic sensibility will certainly not be disappointed.
Movie Review: Pleased
Summary: 5 Stars
With the exception of suicide or dying from AIDS, this film had everything I hate about gay movies in it. Prostitution, endless string of tricks, drug use, open relationships, cliche after cliche, no one truly good or moral. In spite of all that, I enjoyed every second of it. Albeit a 'fairy tale' type of story, meaning not overtly believable, I found myself caring for each of the characters and rooting for a happy ending. Maybe it was just the bottle of wine I drank while watching the movie, but I found it to be very soothing and relaxing. Most of the story is narrated, which I often don't like, but in this case, it was like being told a bed time story about a friend's life. Unlike many gay movies, it is not dark and gritty, but and feels like an honest to goodness movie. I bought this movie on a whim, I was in the mood to see a gay movie, but almost talked myself out of it since most of them are so horrible. I am so glad I took a chance. I will definitely watch this movie several more times. In fact, I may just curl up on the couch and watch it again right now. . .