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East Side Story by Carlos Portugal
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DVD Cover InformationActor: David Berón, Luis Accinelli, Michael Cassady, René Alvarado, Steve Callahan Director: Carlos Portugal Brand: Wolfe DVD: Region Code 1 Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); Spanish (Original Language) Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, NTSC Picture Format: 1.78:1 Running Time: 88 minutes DVD Release Date: 2007-12-04 Audience Rating: Unrated Studio: Wolfe Video Product features: - Set in East LA, EAST SIDE STORY is the story of Diego, a young man working at his family's restaurant and having an affair with a secretly gay real estate agent. As the relationship heats up and the Latino neighborhood becomes more and more gentrified, everything changes for Diego and his family. Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: COMEDY Rating: NR Age: 754703762979 UPC: 7
Movie Reviews of East Side StoryMovie Review: Refreshingly original and funny romantic comedy for all! Summary: 5 Stars
In "East Side Story" (2006), Diego is a culinary school graduate who feels trapped working in his family's old-school Mexican restaurant in the East Los Angeles bario. Diego is also gay, but closeted from his family, and dating the even further closeted Pablo, a status-seeking realtor. When Diego is inadvertently "outed" by his aunt, Pablo decides he has to avoid him, and begins dating the aunt, pronouncing his secret affair with Diego as "just a phase." Meanwhile, Diego meets a gringo couple who moved in across the street, among the many gays who settled in the area to "turn it around", angering many of the current Latino residents. One half of the couple, Wesley, takes an immediate liking to Diego, which sets his partner, Jonathan, into a jealous hissy-fit. Diego's grandmother returns from a month-long trip to Mexico, to find her restaurant being boycotted by homophobic locals, while her daughter is making wedding plans with her grandson's former male lover!
It is a refreshing and highly amusing romantic comedy, presented by a talented cast of mostly newcomers. With a pollished look that belies its relative low budget, it's a noteworthy first-time writer/director credit for Carlos Portugal, one that received audience awards at several gay movie festivals. It is sexy without being overt, funny without being cartoonish or stereotypical, and the emotions portrayed can be related to by anyone, gay or straight. The DVD extras include deleted scenes, director and actor commentaries. Don't miss this one: five joyful stars out of five!
Summary of East Side StoryCalled a "feel good movie" by its fans, this appealing debut film of director Carlos Portugal suffers from no freshman errors, as Portugal confidently tells the story of Diego (played by the wonderful and charming René Alvarado), a young, closeted Latino, who helps his grand-mother (standout Irene DeBarri) run the family restaurant while carrying on a clandestine relationship with equally closeted Pablo (the delightful David Beron).
Diego has long felt trapped by the conservative culture of East LA and plans to move away and open an upscale restaurant, hopefully with his lover. But Pablo views their situation very differently - a point driven home when he begins dating Diego's spirited Aunt Bianca (hilarious sexpot Gladise Jimenez). At the same time, white gay men like Jonathan and Wesley are moving in, gentrifying the neighborhood. The attraction between Wesley and Diego is immediate and electric, forcing both men to reexamine their state of affairs in this entertaining comedic drama.
A "coming out" story that avoids all the tired cliches and stays committed to telling the stories of these characters, East Side Story examines bias of all kinds and features stirring performances by incredibly attractive actors. This story sweetly appeals to the romantic impulses of us all, gay and straight.
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