Fulvue Drive-In.com
Current Reviews
In Stores Soon
 
In Stores Now
 
DVD Reviews, SACD Reviews Essays Interviews Contact Us Meet the Staff
An Explanation of Our Rating System Search  
Category:    Home > Reviews > Drama > Gay > The Reception

The Reception

 

Picture: C     Sound: C+     Extras: C+     Feature: C+

 

 

The issues of race and sexuality are still somewhat taboo in mainstream Hollywood productions, even when characters are thrown in and mixed into mainstream plots to give the appearance of some phony kind of progress.  When independent productions try to do the same, they sometimes get caught up in boutique production stereotypes that hold back their ambitions.  John G. Young’s The Reception (2005) is an interesting example how this happens despite ambition.

 

A man/woman couple lives together, not only of mixed race, but both interested in men.  Faster that you can say three’s company, Her mother shows up and other friends and associates come out of the woodwork, with conflict ensuing.  The chaos that could have been interesting is undermined by tired shaky camerawork, which makes bad moments worse, and acting that has a false ring to it too often.  Add title cards that remind one of Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining (1980) more than anything else (no stupid comments about baggage on this critics part; we don’t do Forest Gumping around here) and you too will wish Scatman Crothers would show up with an ax and end this exercise in eventual pretension.  Too bad, because this is a missed opportunity that could have worked, especially when the actors have their moments.

 

The letterboxed, videotaped 1.78 X 1 image is soft, with color and depth substandard throughout.  The Dolby Digital 2.0 sound is simple stereo at best, with fidelity just a step above an on location taping.  Extras include an audio commentary by director Young and five trailers for Strand releases, including one for this one.  One final problem with the film like so many in the Gay New Wave is its surprising inability to deal with sexuality better.

 

 

-   Nicholas Sheffo


Marketplace


 
 Copyright © MMIII through MMX fulvuedrive-in.com