gabolariosm
So basically this movie is about Grey's self-centered ideas of love, in which if Ben loves him, he should let him walk all over him, allow him to cheat around and possibly infect him with HIV, because he is honest and tells him from the beginning that he doesn't care enough to compromise in anything, but Ben has to completely change how he thinks, acts and feels about all things for them to be together...And Ben insecure, stupid and desperate for attention, allows it all just to have someone... At the expense of himself, his ideas and his dignity (He didn't have much of either tho, so the loss was not significant).LOVE! *with a sarcastic tone* ◔_◔The acting/directing is just as terrible as the script, but kudos for it being very realistic, because the world is full of narcissistic brutes with aids and weak minded losers so desperate not to be alone that they would do anything just to be with someone, even if the person they are with doesn't give a penny about them or how they feel and think...This movie successfully depicts the workings of a completely toxic gay relationship!!!The movie is supposed to be based in Ronnie Kerr's life experiences and in the movie he plays Ben... After watching the movie i kinda feel in real life Ronnie is actually represented by Grey, but if it indeed he is playing as himself, then he has to be very stupid to have allowed someone treat him like the Grey character does and then dedicating an entire movie championing his selfish ideas of what love is... All in all, an entertaining, but very poorly executed and stupidly written movie about having no self esteem.
Paul Wesselmann
A fresh take on familiar themes--this 78-minute movie packs a decent amount of humor and poignancy in a short amount of time. While the main plot evolved around dating, I really enjoyed the friendship between the main character (Ben) and his straight best friend/workout buddy (Vinnie). There were a couple of brief sex scenes that may surprise (shock, delight, etc.) some viewers, but for the most part this film focuses on the importance of friendships and the challenges of dating in the gay world. This indie flick was likely shot on a budget, and like many movies you need to be in the right space to get the most out of your viewing experience. If you can be patient and suspend your disbelief like a good movie-goer should, I think you'll find this to be an enjoyable film that examines a variety of friendships and romantic relationships. P.S. I'm SOOOO glad this was available on Netflix Streaming!
thesar-2
With a hilarious opening and promise, unfortunately Shut Up & Kiss Me went south fast
in regards to quality.My guess was $10,000 budget, and I thought was being generous. In reality, I was thinking $5,000. It turns out it was $15,000 and it shows in the After-School sets, exterior shots and fake-café/gym scenes. I'm putting that all aside – as, kudos to them to making an independent movie. Let's see if the heart was there.Yeah, for the most part. These aren't professional actors. Obviously. Did they give it their all? Absolutely. They believed in the product. And the lead (and writer) Ronnie Kerr, who plays Ben, was actually not only good, but at times, sweet and funny. Does he have a while to go to go beyond porn-star-status? (More later
on the porn part, that is.) I hope.Ben's looking for love. He tries video dating
internet dating
and friend setting him up dating. Only stalking will help him come out of his shell. End justifies the means
take it for what it's worth, but he meets jogger Grey (Gabelein) and they strike it off. Only, Grey states up front: he's not a one-man man.Get used to him reminding everyone, especially the audience, that he said that up front
Anyways, he proves it, at least twice and you'll wonder if this will damper the relationship. Well, watch the incredibly short 78-minute feature to find out.Despite the extreme low production value, I liked the feature. Kerr had me rolling in scenes, as did other characters, namely his best-straight/stereotyped-buddy and business partner, Vinnie (Russo). And believe it, the opening was a great shot. Original, funny and looked like it was set to take this feature to the stars. Unfortunately, it didn't, but the rest was worth a shot. Even if you don't agree with the end "message."On a side note: there is gratuitous full-frontal male nudity, for roughly twenty seconds during a sex scene. Kerr seems to be some kind of body-builder, and the first reaction when I "saw him" was: "Well, I guess he doesn't use steroids."Side Note II: I can't believe how much I had in common with the character of Ben. It was uncanny. Now, before you judge
I wouldn't agree AT ALL with his final decision and before you think I'm a "stalker"
fail to interest me, and you have nothing to worry about. :-)
chriswg75
I saw this title on Netflix and decided to give it a chance. Overall, I appreciate what they were trying to do with this movie. Yes, it was on a cheap budget and the acting was a little less than you would expect from bigger budget and/or professional actors. In addition, some of the film's effects (like the main character talking to the audience explaining terms of the gay world) were unnecessary and a rip off of other films (like Broken Hearts Club). On the other hand, the characters seemed genuine and I liked that the main character had a wide range of friends (not just gay hags and queeny gay boys). I also liked that the characters seemed like people you would meet in everyday life. Up until the ending, I liked the story and character development and found myself empathizing with the main character. The problem is with the ending. Without going into too much detail, I have to say that the main character sacrificed his values and morals for someone he thought he loved. It almost leaves you feeling upset with him (I hardly felt sorry or sad for him, and I certainly wasn't happy for him). And the story failed to convey to me why the main character would love the guy who hurt him so much. I'd say if you have 1.5 hours to kill and its free,watch this film. The characters seem real and not typical stereotypes, plus there are some funny scenes and lines (especially the first half). But don't expect to go away with a warm and fuzzy feeling.