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| a film by Stewart Wade |
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| 2006 | 94 mins | US |
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| ›› Coffee Date |
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| the comic tale of two men of differing sexuality |
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| available on DVD as part of the TLA Releasing UK catalogue |
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| screened as part of the 21st London Lesbian & Gay Film Festival 2007 |
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starring: Wilson Cruz, Sally Kirkland, Jonathan Bray, Jason Stuart, Elaine Hendrix, Deborah Gibson,
Jonathan Silverman, Joanne Baron, Kristin Andersen-Groh, Thomas Saunders, Peter Bedard,
Marcus Reynaga, Matthew Harmon, Kristin Bray, Margot Boecker, Leigh Taylor-Young,
Carol Ann Susi, Spero Stamboulis, Clytie Lane, Judy Dixon, Lisa Ann Walter,
Chris Keslar and Stewart Wade as Clayton's boyfriend
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When recently divorced Todd ventured forth on a coffee date Internet style, little did he know
that his mischievous sibling Barry has knowingly set him up on a blind date with a difference.
For the girl of his emails, turns out to be a man - and a gay man at that too. Refusing to
let such a 'mix up' ruin their night, Todd and newfound friend Kelly head off to the
cinema together and thereafter back to Todd's place to get their own back
on brother Barry, by pretending to be one big happy couple!
Thinking his brother has switched sides, the look of shock on Barry's face is soon to be matched
by Todd when Mother Muller promptly arrives in town, not so much to set her son straight, but
more to encourage his new found sexuality! And she's not the only one, given Todd finds
himself subject to the open arms of gay acceptance from his boss Diana, office gossip
queen Clayton and much to his delight, blonde bombshell Melissa, namely a girl who now finds
gay boy Todd so much more interesting. Trouble is - he's not gay. Then again, if everyone
thinks he is, could this proud hetero be a closet homo? Somehow there's only one way to
find out and thankfully our man Kelly is on the job to separate sexual fact from
fiction, clothes from skin, but not necessarily love from desire!
Developed from a seventeen minute short that premiered at the 2001 Palm Springs Film Festival,
this guaranteed crowd-pleaser from writer and director Stewart Wade sets out to examine
the rules of attraction that separate the straight world from the gay one, if indeed they do.
To that end, Jonathan Bray as Todd is every inch the heterosexual man of the piece, his character
being both nervous and neurotic at the thought of being attracted to another man, a situation
further complicated by the fact that Kelly finds himself falling for his manly charms. Only
who could not find themselves falling for Wilson Cruz who as Kelly steals the show, delivering
his lines with a sparkle in his eyes and performance that casts the fine support work from
Elaine Hendrix as roommate Bonnie, Jason Stuart as camp colleague Clayton, Jonathan
Silverman as brother Barry and Sally Kirkland as Mrs Muller to the sidelines,
inspite of Kirkland clearly relishing her portrayal of a mother
longing to hear the words - 'I'm gay and proud of it!'
Then again, Cruz and Co are aided by a script laced with wit, let alone a series of cameo
appearances, including the like of Thomas Saunders and Peter Bedard as Kelly's cinema
going friends, aka the original Todd and Kelly, together with Jonathan Bray's wife
Kristin as the woman in red who gives him the cold shoulder, coupled with
a certain Stewart Wade playing the part of Clayton's boyfriend Andy.
That the end result is light entertainment in its purest form, goes without saying. But it is
well-executed throughout, filled with a genuine warmth and charm that pushes the boundaries of
its somewhat limited budget to deliver the comic goods through the many twists and turns of
a plot, that whilst laden with one too many 'gay panic moments' eventually settles down to
deliver the touching tale of the growing friendship between two men of differing
sexuality. And that, in itself, is an ever so refreshing cup of celluloid coffee!
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| Copyright 2007 David Hall - www.gaycelluloid.com. |
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