Akron

I saw this movie. Akron, at NewFest here in NYC and liked it. Both guys were attractive and it was very romantic, sometimes erotic, and interesting because their relationship was accepted by both families, even the Latino father of the character played by Matthew Frias. Joseph Melendez, the actor who played his father, was at the screening and he mentioned that he was eager to play the part of a Latino father who didn't, stereotypically, throw his gay son out of the house. The interesting plot really revolved around an event that was not related to the gay theme at all.

However the movie has a 3.7 rating on IMDb which is ridiculous and, to my mind, is another proof that IMDb is being trolled by homophobes. Many years ago the website created a complex rating system that was designed to minimize attempts by the industry to puff up their product, by having all their employees give a film 10 for example, or having a popular star instruct fans to do the same. The problem is that at that time the present culture of mean, negative, trashing commentary was only just rearing its ugly head and IMDb has apparently done nothing to try to minimize this newer phenomenon.

Of the 112 people who rated this movie, 23 gave it a '10' and then the ratings gradually ramp down from there until you get to 41 people who gave it a '1' rating. Are we really supposed to believe that 41 people saw this gay themed movie in its very limited distribution and hated it so much that they ran home and logged into IMDb to rate it as low as possible? In addition, none of these 41 people hated it enough to bother to write a single negative review.

It seems to me that if just one anti-gay group told its members to go home, register for IMDb, and trash the film it could be very effective in warping the IMDb ratings for a small film like this..... a church with a large Latino membership in Akron who objected to being portrayed as gay accepting comes to mind..... just sayin'.

So the point of all these words is to suggest that it would be wise to think twice before avoiding a gay themed film just because it seems to have a abysmally low rating on IMDb.

Benny is a gay child of Mexican parents and has just started at the University of Akron as a freshman. He gets roped into playing a game of American Football with his 'besty' girlfriend and after he meets, the rather dashing, Christopher. They like each other straightaway and just go for it.

The fly in the lovebirds ointment is that deep in the past of their respective mothers there was a tragic incident that will now become a barrier to them being able to stay together.

Now that is the synopsis and there are some things that I really liked. There is no homophobia or overly dramatic 'coming out' scene which marks this as 'progressive gay cinema' apparently. I just thought it was dealing with other issues – and it really is – their sexuality is just happenstance to the plot.

The issues that the two boys face would just as equally be a problem had they been a boy and a girl. The issue with the film itself is how it is all worked out. You will love or loathe this one. This is not a sexathon either and the bedroom scenes I am being a bit generous with my marking but that is because they all do a more than above average job and I quite liked the whole thing.

It's that sort of movies that you feel happy and refreshed after watching them. The actors played their roles pretty good especially Edmund Donovan his face expressions were perfect as well as his using of body language and the tone of his voice...I see a bright future for him in acting (hopefully). I just really liked the movie, it's a film displaying the life of two gay couple living a NORMAL life not like other movies where something tragic must happen eventually.

The more you watch this movie, the better it gets. It packs an emotional wallop. Even though the depiction of the two young gay men being totally free and expressing their love outwardly is very unrealistic because Akron is a very homophobic city.

The acting by all is outstanding. Matthew Frias projects the dominant role in the relationship. He makes the first move and takes charge. He's displays the Latino temperament when he's riled, especially in a scene where he blows up at his boyfriend. Edmund Donovan seems to be the sensitive one who grounds Benny when things are tense. His projection of love for Benny is something everyone dreams about. He seems to good to be true and Donovan's acting is touching because you feel his pain as the pawn who is caught in the middle. The scene where he rips into his mother is riveting, yet heartbreaking.

This film does not deserve the rating that it has gotten from IMDb. It deserves better and I wouldn't believe the negative ratings. Despite some of the implausibility of the plot, the performances and the direction overcome that detail.

3 1/2 Stars. Although a simple story, it is told quite well and is unique in the way it handles a gay couple. The fact that the couple consists of two boys is not of any great importance to the actual story itself. It would be the exact same story if it were a boy and girl or two girls. That's a refreshing change from the usual. The plot does have a couple of holes, but not enough to detract from the overall enjoyment of the film. The young actors do a credible job of seeming a good match. The parents seem quite realistic in their attitudes and actions based on the plot. I give this a thumbs up.