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I just saw this movie last night, and I loved it. I am not a renowned movie critic, or anything, but I really liked this flick. I thought that the story was pretty good. Gay teens that have been through similar situations will understand. I really enjoyed Brendan Fehr's performance as well as Andre Noble's. I was shocked to learn about Andre's death, and I am sorry to say that I didn't get to experience him as a performer. I have seen none of his movies prior to this film. I heard that this film was based on a number of short stories, and now I am eager to read them. I have had a little experience with the kind of life that was portrayed in this movie, the drugs, the street life for a young gay teen that has no other asset than his youth and his looks. I think that the movie was true to the pain that this kind of life causes. I don't think that I can say anything else, except that I really enjoyed Sugar.

This small budget Canadian production shot in and around Toronto has acquired something of a cult status due to the untimely death of its young star. Andre Noble as young gay male Cliff exudes a kind of sheepish naiveté as he turns 18 and seeks to explore his sexuality.

The film is a character study of young Cliff who gets into the underside of the gay world in his coming out by hooking up with street hustler Brendan Fehr. The two of them help each other out in many ways until tragedy strikes on the film as well as in real life.

Playing another street kid is former Power Ranger Jeffrey Parazzo. The former White Ranger from the Dino Thunder edition gets a chance to bare all for art.

Only the fact that Andre Noble did not break into the big market with a popular TV series or big budget movie success has not gained him the fame of a River Phoenix. Accidentally ingesting some kind of deadly poison that grows wild in his native Newfoundland is one of the freakiest demises I've ever read about. Still Sugar is going to be his premature epitaph.

No great production values in Sugar, but the cast performs well and knowing about what happened to young Mr. Noble brings an additional poignancy to his performance that could not be anticipated.

I saw Sugar as part of San Francisco's Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, and TransFestival. This movie has it all: good casting, excellent screenplay, wonderful direction and spirit. The story revolves around Cliff who just turned 18 and has yet to experience life. He meets a hustler who turns his life upside down and in doing so learns valuable life lessons. Of particular note is the actress that plays Cliff's sister whose character is taken from Bruce la Bruce's own family! Sadly the young actor who plays Cliff died in his native Canada so this movie is his swan song. You will experience a wide array of emotions when watching this film I guarantee you. Highly recommended!

To celebrate the coming of age eighteen, boyish virgin Andre Noble (as Cliff) hits the streets, with a bottle of vodka and a joint. His nighttime cruising leads Mr. Noble directly to handsome bisexual hustler Brendan Fehr (as Butch). For Noble, it's love at first sight - but, Mr. Fehr has locked his closet with drugs and denial. Can two gay young men find love in a repressive society? The answer to that question should be obvious (which is unfortunate on more than one level). Although you can't (as yet) rattle off a series of mega-popular "coming of age" gay romances, the topic has been approached enough to make much of what happens in "Sugar" expected. But, the film is so well cast, and covers most of its ground so believably (based on stories told by Bruce La Bruce), it overcomes the predictable.

John Palmer's "Sugar" is sweetest when Noble and Fehr are interacting on screen - it's a typical "anti-romance"; but, the two play it as well as James Dean and Sal Mineo might have. Little sister Haylee Wanstall (as Cookie) and mom Marnie McPhail (as Madge) are an unimaginably kwel family.

Some graphic sexual content is integral to the film - one standout scene involves Fehr compassionately satisfying an obese woman (Pat Butcher) - another (with Michael Riley) illustrates Fehr's inability to "legitimately" consummate his love for Noble. They are filmed well; but, was it really necessary to have everyone except the two lead actors go full frontal in the limo?

In a tragedy having nothing to do with the plot of "Sugar", Noble died, shortly after its premiere. He would have, obviously, had additional success as an actor. Fehr bravely essays his role as the object of Noble's affection. By the way, his question to Noble about the "last time" is his directive/permission to move on...

"We had fun, didn't we?"

Yeah, it might have been a little scary, but it was fun.

******* Sugar (2004) John Palmer ~ Andre Noble, Brendan Fehr, Haylee Wanstall

For at least 15 years I have told people that the worst movie I ever saw was Warriors of the Wasteland. Well, Sugar has finally displaced it.

The acting is, in a word, execrable. In all fairness, it could be that the actors had nothing to work with because the script was so hackneyed... forced and tired imagery, ridiculous plot twists and dialogue so painfully bad that I could only bear to watch the first 30 minutes. My partner watched the rest (he felt obliged, having been the one who rented it...) and he assures me that it actually got worse after I left.

I'm a patient movie viewer, generally. I've sat through some pretty awful films to the very end. But this asked way too much. Sarah - I'm disappointed. Maybe in your autobiography you'll reveal why you gave this script a second look.

The movie was reasonably decent, though it was not particularly original. In essence it was about the downward spiral of Butch, a good-hearted male hooker who becomes increasingly dependent on drugs, and Cliff an 18 year old from the suburbs who, with the prompting of a birthday gift from his sister Cookie, heads for the "bright lights" of the seedy side of Toronto and managed to connect with Butch.

The first part of the movie where we learn it's Cliff's birthday and that he's a bored & frustrated teenager in suburbia was a bit lame. His speedy journey to Toronto where he immediately locates the place where hustlers hang out and just as quickly connects with Butch wasn't very convincing. The parade of dirty old men replete with leers & fetishes, the one unfortunate obese woman Butch "serviced" and the other hustlers as background characters was undoubtedly meant to emphasize the pathetic people they had to deal with, but it also seemed to suggest that everything associated with the LGBT world was equally sleazy and low-life.

The tragic though predictable conclusion for Butch followed by a rites-of-passage moment for Cliff was an unfortunate, soap-opera-ish denouement that was on a par with the mediocre start to the film

But following the so-so start and preceding the amateurish ending … from the point when Cliff and Butch first paired up … the movie became more or less a two-man show with some excellent performances from Brendan Fehr and Andre Noble. Had the casting been different, the meat of the movie could easily have been far less successful and as bad as the opening & ending acts. In fact, the only reason to see the movie is to see these two perform … and also notable was the very convincing and able performance by Haylee Wanstall as Cookie.

It is especially sad to know that Andre Noble died soon after the film was made. He was already a talented actor and would certainly have been worth following as his career continued.

Based on short stories by Bruce La Bruce, this is NOT your typical teen romance.

Cliff is just turned 18 and is aching to spread his gay wings a bit. He's never been with another boy but he knows he wants to. His single mom is cool and accepting and though she tries to shelter both of her children she's got her hands full with Cookie, Cliff's precocious "hyper-even-on-Ritalin" sister. Just one example of the kid sis's pluck... for Cliff's birthday she gives big brother Cliff a mini bottle of Vodka, a joint and instructions to go get laid.

Cliff follows his little sister's instructions and heads downtown where he meets Butch, a crack addicted street hustler with heart of gold and sexy eyes.

Cliff thinks that he's game for anything and disregards Butch's protestations that he's trouble. Cliff and Butch quickly become an item and Cliff tries a smörgåsbord of drugs, gets a tattoo that matches Butch's and even accompanies Butch on a trick.

Obviously this isn't gonna turn out well, but unlike many other movies of this ilk, Cliff realizes it and pulls back. He's been changed forever by his experiences and while he's better for what he's lived through, he's unable to help Butch and he sees him drifting away knowing he's powerless to change someone else.

What makes this different from other films of this type are the realizations that are presented to us. For example, just how much Cliff has changed is really brought home in one scene where another kid from his high school tries to ask Cliff to the prom. Cliff realizes that he's got almost nothing in common with this young man that could have easily been him had he NOT met Butch.

Another example is a trick that Butch has with an extremely obese woman. While Butch protests that he did it for the money, Cliff and the audience know that Butch did it as an act of compassion.

Cliff is played by Andre Noble an adorable young man with great puppy-dog eyes. Butch is played by Brendan Fehr who played Michael in the WB series Roswell.

There are certain "bad" movies that I can actually watch and enjoy for humor's sake if nothing else. This one, unfortunately, does not even rise to the level of a good bad movie. I should have been tipped off by the incredibly tacky stock theme music during the opening credits, but undaunted I began watching it anyway. I had to stop after about 20 minutes into it because this movie has no redeeming qualities whatsoever. The only good thing about it is that it gave me hope that anybody with a camera and a script has a chance of making a movie nowadays. Everything about this film was awful. It was boring, trite, and amateurish. The acting was about as bad as it gets and the screenplay, from what I saw, was pure drivel. If there is anyone who is even considering renting or buying this DVD I warn you that you will absolutely regret it. Don't even bother if you are going to watch it for possible sexual titillation: there is none. It is possibly the worst movie I have ever seen.

I was blown away by this film.

So many of the characters reminded me of people I grew up with during my middle / high school years.. the drugs and all.

There is nothing "pretty" or "whitewashed" about this film, It presents the audience with an accurate look into the lives of gay street kids & their lives.

The way they live, love, and die...

This is the kind of film I was truly surprised that a major chain like Blockbuster would carry.

Wheither you're gay bi or straight, drug user, or straight-edger, there is something everyone can learn from SUGAR.

If you want pointless, random, gritty scenes, this is the movie for you. I found it to be all dirt and no depth. There is nothing about the characters to make you like or care about them. If you want a psycologicaly profound, deeply touching film about heroin addicted hustlers in Toronto, don't watch this movie - watch Twist (2004 Nick Stahl). There is nothing special about Sugar, no draw. The acting is mediocre (could be that the characters are just boring, not the actor's fault), if there even is a score I didn't notice it, the situations are unrealistic and so are the reactions.

Also, the sex in this movie was just plain gross. Don't get me wrong, not because it's gay, but because I don't need to see close ups of ANYONE'S genitals in a movie. Two guys sitting at a table eating cereal for breakfast and jacking off at the same time, together, while they eat, is just disgusting. I don't care what the excuse is, it's unnecessary. The sex in this movie didn't serve a purpose.

Trust me, it was just altogether REALLY BAD. Rent Twist, it also has Andre Noble and is about hustlers in Toronto, except it's deep and has fantastic acting, soundtrack, and feel to it.

This movie was like a horrible documentary about drugs and prostitution. Cliff and Butch's relationship was weird and never fully explained. When I started watching this movie, I expected a gay romance and what I got was a really weird fetish porn film. What I did like about it was the acting, all the actors were believable and just great, especially Haylee. I also liked the ending, it was like it was from a different movie, everything about it was in contrast of the whole movie. I suppose that's why I liked it.

The summary of the movie does in no way tell the audience what will happen, because Cliff and Butch don't really hook up. The summary should be: "A film about the strong feelings that develop between two guys and how one of them drags the other into the world of drugs and prostitution"

Even though I didn't like the movie, I did like the subject. I don't have any experience with prostitution, but I think it shed some real light on it. It isn't glamour or beautiful people having sex. It's weird fetishes and people that no-one else wants to have sex with. I might have liked this movie a lot more if I had been looking for a movie with a real take on prostitution and drugs, I would have liked this movie, no doubt, but unfortunately I was looking for a romance.

The recent tragic death of actor Andre Noble leaves a void that cannot be replaced. But thankfully he has left his mark in this beautifully directed film. Sugar reminds me of "My private Idaho" in terms of directing and mood. While the former film had River Phoenix, who made the film so sexy, this film has Andre Noble. Noble had an acting style that revealed passion and emotion with a sexual edge. Playing an 18 year old gay teen who is anxious to have his first sexual encounter, he falls for Butch, a gay street hustler(played well by Brendan Fehr). But this is clearly Noble's film. His heart breaking performance is so real and gripping, and he seemed so destined for super stardom. Beautiful eyes, gorgeous hair and a smile that would break a million hearts, his death leaves the film industry without his raw talent and that is a shame. I would rate this film as an indie classic. It really hit home for me. I hope straight viewers keep an open mind while viewing as Andre truly gives a performance worth seeing again and again.

This goes into one of the ten best movies I've seen. I was blown away by every aspect of this film. The acting, cinematography, directing, and writing kept me enthralled and astounded through the mere 80 minutes of this film. Strangely, I rented this at Blockbuster, and I'm sure quite a few people must be unhappy with this non-mainstream rental. As someone who has experienced and seen the dark side this movie depicts without actually crossing over (much like the main character), I can't say I have ever seen a more realistic representation. I find the characters fully realized, and my hats off to all the participants in this film. It was edgy, non-mainstream, and risk-taking for all involved. I'm amazed and delighted (through turns of emotion) at this effort. Special congrats to Sarah Polley and Brendan Fehr for participating in this film.

Like other people, I was fearful this might be some primitive low-budget movie, but it was delightful. It's a good-looking movie, and all of the acting is extremely naturalistic and believable. There isn't a false note in the work of any of the actors. All this, despite the multitudinous examples of wit in inherently ironic and humorous scenes and dialogue.

I loved the unexpected bits of humor with the great Maury Chaykin, who was much the same, and equally delightful, in his roles in "Due South." And when Brendan Fehr is giving people the lines of bull they want to hear it is so funny and such a treat. I love the role-playing scene with all the dialogue about sports practice.

This has the edginess of Bruce La Bruce's own films, but, thankfully, this never crosses the line between transgression and disgust or repulsion. It's full of scenes and images I would never think of seeing or putting on screen. It's like seeing Spike Lee's "Do the Right Thing," for the first time. It's a new world, all fresh.

I had to turn the volume way up and rewind in order to catch some very quiet, very important bits of dialogue. This movie certainly combines the boisterous with the poetic.

And, yes, Brendan Fehr is insanely attractive and mesmerizing. I was worried whether I would like this for the first couple of minutes of the film, and then he came on screen and was there for most of the film, lifting the whole thing up. This is a real actor, bringing presence and intelligence to a role. He is, in every sense, magnetic.

I don't understand the people who say that the movie has no depth. The most in depth character portrayal was of Butch - the hustler who seems like a really good guy underneath. I don't think it is a requirement to have any backstory to actually get this.

The movie is also very amusing in parts - you just have to get the humour that is going on. At the Sydney Gay & Lesbian Film Festival showing that I saw, the majority of the audience got the humour and laughed along.

In actual fact, you're dosed with the nice and amusing and even heartwarming, and then you get a complete smack in the head when Butch does something to his best buddy. I won't say anymore for fear of spoiling it.

I didn't rate this film higher because of a couple of implausible things, such as the little sister (a complete laugh and a half, but implausible nonetheless), and how the film opens. From birthday bash to the streets in minutes. However, I did get the symbolism of the skateboard, which no-one else seems to have noticed or mentioned, and which I thought was rather good.

Overall, I enjoyed the film very much, and would recommend it to just about anybody.

Cliff (Andre Noble) has just turned 18 and is a virgin...and is gay. He sneaks into the city to meet a guy. He runs into hot hustler Butch (Brendan Fehr) and (understandably) falls in love. Butch seems to fall for Cliff also...but Butch is getting addicted to drugs and threatens to bring Cliff down with him.

This is definitely not for everybody. It's fairly graphic--there's full frontal male nudity (not on Fehr or Noble though), drug abuse, plenty of sexual talk and has simulated sex acts performed with gusto. It's also one of the most depressing films I have ever seen. Still I couldn't stop watching. Basically it's a coming of age story about Cliff...but I found him incredibly annoying. I realize actor Noble died at a far too young age, but frankly I found his acting here fairly dreadful. His attraction to Fehr comes through but most of the time I couldn't figure out WHAT he was thinking...or playing. Also he looks just horrible through most of the film. On the other hand Fehr is excellent. This must have been a difficult role but he pulls it off brilliantly. He shows all sides of his character Butch. He's sometimes funny, sometimes cruel and, at the end, heartbreaking. Fehr has to pull off some explicit sexual scenes and does it wonderfully. He's also very handsome and has a great body. For those who care he does show his butt briefly. I found the character of Butch so much more interesting than the increasingly annoying Cliff.

The film is shot on video leading to a pretty grimy picture. The color is faded, some of the camera work is shaky and things aren't exactly crystal clear. The sound sometimes fades in and out too. Still this is a fascinating if disturbing movie. See it for Fehr. I give it an 8.

I rented "Sugar" with some trepidation; all I needed was another low budget "seedy-side-of–life-coming -of –age-damn-he's-dead" story. I was surprised, no, I was elated to find otherwise. What makes this different from so many of this genre? Great acting, great writing, great directing. Wow, just like a real movie! This old story (young kid meets up with hustler and begins to sink to the bottom) has been told again and again and will be re-told again and again. There's something about archetypes here, some sort of shared mythology that just begs to be re-visited and re-explored. This movie is worth the visit. Brendan Fehr gives a masterful performance as the hustler and the late Andre Noble as the young explorer is wonderful. Some of the scenes are riveting, some endearing and one is unforgettable. I won't give more away, just rent this film and watch and learn

I must totally disagree with the previous user comment ("prettylittlelie"). This film is gritty, dark, real...

If you find explicit gay sex, drug-taking and so on uncomfortable, then it's probably not for you.

The story is captivating. The sexual tension between the two leads is hot. And their shared emotion is tender at times.

The journey of Cliff (Andre Noble, who is sadly dead) as he enters the dark underworld is very well told.

The previous user comments: "Also, the sex in this movie was just plain gross. Don't get me wrong, not because it's gay, but because I don't need to see close ups of ANYONE'S genitals in a movie. Two guys sitting at a table eating cereal for breakfast and jacking off at the same time, together, while they eat, is just disgusting. I don't care what the excuse is, it's unnecessary. The sex in this movie didn't serve a purpose."

This just goes to show that he really didn't get it.If you "don't need to see anyone's genitals in a movie" don't go to one based on short stories by Bruce Le Bruce HELLO??!! The breakfast scene to which he refers shows how the two boys are bonding as their relationship develops. He also says that "the sex didn't serve a purpose" - the movie is about the sex, and the drugs, and the relationships between sex and drugs.

And it is clear that he is also a homophobe. Anyone who starts a sentence "don't get me wrong, not because it's gay" obviously has issues...

Ignore what he said and see this film!

This film is definitely not one for the faint hearted, nor is it blockbuster material. And yet, I was pleasantly surprised. I thought Sugar was phenomenally realistic and avant-garde.

The cast was amazing. Noble and Fehr make a fantastic duo, the latter did a -great- job of representing the bad influence that your mother always warned you about. Noble shows his innocence on his sleeve so well, which feeds off Fehr's "bad boy" outer shell fantastically.

I think the thing I most admire of this film is the sheer blunt truth of it all. Albeit a little odd, it reveals the struggle so many gays (even straight people) have gone through with eye-bludgeoning scenes and characters you see everyday in your hometown.

Despite the outlandish outlook of it all, I find it unbelievably easy to relate to. Eight out of ten.

This movie was really really out there. There was a lot of implied sex in this movie it was ridiculous. Well anyways, I like a movie that's not afraid to show it's true colors. This movie shows the greatest of impacts on one's life. The lost of innocence and the power of friendship. I feel that this movie, (with it's gay implications) really gets a more in-depth feeling of the movies true purpose. Also through the expected ending, and the very cliché plot twists, this movie comes out proving to be more then just a "kill me now" movie. The acting was also quite moving also. This movie could of really used some transition. Every so often the screen would go black, and then everything would be different.