Strapped

We sometimes feel like we are lost, alone, and confused. Why not? Life is a labyrinth of trials, much like the building that the protagonist gets lost (literally and figuratively) in. Mistaking one path for another is easy, terrifying, and painful. Each path has friends and enemies, angels and demons. But if we're lucky enough, brave enough, we just might let someone in. Getting lost finding the way seems less scary.

Strapped is one of the most excellent films I have watched in quite a while. The writing is excellent, the direction is excellent, the acting is excellent. I have so much more to say about the intelligence, the symbolism, the honesty, the multi-layered profundity, the heart, and the life-affirming testament that is this film; however, why spoil all the fun for you?

I just saw this film today at Reeling 29, the Chicago LGBT Film Festival. It's my favorite so far and I've seen MANY good, even great, films already. This one was just... great. Ben Bonenfant is an excellent lead in this film, too. I've never seen the short he was in before this, but going to try to find it somehow.

His acting was so good, I felt like I was watching a documentary. He/we learn something with every encounter in this film. I don't want to give anything away. I'm buying it as soon as it's out - actually I'm going to see if/when it's available.

Seriously, watch this movie and you'll feel like you accompanied Alice down the rabbit hole - except Alice is a hustler and the rabbit hole is, well... use your imagination.

Saw this last night from Netflix. I'll be honest, I rented it because of male nudity (I'm not proud.) I am happy to say, that although the nudity was at a minimum really (especially for a film about a gay hustler) the film itself was just delightful. It was definitely a journey in self discovery and I enjoyed it from start to finish.

One little think kind of hit me the wrong way... Everyone in the film kept talking about the lead as being "So beautiful." I'll agree that he is handsome, but the longer haired gentleman in the final scene with him would qualify as "beautiful" for me. I know, I know...beauty is subjective, but that is the only not "glowing" thought I had after the film was over.

I would highly recommend this to, well, anyone.

What is it about prostitutes? Their beauty, of course. Another part of it is their easy sexuality and availability. They have no hangups. (Well, not many anyway.) Everyone wants to do it with them, so why not charge for it? Another part of it is this ridiculous fantasy about "converting" them from sex machines into cuddling lovers.

I'm sure someone has written about this as a cinematic theme. It's not a gay/straight thing. It's a prostitute thing. Gays are as fascinated by prostitutes as anyone else. And of course a hustler movie is always going to have some decent eye candy and eroticism.

Well, this is a particularly good example of the genre. We follow a young gay hustler (well played by Ben Bonenfant) as he meets, and has sex with, a number of people who live in a single apartment building.

Our nameless hustler is disingenuous and guileless (for a hustler) but engaging and quite adorable. He is not an injured soul to be used and discarded. Fortunately he seems to lack the background traumas that drive most hustlers. He is a blank slate as he f*cks his way through the apartment building, learning and growing as he goes along. Each client is a revelation. Yes, he's doing it for the money--but there's something else going on there. He's devastatingly good at his work. Our innocent beauty may be a little lost, but he bestows each client with the sacrament needed.

The director slowly reveals some of the face behind the mask, as the hustler-hero explores the various interesting aspects of this gay world. Is he trapped in the apartment building? Is it actually his home? Or is it a temporary way-stop on the journey to a conventional life? You see, he's gay, but not gay gay.

In one memorable scene, when asked how old he is, he compares himself to fresh-cut flowers; that's how he feels of course. In the bloom of his youth. However, his older, wise and worldly client points to a painting depicting a beautiful St Sebastian and points out that the hustler is more like that, young in body but an age old theme, the beautiful but wounded saint.

A captivating and surprisingly intelligent and moving movie. Let's hope Joseph Gordon makes more like this.

So why does this film get only 6.5 on IMDb?? It's inexplicable. Don't let that dissuade you from seeing it.

For a gay themed movie, this is extremely polished and well-done; perfect acting, great editing, compelling sound-track and most of all an excellent script with on-point dialogue. Given my review is "late in the game" I won't bother with a synopsis. I will say that for a plot of the day in the life of a male prostitute, this absolutely gave the viewer something extraordinary and atypical of the genre (because yes...it's been done before, as admitted in the film itself with the references to "My Own Private Idaho"). There are many layers to this film and in fact to the lead character, as we find out through his acting AND the dialogue that he indeed takes on the personas of the people he is about to have sex with (and he could only accomplish this if he were a very polished actor...which he definitely appears to be). This film delves into the human psyche and asks the question if we are ALL pretending/trying to be someone we are not/putting on a show for others. A very well done and IMHO underrated film.