Red Lodge

The love between Dave and Jordan is real -- I love this film. I don't really celebrate Christmas, but this film RED LODGE is a yearly tradition at the end of each year. It's so realistic -- one of the only films to portray a real gay couple in the lead roles. Small little moments of tension ... unspoken words ... building up walls. Meanwhile, the family is quirky and funny, like most families. Not everyone "gets" this film ... it's for people who like to think while being entertained.

Red Lodge is a perceptive look at how marriage equality has affected gay relationships. It's also likely to coax a tear or two from the romantics out there. Wintry Montana proves a photogenic backdrop for the action.

Jordan (Joseph Kim) proposes to Dave (Richard Pierre-Lewis), his boyfriend of two years, expecting an enthusiastic "Yes!" Instead, he gets a, "Can't we just be in love and leave things the way they are?" Hardly the answer our handsome hero was expecting, and not the best timed response either, just before the couple are to spend Christmas with Jordan's kooky Aunt Vanity (Diane Kylander) up in Big Sky country.

Joining them for the holidays are Jordan's "sister" Lisa (Jessica Garibay), also raised by Vanity but enough younger than Jordan that he's had little chance to get to know her, and her nerdy/cute boyfriend Lace (Aric Weber). Add to this a frisky twink ski instructor (Ross Andrew Dibble) and you've got just enough characters for a 77-minute indie.

Supporting cast members are talented Montana locals who acquit themselves quite well on film, though a little of Aunt Vanity can go a long, long way.

Best of all are the two leads, the entirely winning Asian-Caucasian Kim (who goes by Joseph Daugherty these days), and his equally charming African American costar Pierre-Lewis. (And how refreshing to see actors of color as romantic leads!)

Incredibly neither actor is credited on the DVD cover (you have to look at the opening and end titles to find out their names), and Pierre-Lewis doesn't even get IMDb mention, nor does Dibble. Even more outrageous is that this fine film isn't making the LGBT Festival circuit, where it would be a sure audience favorite.

I have an extensive gay indie collection, and Red Lodge tops many festival selections I have seen. And at the price it's going for on Amazon, it costs about as much as a movie ticket and is well worth a look-see.

I hate to be cruel to a well intentioned film maker's efforts, but this one was rough.

A young gay couple travel cross country at Christmas time to one of the men's family in a small town called Red Lodge. There is a marriage proposal along the way that is accepted, then rejected. This causes friction in the relationship and for most of the movie they bicker. The movie was filmed with flashbacks as well as one of the men talking to the camera like a contestant on a dating reality show. This overused and unnecessary addition never failed to take me out of the moment.

The film even managed to mess up a potential sexy scene where a cute young ski instructor invites the men over to his hot tub for some fun. Note to the writer: Poppers are not usually used when sex isn't happening.

The two lead men had little chemistry. I would write their names here, however, the identity of the actors have been removed from the front of the DVD box. Guess they didn't like the film much either.

I do realize this is a film with a very tiny budget, but it was edited so poorly it reminded me of a student film. The acting from the two lead actors as gay read completely wrong. The white actor became giddy at all the wrong moments that were supposed to be endearing. I think the script is decent, but the acting and horrible directing make this almost unwatchable. There was also a lot of inappropriate laughing and looking at the camera by the lead. It just made no sense and it was like watching a movie that suspended all motion and went into a reality TV spin. I would give this film a zero if it was possible, If someone remade this with a different director and talented actors it might pass as OK. This version was poorly made from beginning to end.