From Zero to I Love You

This is a movie about a white closeted married guy who dates a black single guy with a history of dating white closeted married guys. While the premise seems to hold the potential for an engaging story and the production is at least competent, it falls hopelessly flat in every respect. It simply isn't dramatic enough, funny enough, heartwarming enough, or steamy enough to be worthwhile. Everything here is skin deep. There's no reason for the audience to get behind a guy who seems to see his devoted wife and daughters as mere baggage, and shirks his responsibilities to them at every turn. A couple doleful piano notes as the boyfriend is left hanging again (as if he couldn't see it coming) isn't near enough to tug at my heartstrings. I'd suggest the filmmakers go out and live a little, and find something more substantial to write about. But at least they got the title right - there's plenty of Zero, a bit of I Love You, and not much in between.

Oh, and - there's not a closeted guy on the planet who'd ask his secretary to send a dozen roses to a man.

Since the first moment I saw this picture I knew it was going to be a big compromise from me to not jump to conclusions that it was going to be a Hollywood Fake Movie. And it was! I didn't believe in the acting of any involved in this drama story where i found everything very insipid and so predictable specially from the the cast of this film! Everything sounded so annoying and honestly for me it was only a gay story where production, direction and acting was just a Big try from rescuing some Dramatic Love (Unbelievable) Scenes that did not make the movie any better!

I grew up resenting being taught to be paranoid. The folks in this story could have benefitted somewhat from a pinch more paranoia than they exercised. My only resistance in the movie was my inner counselor kept doing therapy on all the characters. OF course I know if they all made consistently good decisions there would be no plot and no movie. Well, not a problem; they were all screwed up enough to make a damned good, impressive movie! My time was well spent.

Frankly, I could watch anything with the apparently ageless, engaging and charming Darryl Stephens in it, so I'll try to get through this review with as little bias as possible. But in truth, Spearman has assembled a talented cast that delights from beginning to end. Stephens has palpable chemistry with his handsome co-star, Scott Bailey. Keili Lefkovitz is effervescent in the potentially thankless role of the down-low guy's wife, and Stephen Bowman is a ton of fun as Stephen's best friend. Veteran Richard Lawson - trivia: his first credited role, in 1971, was "Homosexual", in Dirty Harry. He went on to appear in pretty much everything, including Dynasty (1986) and Angry Boys (2011) - plays Stephen's father, who, in a refreshing twist, is a black father who doesn't have a problem with his gay son.

Good gay rom-coms don't come along very often. From Zero To I Love You manages to be hopelessly romantic, a hoot, and genuinely insightful (the damage wrought by Pete and Jack's affair isn't merely brushed under the carpet).

Surprising, enchanting, and sexy, From Zero To I Love You is a winner. Doug Spearman: what's next?

I'm dying to see all the new gay romance movies, but this one fell flat for me. Seemed all contrived and not real. The married gay guy had this annoying nasal voice and his black squeeze was too feminine acting. Sorry, I like perfection on the screen....ain't that the main reason drop dead gorgeous guys get picked to become actors? And then the pseudo macho gay guy with tatts was just a typical urban gay clone. Acting was OK. The actress playing the dumber than dumb wife was good. Near the end, the pace slowed too much. The climax scene in the street was just too Hollywoodesque. Didn't buy any of this film for a minute.