The Falls: Testament of Love

Such a unique, challenging and beautiful story. Very well acted...the Cinematography is a vast improvement on the original. The story takes its time...which I loved.

I'm going to assume that anyone considering this movie has already seen The Falls. If you haven't, you should. This is a sequel, and you need to have seen The Falls first. Therefore, I won't waste time telling who RJ and Chris are and what happened between them in the past.

I suspect that most fans of The Falls are going to love this one too, so you may want to stop reading now and just see the movie. It continues the gay Mormon theme of the original in a different setting.

It's five years later. Chris is back in Salt Lake, has been reabsorbed into Mormonism, has turned hetero through therapy and self-control, is making oodles of moolah as a pharma rep, is happily married and has a daughter.

RJ has not returned to Mormonism (although he still wears the underwear and believes most of the teachings), has a dreamboat lover named Paul who adores him, and is making ends meet writing for a magazine in Seattle.

RJ and Chris meet again for the first time at Rodney the stoner's funeral. RJ dumps Paul (a real catch and played by the best actor in either movie) and goes to Salt Lake to get Chris back. Much drama ensues. I'll stop there.

I LOVED The Falls - it was SO much better than the highly overrated Latter Days. But I have three problems with the sequel.

First, it adds nothing significant to the original, just recycles the same angst in a new town. Maybe gay Mormons need an endless series of Star Wars-like sequels and prequels, but this non-Mormon gay has had enough of it already.

Second, there's no believable attraction between RJ and Chris this time. It's compulsive, not erotic at all. Not one spark. Totally unbelievable, unless both guys are so neurotic now that they will do anything to be miserable. (Besides, the guy who plays Chris has gotten creepy looking - really weird eyes like a lizard).

Third, this sequel has the gall to set up for yet ANOTHER sequel, just as The Empire Strikes Back did. Lucas pulled it off, but Jon Garcia should have stopped at one.

My heart ached throughout most of this movie. I loved the first "The Falls" and was sad that it had to end the way it did, not knowing how Chris and RJ's lives would pan out. Well now we know! Perhaps for me it is nice to see a gay relationship movie about fairly run of the mill characters. They aren't buff, don't have fabulous jobs and don't hang out at nude beaches or bars 24/7. in fact it seems both the boys lives have come to be in somewhat of a rut. But what they do have is an extraordinary desire to be happy with themselves, even when the odds are stacked against them. For this reason the film has a lot of soul. I felt like a warm blanket had been wrapped around me when these two finally meet up again. Chris's self inflicted pain is palpable and we are never too sure how in fact their lives may continue. As friends? As enemies? As lovers? For some unfortunate reason the audio in parts, is terrible, which is a shame given the high standard of everything else about the movie. I also found the Anniversary party scene to be unnecessary, and unlikely. I felt it added a selfishness to the main characters that tainted my opinion slightly. In the end however, I fell overwhelming in love, again, with the unmistakable bond between Chris and RJ. Warning, some full frontal nudity. (Oh go on, go see it just for that!).

It isn't often a sequel bests an original. I loved the original film, The Falls, and said it left me wanting more. Well, this is more in a BIG, BIG way, but don't watch it until you've seen the first one! It focuses more on Chris where the first film focused on RJ, which sets the stage well for what is to come. I am not Mormon, so I can only imagine the degree to which gay Mormons suffer trying to be faithful to themselves and their religion despite their religion not being faithful to them. This film deals with that in a very straightforward way, and we can feel for not just what the boys go through but how tortured their families become as well when trying to deal with a gay child, sibling or mate. This is a powerful film, and leaves the door wide open for yet a 3rd installment if they so choose...this is one viewer who would stand in a very long line to see it!

2nd installment of this movie is even better. As i reviewed in my first installment and another top review here pointed out this movie relates so much to religiously persecuted yet still religious communities. The most closest one that come is Islam. And as a closeted muslim man this one touched heart.

I felt every emotion that portrayed. I felt every body move they made. I felt their longing. I felt their pain. i imagined my lover's touch while watching them.

Also the soundtracks were gold. The one played during their forbidden love making (Once I believed) is clearly gonna play nonstop in my ears for next week. I even can see i am marrying to this soundtrack.

Again this all may seem so cringe to average people and i dont blame. But this brings up so much emotions. And unless you have been to this position theres no way one can understand this pain no matter how much considerate and sympathetic they are.

i applaud the directors and main cast to be so realistic and such a good performance. And i demand a 4th installment.