Say Yes

Haven't seen a little indie like this that I've enjoyed this much in a long time. Kudos to: 1) Great acting 2) Great writing 3) A very interesting plot/story 4) The organic feel of the evolution of the story and characters.

I'm particularly in love with the character of Lily (Leah McKendrick) - she is outstanding. Both of the male characters, Beau (Patrick Zeller) and Caden (Matt Pascua) are excellent, but Lily steals the movie.

If I had anything to grouse about it would be that the story seems a little contrived at points (even with the organic feel I mentioned earlier), especially with the direction of the relationship between Beau and Caden. But hey, with Lily's force of personality and the central struggle of the story I bought it the first time through, so it works.

It could also be a little tighter in terms of directing. Otherwise it's a gem and one of the best gay films of the last several years. Thank you Stewart Wade, thank you actors one and all - really appreciate this work.

What I liked about this film was that has a message and to be specific, this message is summarized when the sick wife talks with his partner about Stigmas and what is defined by Love and hetero sexual behaviors. For me it was just the beginning to open a big hope to understand that Love does not distinguish gender or orientation but only unconditional attachment for one to the other! Acting was ok (Not the best) but What the Director wanted to show was primarily met on this movie! Congratulations! I enjoyed it!

This is one of those stories that when viewed on paper, shouldn't have worked, but in the case of this film, it worked quite well. Credit goes to the actors involved, especially the female lead. She was totally convincing. Eight stars well earned.

OK, it's a very unusual subject. Some people may easily find the whole movie ridiculous beyond belief.

But if you can open your mind to just listening to the characters and trying to empathize with what it might be like to be in their situation, you might learn something. And even if you can't, the writing has some very good moments; there are some truly good lines. :-)

In all, this wasn't the worst way to spend an hour and a half. Better this than watching "Burlesque", to be sure.

A very good independent film definitely worth watching. All three leads were outstanding, and I found myself never taking my eyes off them. Settings take a back seat to dialogue and an at-first-somewhat-seemingly-preposterous premise, well-written and thoughtful (Stewart Wade excels with his writing and direction). That dialogue is key, so hang on to every word by all three leads, be alert to cadences, pitch, tone, and nonverbal communication that comes from them. This is not just "another indie gay film"; it's making an extraordinarily powerful statement about socialization. Patrick Zeller as Beau is amazing, in showing us bit by bit how Beau evolves and is challenged by his norms. In some regard Zeller may have had the most difficult assignment here, portraying how Beau's known worlds and conventions are challenged and the difficulties he has in reconciling his own evolution. Paul Mascua as Caden is excellent as a free spirit who knows himself thoroughly. Leah McKendrick is unparalleled as Lily, conveying the journey of her character with such power. Kudos also to Shari Belafonte and Alexandra Paul for their excellence in minor roles and in being a part of Say Yes; I can only imagine how many scripts they have seen in throughout their careers, and I would like to think that their participation stemmed from their recognizing and participating in a unique gem of an indie.