Issues 101

I just can't think of anything good to say about this film, since I really don't know what it was trying to say or be. If it was supposedly soft-core porn (and there was a bit of nudity and simulated man-on-man sex) then why didn't they just add more sex scenes with good looking actors? The "frat boys" were ridiculously miscast, as they were aging, effeminate, hairy, balding jewish guys (notice; I didn't use the word "actor", since none of the participants here are actually actors). The "plot" of a closeted frat brother really didn't make much sense, since apparently man-on-man sex wasn't a big deal in this particular fraternity. Yes, I get it; that's a big fantasy for a lot of guys...but you might as well save yourself the time and effort and just rent a porno if that's what you are hoping for.

Unfortunately, this film should be mandatory viewing for film makers, so that they can see what mistakes NOT to make in their films.

Issues 101 has real problems. As a romantic drama it's a failure. Seeing this film only a few hours after watching Andy Warhol's Trash led me to question why Trash is so riveting (albeit in a sick car-crash sort of way) while Issues 101 required real force of will to watch to the bitter end.

Neither film has well scripted dialogue and yet they couldn't be more different in their audience impact. One is fascinating to watch and one is painful to watch.

Somehow in Trash we see beyond the flaws and imperfections and see that there is truth (in this case what it must have really been like to be in a dead end relationship with a junkie in late 60's NYC)

In Issues 101, we see no such truth. The reality of the digital video contrasts wildly with the inane dialogue (lacking in both sense and substance). The result is an insipid film lacking in truth, excitement or interest. The flaws were so off-putting as to keep yanking the viewer back to the `real world' and not allowing for the willing suspension of disbelief that works for most films.

The REAL problem for me with Issues 101 is that it gives me a terrible case of the `might-have-beens.' For the most part the actors were pleasing to the eye and the ideas presented in the story could have been told so much better.

On the surface, a story about a fraternity pledge that somehow gets through a chink in his frat brother's straight façade, the frat brother setting the pledge up with his younger fraternal gay brother to take some of the pressure off, and the jealousy that ensues are all great plot elements. However in this film almost none of it works. The sex with the supposedly straight brother goes way too far without an adequate `gosh was I drunk set-up'. The whirlwind speed with which the pledge and the younger brother get seriously involved happens way too quickly. And finally the pledge causing all these issues is neither handsome enough nor charming enough to make us believe that either brother would be interested in him.

To make matters worse there were scenes that were totally unmotivated and others that were totally unnecessary.

I understand that this film ran out of money near the end and so much was lost in the director's vision but overall what was left is nearly unwatchable and actually painful to sit through.

Okay, just like most of the other reviewers, I can find very little positive to say. Joe was too old to be a "frat boy". Christian was so obviously flaming gay I'm surprised he didn't spontaneous combust on screen. the set was obviously an empty house rented for the feature because no frat house is gonna have all those empty walls, and empty bookshelves. Some of the scenes, everyone was crowded very tightly. there was no chemistry between ANY of the players. the music and lyrics was laughable. The Pi Pi Rho house was just a wall with people standing in front of it. The Sig fraternity president was go gay there's no way anyone could NOT know that he was. the "hazing" incident, while kinda hot in a gay porn kind of way, was entirely unbelievable. The pace was plodding and slow and then suddenly rushed. The movie ending left the whole thing feeling incomplete. I read on here they ran out of money, that probably explains that.

I gave it a two just because some of the actors are very easy on the eyes, and there's some nice ass shots, as well as one sorta hot sex scene and few full frontals (or maybe just one, i forget actually).

I would not rent this. I certainly wouldn't buy it under any circumstances. I think whoever made this film had the best of intentions at heart. unfortunately, best intentions do NOT a good movie make.

This movie was amazingly bad. The characters were cardboard, the script was painfully poorly written, and to top it off, the story (and I use that word loosely) was boring. Also, I had the feeling I was watching home movie by someone who had a video camera handy and a few hours to spare. Having watched several of the recent gay themed movies, and in spite of the fact that many of them have also had limited budgets, several of the others were able to pull the viewer into a story with the element of drama, emotion and a connection to the characters. Most of the time spent watching Issues 101, I couldn't keep enough interest to see if the story was in fact going anywhere, nor did I really care what happened to any of these characters. So regardless of budget, this film could have been made so much better. Enough said.

Rent this movie for the special features! Now, this IS the single worst movie I have ever seen; it looks like it was made with a home camcorder, the acting is terrible, the plot is stupid, the characters are hollow, the script is inane, and the sex is gratuitous and poorly done. But the compelling reason to rent this DVD are the actor interviews in the Special Features, which are like a Christopher Guest movie come to life. The "actors" self-serious comments about their "work" are hilarious, and truly worth the rental. Their unintentionally deadpan delivery, filled with "ums" and pauses, after which they completely contradict the inane statement that came before, are Christopher Guest at his best, only they are real. For anyone who thinks Mr. Guest just makes his characters up, rent this movie. True, the interviews are funnier if you have watched the movie, but that would be such a painful task that you can watch the bonus material by itself.