Beautiful Something

I liked writer-director Joseph Graham's Strapped, and this movie, which is similar in treatment, lives up to the promise of the earlier one. Beautiful Something starts with our protagonist Brian stepping out to a gay bar where he meets a young man who asks him "Are you ummmm...gay?" Turns out he's one of those ambivalent types who's not sure about his sexuality. Brian brings him home and a pretty torrid sex scene follows with the young man going "please f**k me, please f**k me," but afterwards, he's all hostile and angry about it. As the movie moves on, Brian meets up with several other kinds of men, including an ex who he still loves who has gone straight. He also has a brief encounter with Jim, the other main protagonist in the film, which leads to good sex, but no emotional connection. Like Strapped, this movie has some incredibly hot sex scenes, though nothing is shown explicitly. It has a pretty good story line, with lots of different characters to keep you engaged. Though it's funny in parts, the film's mood is dark. There's an underlying theme on art (the protagonists are all artists in some way - sculptor, writer, actor - but I don't think that's really important). I watched it at Kashish, Mumbai's International Queer Film Festival. I hope it gets a larger audience over time.

We are back in the utterly strange and utterly human night-world of director Joseph Graham (Strapped). This time, in particular, men are trying to make art at the same time that they are trying to make connections, and they are trying not to sacrifice one for the other, though in the end they often do. These characters are who you and I are when no one is looking. That is the wonderful and unsettling thing about Graham's work: there is no movie-like artifice, no clichéd interactions you can see coming. Emotions erupt at odd times, as emotions do, and under it all lies a fateful loneliness that it is Graham's special task to explore, as he did so well in Strapped. This is another must-see.

Among the best of new gay films and an excellent effort by young director/writer Joseph Graham (his 2nd feature), Beautiful Something is original in conception and execution, taut and dramatic despite its restrained pacing (so that the viewer really feels the long night in which the film takes place) and a beautiful film to watch. Most important is the small ensemble cast's sensational acting and the director's and cinematographer's close attention to nuances of actions, facial expressions - the eyes of these actors are a marvel of expressiveness. The screenplay is idiomatic and feels very true, really engaging, if sometimes a touch long-winded.

Aesthetically it's also a delight with all the dark, gritty look and feel of Philly, and of the emotionally torn characters who inhabit it; the musical score and songs (many original with beautiful performances by Ryan Shaw) are also a pleasure as is the marvelous poetry of Richard Siken (from his first book "Crush") which is heard towards the end in voice-over - they stand in as the words and soul of main character, Brian, a poet himself, and come as the painful events of the night explode into epiphany, raw, honest and beautiful. (I found myself rewinding the end credits to ID all the music and poetry!)

The story rests tidily within one dark, wintry night with its limited resolution arriving only as the bright dawn arrives; Brian having been exhausted after the night's sexual and emotional exertions - disappointments - is totally exposed and honest so that the ending has an honesty and expresses each of the characters' vulnerability, through Brian, and this seems to me the film's purpose for being. It's a sexy film too, with some intense, brief and harsh, bareback sex, as well as tenderer moments; I think it's unclear what the director's attitude is toward unprotected sex and that's one of the few problems I've got with the film; but then random, unprotected sex is a reality of gay male sexuality these days and, of course, it adds an darker vibe, and undercurrent to the foolish, impulsive behaviour of the characters throughout the night's rambles and the searches for satisfying connection.

I expected sleazy gay trash bordering on porn but what I got was a reasonably intelligent thought provoking introspection into gay love - in the broadest sense of the term.

Don't expect a lot of eye candy. There is a lot of gratuitous sex but it is tempered by good acting, professional cinematography and a moderately good script. It does lapse periodically, but on the whole you're left with a feeling that at least a couple of the characters have achieved a life-changing moment.

I watched it with my husband and it provoked some discussion between us. Good for a lazy Sunday afternoon.

Beautiful Something" is an engaging and entertaining film that I wholeheartedly recommend. The story intricately weaves together the lives of four gay men over the course of one night in Philadelphia, capturing their struggles, desires, and connections. Each character is compelling, and the performances are strong, making their journeys feel authentic and deeply personal.

The cast is undeniably attractive, adding an extra layer of appeal to the film. Their chemistry is palpable, and it brings a raw, sensual energy to the screen.

One of the highlights for me was the ending. It ties the various storylines together beautifully, offering a satisfying conclusion that leaves a lasting impression. Overall, "Beautiful Something" is a captivating watch, blending poignant storytelling with a visually appealing cast, making it a must-see.