Slutty Summer

Although ambitious, this film doesn't quite pull it all together. Telling the tale of newly single, Markus complete with "homo-in-the-big-city" treatment. Every stereotype is represented, even the single and looking gal pal (played quite well by Virginia Bryan). Most scenes are acted as though everyone is aware they are making a movie rather than playing real-life characters. There are some stand-out moments where the characters come through, but overall the attempt seems self-serving. The worst acting performance hands down is Lance Werth as Kevin, the restaurant manager. I couldn't help but think how fitting this role would have been if it had been played by Mink Stole of John Waters fame. Although Werth gives it his best, it isn't enough and he embarrasses himself, and the rest of the cast with this lousy performance.

Sometimes the title of a film has connotations that put people off, preventing them from viewing a film that has a lot of good points just because the title is tacky. Such is the case for SLUTTY SUMMER. This low budget first film by writer/producer/director/actor Casper Andreas may not have the substance or finesse that other independent films have, but taken as a whole it is an entertaining outing that deserves more credit than it has received. One wonders if a different title and cover image would have resulted in a larger more attentive audience.

Summer in Manhattan and new writer Marcus (Andreas) has just terminated a relationship with unfaithful Julian (Christos Klapsis) and finds solace in his man-hungry but gay-friendly friend Marilyn (Virginia Bryan) who lands him a waiter position in a small restaurant where all waiters are various stereotypes of gay men: ex-model sleeparound Tyler (Jamie Hatchett), hopeless romantic wannabe actor Peter (Jeffrey Christopher Todd), nellie flamboyant one night stander Luke (Jesse Archer) and the obnoxious manager Kevin (Lance Werth). Through a lot of visits to bars and hangouts the crew try to soften Markus' hurt and in doing so open Markus' eyes (indeed, everyone's eyes) to the significance of relationships in the flippant world of gay Manhattan.

Yes, the story has been done before but life keeps repeating the same stories, too, and it is fine to have a different take on same sex ways of life and philosophy in the big city. For a film shot in 14 days there is a fine amount of attention paid to small details of conversations. Markus proves an economical director. The cast of mostly inexperienced actors does well, and even if they do seem to be parodies of stereotypes, they do establish understandable characters. For a first film this is a pretty successful outing. With different packaging perhaps it could have had a better chance in the theaters. Grady Harp

I like gay movies and I liked a lot about this movie. The guys were very cute especially the guy who was the director who was also in it. I also liked the woman who was very funny but the movie is obviously pretty cheap and the story kept going over the same thing over and over again and it started to get a little dull. i am really glad I have netflix because this is a perfect rental but not really something to go out and buy. one other thing was how it seems like it would be a comedy but mostly it is very serious. If it is a movie about serious relationships then don't put a guy grabbing another guy on the cover. it just makes you feel a little ripped off.

This was a thoroughly entertaining film that had laughs and a predictably happy ending. Yes, the characters are stereotypes, but at the same time, the guys are all real people. I know people exactly like these men, and I could see myself in various aspects of these characters. And the topics of conversation were exactly ones that I've had with my friends.

I found Casper Andreas as Markus, the protagonist, perfectly acceptable as a sensitive guy who's a bit shell-shocked after coming home to find his lover Julian making out with a trick. Julian exits, ending their four-year relationship. And Markus takes a job in a Manhattan restaurant, where his friend Marilyn works. Since Markus has been out of the cruising scene, he's taking very tentative steps to get back in circulation.

Markus is surrounded with a very believable group of gay waiters, who are, at the same time, stereotypes. Luke is the smart-talking queen, who recommends his own promiscuous lifestyle as a model for Markus to get over Julian. Tyler is a model who wants no part of relationships. Peter, an actor, is a serious young man who is holding out for Mr. Right, who just doesn't seem to be around.

The guys talk about topics that plenty of gay men talk about: can men be faithful; is a monogamous relationship possible; how many guys constitute an orgy (they agree on five); what does "sleeping with" mean (if you and another guy fellate each other in the steam room at the gym, can you then say you've slept with him), how is "sleeping with" different from "hooking up with," and so on. Thank God, this film spares us any "in-depth, darling" conversations.

The restaurant setting was very real, and the interaction of the waiters and customers plays out fantasies of what many waiters must want to do to obnoxious customers.

All of the men are good looking in their differing ways and deliver solid performances. The accents of Casper Andreas, Jamie Hatchett, and Christos Klapsis added flavor to their characters. And, yes, Jesse Archer as the smart-talking Luke, steals most of the scene, but isn't that true in just about every gay film that features a smart-talking queen? Don't overlook the extras. The deleted scenes and outtakes are entertaining, too. There's one deleted scene showing a disgruntled patron complaining to an already angry Peter that there are only two olives in his martini instead of three. Peter grabs up a handful of olives from a bowl and returns to throw them at the startled patron before Peter slams out of the restaurant. Hurrah, Peter, says every waiter in the business. There are also interesting interviews with the actors, and Jesse Archer, who plays Luke, hosts a short documentary in which he takes to the streets of Chelsea to ask various gay men there, "What is a slut"? This was a funny footnote to the film.

Most newspaper critics and more than a few commentators here have been hard on this film. But I think it's quite a remarkable achievement for a first film, made on a miniscule budget, and shot in just fourteen days. Lighten up. It's fun.

I watched "Slutty Summer" at the Austin Gay and Lesbian International Film Festival (AGLIFF) and was very entertained. The plot has a creative premise about a young guy named Marcus that comes out of a long term relationship and gets a summer job where he meets a very different group of guys. Along for the ride is the comical token fag hag, Marilyn. These new friends bring him to grips with being a single gay guy in the big city and together all go though trials of love, sex and attempts of monogamy. The scenes were tasteful and the light comedy is done very well. Most of the acting was excellent and you really get a chance to get to know and love the characters. The film was done on a bit of a low budget as to be expected with an independent film. The entire movie was actually shot in 14 days which does allows for mistakes. The editing was done well however, and all in all, I would recommend this film to a friend.