Henry Gamble's Birthday Party

An ensemble cast of characters centered around a birthday pool party makes this more like a soap opera. The movie made me wish I could have similar summertime pool parties with plenty of fun and eye candy. But other than this, there were a few laughs, especially the "Democrat" comment, a few personal dramas, a secretive gay attraction and a lot of splashing. Movie lacked a focal point and basic message, except to say that not even white, religious, conservative, suburban families are perfect.

This isn't my favorite Stephen Cone film (try The Wise Kids or Princess Cyd), but I appreciate the vibe it's capturing. The repressed setting definitely brought me back. Like Dramarama, it's filled with awkward teen pool moments. If you didn't grow up in a repressed Christian atmosphere, I'm not sure you'll get it.

This is a really lovely film by a filmmaker I had not heard of. Never in a rush to get anywhere, Stephen Cone's film weaves its way so naturally through these intersecting lives, as they jump in and out of the pool at Henry Gamble's 17th Birthday Party. Everyone has a crush on someone else, no one is satisfied, and yet there's nothing melodramatic, just subtle body language, and flashes of accidental honesty. I was immediately intrigued - from the first innocent conversation between two teen boys casually exaggerating the size of their members, to the prophetic line Henry announces to his family, as he looks at the time on the morning of the party, "I was just born." The family is very Christian, dad is the local pastor so there's prayer before meals, and they don't touch alcohol, which makes the homosexual subtext (among other secrets) at the beginning of the movie all the more intriguing. Coming out movies had their heyday, and to do one nowadays requires it to be a lot more, which this movie is. Mr. Cone's delicate hand, and his subtle message of compassion is never overwhelmed by the enormous, talented, relatively unknown cast, or the inherent drama of teenage angst.

I see a lot of films, and this is without a doubt one of the best I've seen in quite awhile. It presents so beautifully how conformity and organized religion stifles and twists and how badly the real person in all of us wants to be recognized for who we really are. The performances are so spot-on that it's almost eerie; having grown up in a Midwestern family very similar to this one I felt as though I knew every one of the characters.

The plot involves Henry Gamble, whose father is a preacher, who is given his 17th birthday party by his family and friends. Henry is realizing he may be gay, and as the party progresses throughout the afternoon and night everyone begins to show the various struggles they also go through being human and trying to adhere to the rigid expectations they've created for themselves.

What I found so impressive about this film is that all of the characters are fine, likable people who care about each other. Some of them, particularly the adolescents, are much more accepting of their differences and support each other; others aren't capable of doing that, especially as beautifully illustrated by a bitter, fearful mother who refuses to let her repressed daughter enjoy any of the party and never lets her out of sight. The daughter is heartbreakingly portrayed, and the image I couldn't seem to shake after the film was over was her testing the water in a swimming pool, wanting so badly to dive in.

It appears that HGBP has been released to pay-per-view and isn't being considered for a general release to theaters. This is a very timely film for 2016 and it would benefit so many if this project could receive the exposure it deserved. It's depressing to think that "Captain America: Civil War" will be bringing in crowds this weekend but very few people will know a wonderful film like this even exists.

I hope Steven Cone, who also wrote the amazing screenplay, continues to have the opportunity to make films. This is someone to pay attention to, as he is clearly a talented guy.

If you grew up gay in the South at least semi-recently, this movie will probably resonate with you. I watched this movie on a whim while bored and looking for something a little more risqué, and though this movie certainly failed to fulfill on the latter, it more than captured my attention otherwise. The movie was visually intriguing, the music incredible, and the artful combination of the two left me feeling completely immersed in some beautiful, quasi-reminiscent experience. I'm actually quite stunned by how deftly the writer and director were able to echo my own experiences growing up in a family that both loves you and is in many ways disgusted by you as well.

It's intriguing that other reviewers find this movie dated or otherwise inaccurate. I'm not sure what churches they go to, but very few clergymen these days go without. We have pastors with million-dollar homes, with fleets of cars, heck there are more than a few pastors with private airplanes. Also, I'm only 32 and 17yo me would have felt perfectly at home in this movie.

This movie isn't for the average viewer these days that likes to be spoon-fed every single detail. On the contrary, I found that HGBD challenged the viewer to reexamine their subconscious biases regarding these stereotypes and perhaps give the 'other side' another look.

Great job!