Butch Camp

I watched this film before I checked the rating here on iMDb. For that small bit of luck I am most happy.... The existing rating of 4.7 (when I checked) grossly underrates the enjoyment I got watching this film. It is a terribly cute comedy with good acting and a funny story line. It may not be the most believable story line, I will grant you, but for entertainment it certainly is just fine. As far as "gay themed" movies, I certainly rank it among the most watchable comedies that I have managed to view.

Having been a big fan of the Giver-Goddess (Judy) for over a decade, I rented this flick the other day. True, the acting and the direction of the actors could've been a lot better. The film is loaded, purposefully, with innuendo, cliché and stereotype humor. I knew that when it all started! The characters are likeable and the writing is ripe with gay sarcasm and campiness. What I loved most of all is my being pleasantly surprised that this is actually, in the end, an adorable romantic comedy! Well worth viewing. A thoroughly enjoyable film. Some queens just want everything to be all wrapped up in one perfect movie: Get real.

I wonder if the film ever got to the point where the characters realized they did not need to get "butched up," if they ever realized that they were fine the way they were. I wonder if the insipid main character, portrayed by an actor doing a horrible Michael J. Fox impression, ever came out at work thus ending what was unfunny workplace discrimination based on sexual identity. I have to wonder because I could not stomach watching this film to the end. I literally watched an hour thinking there would be something funny or that it would start to become redeeming. It did not.

What was the target audience here? Who would find any of these pathetic situations funny? I can only surmise that it was made for quasi-self-hating gay men who are not out in most areas of their lives and can relate to the ridiculous gyrations of the main character's attempt to become more butch. (Was there ever worst casting involved? The actors portrayal of nelly was simply not nelly, he was just nervous. An obvious straight actor portraying nervousness, prudishness, and self-righteousness but missing the nelly mark altogether.)

I give this movie half a star for being able to find funding at all.

Although "Butch Camp" was a weak film, it did have it's redeeming qualities. It gave light wings to a hard and over looked metal shell. When you open up that shell you find laughter and some good acting.

Paul Denniston is pretty funny as the sorry Matt who needs and learns to stand up for himself. His Michael J. Foxish performance is second to none along with his timing.

Judy Tenuda is classic Judy. What more can you say. It's her stand up on the big screen.

Jason Teresi is the "Serious and Straight" (forgive the pun), in an over the top movie. He provides a much needed "realism" that adds drama, love, tenderness, and heart to the film. He pulls the movie together from all of the crazy directions it's going and brings them into a well rounded ball with no jagged edges. His performance is outstanding, which simply means that he stands out. If you focus the plot more on Matt and Rod, This could have been a whole different story and film.

I rented this movie from one of my local video stores and hunkered down to watch. I wanted to love it. I really, really did, but...

While I love Judy Tenuta and always will, but her performance was rather weak, and her scenes at the Butch Camp were horribly directed and boring. In fact, it didn't seem like much of a camp at all. Perhaps "camp" in the title was supposed to mean that this film was supposed to be campy (which it wasn't).

But overall, the acting was probably the best thing about this meager attempt to be funny (which it rarely was). I guess it probably broke ground as a gay film when it was originally released, but the plot was incredibly flimsy and rambled a bit. I didn't care about most of the characters. There seemed to be many good ideas, but none of the plot lines offered much of a payoff in the end.