Il mio finto ragazzo

MY FAKE BOYFRIEND could be considered a step forward in representation for the LGBTQ+ community, but not in the way one would like it to be. It moves the needle of gay acceptance forward but only insofar as it's equal in every way to similar B-movie heterosexual romantic comedies. It's illogical, stupid AF, and filled with cute nitwits making terrible decisions you and I would never make, all in pursuit of ever elusive love. The fact that it never once self-consciously strains to justify its own existence somehow feels like progress, so two snaps up to the filmmakers on that front.

Populated with characters straight from stock, this film never gets too deep into anything meaningful, relying heavily on stereotypes of gay and straight folks alike to drive the action, and in so doing, it mimics a thousand other heteronormative rom coms I've seen ... and enjoyed.

Because when you get right down to it, that's what rom coms are: far fetched potboilers with improbable premises designed to pull emotional strings in spite of their overarching silliness. Why should it be different when the primary focus is on gay men?

Keiynan Lonsdale is as always pleasant and relies on his 1,000-watt smile to connect with the audience. He delivers a creditable, sympathetic performance that's light fare to be sure, plenty entertaining, and most important, relatable to anyone familiar with modern dating wars.

Dylan Sprouse serves up a small dash of nerdy straight-guy realness as he battles deep-seated insecurities and feelings of inadequacy that are oddly endearing. Still, he stays blessedly close to the surface and keeps things light, which seems absolutely right for this vehicle.

Only one character in MY FAKE BOYFRIEND raises a red flag. Leo, the borderline psychopath, is over the top, could leave a counterproductive impression for those hostile to the film's intent, and doesn't serve a purpose outside of an attempt at comic relief that falls flat. This is not to say that "gay crazy" isn't a phenomenon. We all know it is. Leo's presence, however, doesn't add value and is an exaggeration that comes off as cringey rather than funny.

To be clear, MY FAKE BOYFRIEND is not a great romantic comedy that's destined to be a classic. It's a flawed, middle-of-the-road yet reasonably competent fantasy meant to be enjoyed by a limited audience and its allies, and in that respect, it somewhat succeeds. In years past, it might have been hailed as groundbreaking in its normalization of gay relationships and its portrayal of their wider societal acceptance, but since that work has already largely been done, it has to stand on its merits as a romance alone. In that regard, it's average.

One reviewer said this movie made him embarrassed to be gay. I don't dismiss that reaction. In fact, I even understand it to a point, but I don't agree, mainly because I don't hold MY FAKE BOYFRIEND to a standard I wouldn't apply to similar films aimed at heterosexual audiences.

MY FAKE BOYFRIEND delivers exactly what it promises: a screwball plot and cute guys screwing up their relationships while doing stupid cute-guy tricks, all tied up at the end with a predictably happy ending. Sometimes, that's all you need on a Saturday night.

I stumbled on this by accident and would have been tempted to skip with all the negative reviews. But I know Lonsdale from his small roles in Love Simon and Love Victor where he was good so gave it a shot. I think the negative reviews are nothing to do with honest reviews of a comedy film.

This was a genuinely silly and funny film. The characters were all so OTT and ridiculous. That was the point! It's not bad acting, it's brilliant acting.

I initially thought we might be heading for a bad Weird Science rip off when Sprouse announced he was going to create a boyfriend but the social media twist was clever and had some serious undertones if you want to look for any depth.

The biggest point that the haters seem to have missed is that this film was funny. I was laughing all the way through and when so many comedies fail on that simple point I give it the credit it is due.

I look forward to seeing Lonsdale front and centre in more movies. Keep it up young man and ignore the negativity. It's a thumbs up from me!

This movie don't deserve the hate, it is a good lighthearted romantic comedy, lots of laughs, bromance, good acting and of course it is not realistic. I haven't watch a realistic romcom 🤔

Anyways, it is on prime video!

I can't imagine anyone over the age of 24 enjoying this hyperactive 2022 roundelay. The first half-hour is a confusing melange of social media machinations and superficial interactions muddied further by the overuse of trendy lingo. It eventually settles down into a standard issue romcom where Andrew, a twenty-something stuntman, tries to end a no-win relationship with a shallow actor named Nico. Andrew's best friend Jake creates a completely fictitious new boyfriend named Cristiano to make Nico jealous but instead creates a viral sensation. Andrew falls in love with a chef named Rafi, and complications ensue. The movie improves marginally when it settles down into a more predictable pattern but not enough. Memorable as the hidden love interest in "Love, Simon", Keiynan Lonsdale is an appealing presence as Andrew but called upon here to act ridiculously at pivotal plot points. Except for Samer Salem as the idealized Rafi, the supporting cast merely deliver over-the-top turns including a post-"Modern Family" Sarah Hyland as Jake's girlfriend Kelly. You can tell I'm really not the target audience here.

Deception is rewarded and everything else in this film is vaguely incoherent and incomprehensible. At times the characters come across as if the screenwriter had never met a human.

Cast diversity is nice for pride month, just wish the film was better.