Mr. Smith Gets a Hustler

Much better than the title would suggest, but not as good as it could have been. I had low expectations, so I pleasantly found the film much more engrossing than I expected. OK production quality, generally quite good acting. My main complaint is they seemed to wrap things up to quickly at the end, as if they were running out of budget or film. But, good plot twists; keeps you wondering were the plot is going. At first I thought it was going to be a "gay Pretty Woman" - the client falls in love with the (male) hooker and rescues him from his low life surroundings. Then another plot twist; no love story, but the client will still rescue the hooker. In the end, it's the hooker who rises above his surroundings by himself.

Certainly there is a Mr. Smith, for sure there's a Hustler, but it is as far as it goes while talking about sex. This is not a rom-comedy as some could expect. It's a drama with dark tones because of the photography and mood of most personages. Once set this path, it can be most times agreeable for the viewer. The forces go swiftly on a drama where gay elements are not the sole reason for movement, but are greatly present. The principal actors play pretty well. Larry Pine is a classy Mr. Smith, and Alex Feldman a handsome face in a not that built up body Bobbie. The supporting cast plays fine. It's of particular interest the evolution in Bobbie's character, as he lingers through the film from a mindless hustler to a more sensitive person, who can respond to the dilemmas proposed by the film. So, if you're looking for an introspective film, that's your choice. If not, next please!

This is truly inferior merchandise. One wonders how something this awful remains in the distribution channel even now. Surely it was just as evident during production that this little puppy was a sure-fire bomb. Maybe it was backed by some really dumb money, because who ever was financing it should have stopped mid production to drown this this little mutation for the disaster it was (and saved a couple acting careers and many hours of movie goer's time.) A complete waste of production time, talent and money under any circumstance.

One wonders if this writer is still working? How? I also wonder if anyone would dare to put this train-wreck of a film on their Hollywood resume?; I doubt it. Saying you had anything to do with this film would be a sure ticket to never working in film town again.

You can't help but agree with other reviewer's comments about the dialog: absolutely atrocious. Even more offensive was the acting and line delivery of Benjamin Hendrickson (the bar owner / pimp Mr. Lett): horrible. And yes, the writer could clearly have done more homework on his subject matter; could the bar scenes have been more unbelievable?

If there were a way to give a film a negative star rating on the IMDb rating system, this one would get the lowest rating. As it is, zero stars is too good. Save your time and money and pass this one by. As the movie police says after you stumble onto the scene of a particularly gruesome murder - "Nothing here to see folks, move along."

Reviews complaining about the "cheapness" of this low budget film really have no business watching this really fascinating glimpse of the crime infested underbelly of New York City, circa late 90's.."Mr Smith" isn't one of these modern so-called "indie films" with a million dollar budget;it is the real deal; a movie created with little else besides talent, and a passion for the art of film-making. For someone who lived in NYC when the meat packing district was still populated by pimps and male prostitutes, this is an awesome nostalgia piece. And it should be noted that this is not a "Gay Film" at all. Although the story takes place within the "rent boy" scene, that is merely a backdrop for a crime story, and a tale of redemption. Viewers looking for a movie filled with nude guy on guy action will most likely be bitterly disillusioned with this movie. Big on character development, we are introduced to a family unit broken by crime, alcoholism, and selfishness. Actress Anna Thompson, known for many New York themed movies, plays the alcoholic mother to Bobby, who is making a living as a male escort. He works out of a seedy bar on the West Side, which is obviously a mere front for criminal activity, as there are never any customers inside. He's got a vicious pimp, who sends his sex workers to local hotels to hook up with men for cash..One night Bobby meets a strange client, Mr. Smith, an older man who doesn't want sex from the boy, and finding out who this man is in relation to Bobby is at the heart of the film. For fans of "Underground" cinema, and for those who seek out movies that focus on New York City, in a realistic way, I strongly recommend "Mr. Smith Gets A Hustler..." For fans of Hollywood trash, aka "disposable cinema," you have no business even watching a film like this; it will be utterly wasted on you...

Saw this movie completely by accident. Didn't know any of the actors involved but was prepared for the worst but was genuinely surprised. The movie was good overall and had a likable character in Bobby-the lead character.

Most movies that deal with this topic have characters that come off as homophobic straight boys or stereotypically gay, but the character of Bobby is different and this credit goes in part to the young actor and the director/script for giving him a likable disposition and circumstances that traps him into the lifestyle.

Props goes out to the supporting cast who did a great job showing that no one is either pure innocent or pure evil when you're dealing with prostitution and the resulting lifestyle.

The end song, "Wings on my ankles" is even catchy.

Definitely worth a look if the topic ever interested you.