10 Attitudes

10 ATTITUDES is a low budget, first film by director Michael Gallant that examines the highs and lows of contemporary dating that feels so spontaneous that it seems more like overhearing conversations in a cafe rather than a scripted movie. And for this tale of frustrated companion shopping, the minor details of awkward editing, obvious hand held camera use, and making the best of available lighting in real locations just doesn't matter.What does matter is the pacing and the funny (and not so funny) lines of each of the characters in this ensemble piece. Josh (Jason Stuart - in a very solid performance) is a thirties-something gay caterer in a long-term relationship with a lothario who embarrassingly discovers his partner's lifestyle en flagrant. Devastated and disillusioned, Josh wants to leave West Hollywood and return to Cleveland, but his closest friend Brandon (Christopher Cowan - a very fine, young, natural actor) supports him by promising to arrange ten dates within a weeks' time, a cadre among whom Brandon bets Jason will find a new love and remain in West Hollywood. If no new love is found, Jason will return home to lick his wounds.Josh gets the clothes makeover from Tex (JM J Bullock) and some tips on dating from various friends and therapist types (Judy Tenuta, Alexandra Paul, Lydia Nicole and more) and begins his arranged dating with 10 of some of the most diverse types everyone who has played the dating game has encountered (and incidentally there is a lot of fine eye candy here!). None of the 10 "attitudes" (for that is what these men represent) works out and Jason is about to depart for Cleveland (Brandon obviously lost his bet) when things change. And that change is well written and worth the surprise wait.What this film lacks in technical skill it makes up for in spirit, and if you are able to dispense with the production means and concentration the acting and the message of "10 ATTITUDES", you are in for a treat. This is a fine social comment about a problem that afflicts not only this gay population of the film, but relationships across the board. A brief, if technically flawed, breath of fresh air from some very talented people!Grady Harp

Predisposed or not to the basic premise here of love past the high-school hormonal stage and among those who AREN'T in the running for "America's Next Top Model" (being exploited continually by straight film and TV makers - "Ugly Betty" or "Seinfeld" anyone?), the shaky camera, cinema verité style ill serves this under written gay date movie.

"Regular gay guy" (to quote the DVD box) Josh has a hissey fit when he catches his lover of 10 years receiving oral sex from someone he has... well, we never find out just how much of a low life the lover may or may not be. Like every unrealistic bride in 50's straight movies, Josh declares the marriage over and tries, as an average looking 30-something, to re-enter a dating pool stocked with 20-something eye-candy. Blinded by the partially self created rejection of his mate (the marriage's failure is entirely played out in one 30 second curbside scene and has as little credibility than Josh's subsequent "dates"), Josh meets nothing but sleazoids or those who have not yet "gotten their acts together."

After one or two bad nights out - indistinguishable from his later title "dates" - he decides to go really self destructive and move back home to Cleveland (Ohio may not be New York or SanFransisco - and why is Josh suffering in L.A. and not one of THOSE places in the first place!? - but it actually has a very active gay life - not that you would ever know it from this film).

Josh's one good friend (it is never explained why THEY aren't potential date material) bets Josh he can set him up with a perfect man in the title ten dates who - also source of the title - turn out to be ten attitudes, not ten dates - and ten that include at least three or four who NO good friend would ever set anyone up with! The potentially GOOD dates we never see through to the end. It's as maddening as HBO's Sex And The City where (with only two or three exceptions) every time one of the girls found a really NICE guy, the viewer knew they were toast so the SERIES could go on.

Given the apparent aspirations of the film makers (please festival audiences enough to support eventual DVD sales), it would have been a real surprise if there *hadn't* been a happy ending (or at least a hopeful one), but while writer/director Michael Gallant crafts a nice one, he proves incapable of crafting a believable one.

He HAS proved capable of recruiting a solid list of capable actors to represent his 10 attitudes and even a few nice people. Jim J. Bullock and to a lesser extent David Faustino turn in thoroughly professional performances and the actor playing the man a bully from Josh's past grew up to be is actually something of a find in the film's one really charming scene!

The adult women are less happy, and being a gay film is no excuse for that. It's hard to tell if Judy Tenuda's "performance" is more the fault of the actress or the script. Whoever plays Josh's mother is just as bad. The woman playing the wife of one of Josh's dates is at least interesting and layered in her obliviousness - almost and effective satire on L.A. working wives, though nothing in the rest of the film shows that kind of subtlety.

All too many gay stereotypes fall back on Tennessee Williams: "I have always depended on the kindness of strangers." Josh never says it - and he almost never gets it - but perhaps his film will. This was one of those films to which anyone who actually buys a ticket or decides to rent will bring every ounce of good will possible. It will need it.

There may be worse gay indy films out there...okay, not that many, but one or two...okay, one (but I can't remember the title right now). This poor excuse for a flick is definitely bottom of the barrel movie-making. The leading man is gay combination of Gary Shandling and Christopher Guest but not nearly as appealing or funny as either. Unfortunately, he's also the writer. The videography is awful, poorly lit, with unwatchable camera work from start to finish. My grandparents could do better with their 1982 beta cam. The tone is all over the map; from farcical comedy to syrupy melodramatic romance - with success at neither end of the spectrum (or anywhere in the middle, for that matter). My finger itched for the FF button on my remote from the movie's very first scene. How David Faustino, Judy Tenuta and JM J. Bullock ever agreed to this film is beyond me! The title is totally misleading (why not call it "Ten Dates", which is what it essentially is?) as the only attitude on display will be the viewer's - who will be sporting major 'tude sitting through this dud.

This is a good story about a man whose friend bets him that he will find love with one of the next ten men he meets. I don't think it's such a bad thing that throughout the film I completely forgot that a bet was made, and just enjoyed watching Jason Stuart's reactions to the strange men. Some of the dates are really hokey (David Faustino's), and some of them are pretty realistic (like the rage-aholic, an exaggeration of a type that really exists).

The majority of the scenes were improvised, but I honestly didn't notice--I found out after, watching the DVD extras. I think the main reason I liked it was because I went into it not expecting much of a movie at all. While it is certainly apparent that this is low budget, it doesn't take much to tell a good story and keep me interested. I found myself rooting for this "late thirties average looking" guy. I'm glad I checked it out.

10 Attitudes was so much fun! I would give this DVD to all my friends. This film made me feel I was not alone. It was about real gay men who are not perfect. Jason Stuart is the voice of the everyday gay guy. the hell with all the west Hollywood muscle Marys. Also all these Hollywood actors who think it is so brave to play gay. with there cowboy hats and perfect everything. Jason is the new breed of gay who is invisible to the mainstream studio films. he is funny, sweet and yeas sexy. Also a really fine actor who deserves the same PR as the straight actors who play the roles gay actors should of got. I just loved this film because it was so original. I cant wait to see what Jason does next!