eCupid - Amor Por Download

.......sites such as this, and elsewhere.

And yes, let me say it right up front: This is a well-done production (Calciano is very good at surrounding himself with capable cinematography and sound folks---there's little to fault). Obviously, his casting personnel have done their best to provide us with cute and hunky co-leads, as well as a fun group of major supporting actors (mention of some, below). It was a rare moment when their character arcs didn't ring true (obviously, the writing helped here). As to Storyline, it's as much one of "today's world" as it could possibly be....giving us an enjoyable ride and any number of lessons to be learned.

BUT having said all that, a large reservation remains for me....and it involves the Romantic angle of a story like this. So, let me be the Bad Guy in this group and explain my last statement in the following way:

Some pre-release photo shots and a preview trailer led this Fan to believe, or HOPE, that our Good Director Calciano had perhaps read and heeded a past review of mine ("Is It Just Me?"), in which I took he and other Gay Romance film directors to task for NOT providing realistic kissing scenes. About his last film's attempts, I basically stated: "Blink and you'll miss 'em." ....But STILL, even in this latest work, it seems if you "double-blink," you'll miss 'em. Just maybe that's because our two "eCupid" lead actors give little more than quick pecks on the lips or cheek (surely not a case of: "Whoa...folks might think I'm Gay"!?). Though I must concede that Frat-Boy Dawson was really "persistent".....and fellow worker, Keith (Matt Lewis, in an exciting performance) gave his lip-lock a really good shot.

Other main supporting actors of note include Andy Anderson (Chris 1).....and of course, the inestimable Morgan Fairchild, as the Divinity Drive-In's Mother Confessor....and Guru of Love (she probably even "out-angels" Gabriel).

In the end, let's hope there will be "some" learning derived from reviews put out here by nonprofessional guys such as you and I. Let's also hope for better film productions in future. (Hey...despite all, I'd buy another of this Director's films.)

Now...how to finish all this up? Hmm? By George..I think I've got it! BY GEORGE..I think I've got it! I'll just reuse my parting words in reviewing our Director's last film:

"So, how to end all this? Let me do it by asking: Is it fun and cute and attention-holding? Well, yes....for the most part. But that doesn't mean it couldn't have been better....and my rating reflects that. (And yes, yes, yes....I have watched it more than once before butting in here)."

PS--Interesting that most all of the first 10 reviews are by "first-timers". Friends, possibly? (And, Adam Huss, you actually sneaked in here---Go, Baby!)

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"Marshall" - or "Marsh" to his pals (Houston Rhines) lives with his boyfriend "Gabe" (Noah Schuffman) but their lives are now pretty much going through the motions. There's no sex, too much work and their priorities have become a bit stale. He's browsing on his laptop one evening when he encounters a site that offers him a solution to his tired existence. He signs up and next thing he knows, boyfriend "Gabe" knows how he feels and, dejected, moves in with a couple of their friends. Unbeknownst to "Marsh" this app is now manipulating his entire life. It's fixing him up with dates, hosting parties and generally making a nuisance of itself whilst he tries to juggle the pressures of his job with his pretty obvious desires to get his "Gabe" back. Jeopardy? Well no, not really; nor is the much by way of notable acting nor writing here as the story unfolds. It does, however, have quite a powerful messages for those cynics amongst us who question just how dependent people now are on their computers and the internet when it comes to our daily lives. We arrange and cancel by text message; we create and change our relationship statuses as if we were turning a page on a calendar and when it comes to actually making an effort when the Sheen has faded a little, well again we seek refuge amongst the 0s and 1s. This is quite fun at times in illustrating the impotence of "Marsh" and also at the readiness of "Gabe" to take the easy option and not to try to work for what even a blind man in a snowstorm at 3am could see was what they both wanted. It is old hat, has it's fair share of gay stereotypes and offers nothing new, but it just might resonate, especially if you like your Merlot from "Falcon Crest".

This film tells the story of a man who is having a seven year itch.

This comedy is light hearted, slightly far fetched but really fun to watch. It is funny and has got a semi serious message to it as well. I enjoyed it a lot.

This is a boring, shallow, tiresome, "Look how cute I am!" movie about boring, shallow, tiresome, "Look how cute I am!" West Hollywood types.

Someday somebody is going to make a movie about real gay people. Real gay people are not obsessed with their gym bodies and other guys' gym bodies. Real gay people don't look like fashion models. Real gay people get older than 23, eventually. Real gay people do not have blinding white teeth. Real gay people do not have perfect tans 365 days of the year, or even ONE day of the year. Real gay people have no idea what an "app" is, don't care what an "app" is, and got tired of the word the third time they heard it.

Whoever made this tiresome movie, and whomever they made it for - those are people I hope I never have to meet.

I assumed this was going to be a fluffy, fun, feel-good movie that would bring some smiles, if not actual laughs. So I wasn't expecting anything too deep or thought-provoking.

I guess that pretty well sums it up, although in the fun & feel-good department, it fell pretty flat. The two main characters lacked any real chemistry, so their break-up and all that followed didn't inspire much empathy/sympathy. The on-line service that took control of events quite often was more annoying & intrusive than mystically omniscient or whatever their presence was supposed to suggest. The anticipated, happily-ever-after denouement seemed pretty bland and contrived … even assuming you'd accept the dubious deus ex machina aspect of eCupid.

The cautionary tale regarding the dangers of reacting irrationally to the 7-year-itch and the warning that familiarity breeds ennui, which may prevent us from recognizing the value of what we could end up losing, are worthy but this may not be the most convincing vehicle for carrying that message.