Daddy

I first saw Gerald McCullouch in a play in NYC (sorry, I never got into CSI) and from then on, watched him in everything that I could. There is such an honesty in his acting and he has transferred that same sincerity into his feature film directorial debut. Many may think Daddy to be the standard gay-themed sex comedy (due to the title), but they would be sorely mistaken. Dan Via has adapted his complex stage play for the film and does double duty by wonderfully playing the best friend. At the core of this story, it's all about relationships and families that we create. I found myself very moved by this film and recommend for those looking for something different from the usual Hollywood gay fare.

Colin is one of those gay guys who seems to have it all – great job, loads of money and he gets all the young men he wants. His best mate, Stew, lives next door and is the polar opposite but they have been inseparable since college. Then one day an intern starts work at Colin's office.

What first starts out as an overly keen employee soon becomes something much more intense, but when something is too good to be true.... well you know how it goes.

Now this is from TLA and yet is one of theirs that raises the bar. It is well made, acted. Scripted, filmed and everything else. The story is believable and engaging and the twist I never saw coming. It is also an indie and stars Gerald McCulloch as Colin who also directed this, he is a seasoned actor and the calibre shone through, but Jamie Cepero as Thaddeus was brilliant too and all the part players never let the side down. This is a TLA release I am happy to recommend.

Gerald McCullouch directed and stars as Colin, an older professional gay man who hangs out with a platonic buddy named Stew, instigating an intimate relationship with a much-younger man, an intern at his office. This proves to be a sticking point in his close relationship with Stew, his neighbor and best friend since college, with jealousy rearing its head based on the simplistic notion that Stew isn't as attractive as Colin, can't get a date of his own and has deep-rooted feelings for his long-time pal. McCullouch toys with the clichés and stereotypes inherent in this scenario (the gays namedrop Madonna, go to the gym regularly, and hit the bars not for a thrilling night out but with the intent on finding sexual partners); however, having a gay protagonist who also likes sports isn't exactly groundbreaking, while the scenes of gay intimacy are merely hinted at. Gay love has been shown to better advantage as subplots in heterosexual-dominated films, which makes one wonder why McCulloch didn't (or wasn't allowed to) go all the way with his narrative. Playing it safe won't expand the boundaries of gay cinema--it never has. * from ****

The concept of this film could have actually been interesting and even profound on a couple of levels. As is, it was poorly acted, scripted and cast (with the ONE notable exception of Jaime Cepero, who was the one actor who actually brought a deeper humanity and meaning to his role). The main character of "Collin" simply comes off as a gay white, self-entitled Alpha male who no one cares to sympathize with. He gets what he wants regardless of consequence. And even when bad things happen, he blames those around him for it. The "gay friend" was even worse than the typical stereotype and more whiny. The fact that he felt he needed to give the "big reveal" either shows he is an incurable drama-queen or just vicious to the point that one wonders just why the lead has him as a friend to begin with. Messy, sloppy and bad...not worth watching.

The story itself might have been interesting but the acting was beyond mediocrity and was sad to watch. May work as a play but definitely not as a movie.