Jeffrey

I watched "Jeffrey" with my Husband earlier tonight. I had meant to watch it for years, but it was a "gay" film, a genre which I love, but often eschew because these films always make me think--even "La Cage aux Folles" had a deep and abiding lesson or two hidden inside.) The themes often involve intolerance, and the traumatic impact of AIDS on the entire gay community; even if the film is a comedy, I find these themes fill me with empathic pain and frustration. I decided to brave those themes despite my female tear ducts this evening, and I was glad I did.

This film was silly. This film was witty. The dialogue is sparkling. All those things made it wonderful to watch. The characters we meet are intriguing, and though the 2-dimensional stereotypes are made for laughs, we get the feeling that we are laughing at the strange mix of truth and falsehood many of the stereotypes possess; we are laughing not at people who are "flaming" but at characters who are exuberant, joyous people, trying to squeeze every bit of joy and delight that they can out of every moment.

I won't spoil the journey through this story with any specifics, let's just say that Jeffrey doesn't quite get it. It is both painful and joyful at turns watching the character navigate through a turning point in his life. I laughed, I got choked up, and then I laughed again, and again ad infinitum. This is not a "gay" movie. It's a character driven story that we can all identify with, if our minds and hearts are open.

Seeing and writing a review of Jeffrey 23 years after the film came out and now having the perspective of history I can only come to the conclusion that life is truly a lottery. Some people I knew who were diagnosed with AIDS in the early 80s are still here to tell the tale. Others are in the HIV+ status and have never developed the disease. And others I knew were diagnosed and went in weeks. They're all part of fabric of our lives, there stories should be remembered and told.

Jeffrey is a mostly comic film that turns serious in the last 20 minutes or so. Steven Weber in the title role is a 30 something gay man who has met the man of his dreams as so many did in the gym. Michael T. Weiss however has just been diagnosed as HIV+. For those unfamiliar he's been exposed the antibodies to the HIV virus have been discovered and he could develop the disease. Could, but that's the crapshoot of life.

Anyway he's decided to be celibate and fill his life with other things. But could it be too late romantically because HIV+ status or not, these two look fated to be mated.

Patrick Stewart looks like he's having a ball camping it up as Weber's older gay friend Jeffrey. Then Stewart gets deadly serious as he faces burying his young partner Bryan Batt. His scene with Weber in the hospital is just classic.

I have to give mention to Nathan Lane who chooses to practice his art mostly for the stage. He has a great part as a not so celibate priest. His scene as Weber seeks some spiritual guidance is also quite classic.

I think the moral of the story is that when you find a soulmate grab that person of whatever gender and hold on as tight as you can. That's Jeffrey's story and it's well told.

This takes place when AIDS was still killing guys left and right. Gay Jeffrey (Steven Weber) loves sex but is terrified that he'll get AIDS. So he decides to give up sex completely. Then he meets handsome, hunky Steve (Michael T. Weiss) and falls in love. Michael feels the same way...but he's HIV+. Can Jeffrey fight his fear?

First off, the play was better. Some of the humor that worked so well on stage fell flat on a movie screen. Second, Weber is miscast. He's handsome, muscular but he can't act. However, I give him credit for playing an openly gay man so easily. Third, the direction is really off. I don't recognize the director's name, but comedy is not his forte. His direction really destroyed some of the jokes. Other than that, this is an OK movie. Michael T. Weiss is beautiful (and hunky) and one hell of an actor. Patrick Stewart played a gay older man to perfection--I couldn't believe it when I found out he was straight. Also the scenes with Olympia Dukakis, Sigourney Weaver and Nathan Lane are great! Also a great romantic ending with a few nice, long kisses. So, worth seeing but no great movie. If only they had a better leading man and a better director it might have worked.

This is one of my favorite movies. This movie takes a very serious subject and presents it in a very light-hearted manner. There were times when I wasn't sure if I should have been laughing or crying. My favorite scenes had much to do with the quasi-comical nature in which AIDs is presented, and how each character acts, reacts, and is affected by the sickness. Rest assured, this movie will keep you interested not only with its story line but with the surprise cameo appearances by some of today's best actors.

Patrick Stewart gives an outstanding performance as "Sterling," however, it is Michael T. Weiss who steals the show! Not only does he look incredible in white spandex, but his performance is incredibly believable. Whether you are a Weiss fan or not, this movie is a must see! Lanie, NY

Contrary to most viewers, I found "Jeffrey" to be a singularly pleasant experience all the way through. It sags a bit in the middle, but then, please name a movie that doesn't?

It starts off like a protracted confessional; gay waiter Jeffrey (Steven Weber) waxing neurotic (in some telling vignettes) about the danger of having sex in the age of AIDS. He decides to work out instead. Meeting Mr. Exactly Right in the gym gives him pause, though. Especially when the guy is the delectable Steve (Michael T.Weiss), all muscle and chiseled grin. Jeffrey's friends advise him to reconsider his celibacy, and give it a go. It takes Jeffrey around 1 hour and 20 minutes of screen-time to do so. Had he succumbed to Steve right away, there would have been no movie! There is a sitcom-like feel to this story; obstructions and cracks are neatly wall-papered over in the name of light-hearted comedy. Darius' angelic reappearance towards the end smacks of opting for the easy way out. How else would Jeffrey have seen the error of his ways? It's the least convincing scene in the movie. Still, everything else is both funny and touching. The fantasy game-show is nice, the "Hoe- Down for AIDS" is a scathingly funny piss-take on charity-events, while Sterling's banter and relentless quips are wonderful:

"Martha Stewart says that as long as you can make a nice, dried flower arrangement - nothing else matters!!

Darius is a believable character, Steve is the hunk of the year, and although Steven Weber doesn't set the room on fire as Jeffrey, I found him to be exactly in character. After all, Jeffrey is SUPPOSED to be a rather ordinary guy. Why Steve would go for him, though, is a bit of a mystery. Their subsequent affair would make for an interesting sequel. It would probably all turn sour in the end. Then again...