"The Mountain King" is one of those kind of films that belong in the realm of fantasy rather than a realistic work. It's all about dreams, desires,
fantasies, possibilites and what if's of life. It's not about "those things don't happen in real life", it's more about how open minded people could be and if taken
certain risks and daring it could actually happen, and great amazing things would happen. Duncan Tucker, the future director of the incredible "Transamerica" made a
fun, light-hearted and interesting film destined to open some minds to new experiences though he uses of the power of imagination and fantasy to compose his story and one has to
have a great deal of imagination to go along with.
A shy loner guy (John Sloan) is approached by a hunky hustler (Paul Dawson, way before "Shortbus") who asks him for 40 bucks and in exchange they'll have some
fun together. That right there is the first sign that things never go this way, it's the other way around with the guy requesting the hustler. Anyway, the lonely
dude just wants to stay there at the beach, reading his book and allegedly waiting for his girlfriend to show up. But in the world of movies we know they'll go
together to some place, things will heat up and the most unexpected encounter of all time will become a life changing event to the less experienced young man.
What more can be said: it's funny, sexy, very unusual at times, and it comes with a cool twist to give audiences plenty of reflections about the people we
allow to enter our lives, what we allow them to show to us and how such connection and experiences can redifine us in positive and rewarding ways. That's the
ultimate goal of "The Mountain King" and through dream/fantasy conventions we are allowed to see life in a lighter and curious way. 10/10.
